NIH Visitors and Security

The National Institutes of Health, like all Federal Government facilities, has instituted security measures to ensure the safety of NIH employees, patients, and visitors. The national threat advisory level, determined by the Department of Homeland Security (http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/), is Yellow (elevated).

All employees must present a Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) photo ID badge (for example, your NIH-issued ID badge) and valid parking tag.

All visitor and commercial vehicles will be inspected. Visitors must show one (1) form of identification (a government-issued photo ID—driver's license, passport, green card, etc.)

All shuttle buses from off-campus facilities will undergo inspection at the campus perimeter, but will be allowed to enter and circulate on campus once inspected.

Vendors and contractors with frequent official business at NIH can be issued special temporary IDs. You must provide an original letter on company letter head or a memo from your NIH Project Officer justifying your need for a temporary ID. The letter/memo must contain your full name and date of birth and must be presented in person with a valid photo ID at the NIH Parking Office in Building 31C, B3 level, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (phone 301-496-6851).

All visitor vehicles, including taxicabs, hotel and airport shuttles, delivery trucks and vans will be inspected before being allowed on campus. Visitors will be asked to show one (1) form of identification (a government-issued photo ID—driver's license, passport, green card, etc.) and to state the purpose of their visit. Be sure to allow extra time for this vehicle inspection procedure.

A list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Perimeter Security System, including information about pedestrian entrances, is available at http://www.security.nih.gov/PSSFAQ.htm. Information for bicyclists is available at http://www.security.nih.gov/bicycleFacts.htm.

Due to the checking of IDs at the perimeter, employees and visitors will not be required to show their ID again to gain access to the majority of buildings on the NIH Bethesda campus during the normal business day.

Employees and visitors should continue to wear their identification prominently at all times while on campus.

Guards will remain at certain buildings to address specific program requirements such as sensitive research and safety concerns. At building entrances where guards are posted:

• Employees must show a DHHS-issued photo ID (for example, your NIH-issued ID badge)
• Visitors may be required to log in, wear a visitors pass and have an employee escort them through the building.
• Visitors may be required to pass through a metal detector and have bags, backpacks or purses inspected or x-rayed as they enter buildings.
• Security staff will be looking for and confiscating any suspicious or potentially dangerous materials. U.S. Code prohibits bringing any dangerous weapons onto Federal property, including anything with a blade longer than 2 ½ inches. Meeting participants may want to leave extra bags or personal materials at their hotel to minimize the time needed for inspection

After-hours building access will require the use of an employee ID at electronic access card readers at building entrances and certain internal areas.

Similar, appropriate security adjustments will be made at off-campus facilities.

Employees are encouraged to be vigilant and report anyone using unauthorized entrances or suspicious activity to the NIH Police at 301-496-5685.

Mission-related activities are allowed during normal business hours but require special permission for groups of 50 or more. Mission related activities during evenings and weekends for all groups require special permission. NIH conferences and special events are governed and approved by the policy "Conditions for Access to and Use of NIH Facilities for Group Functions, Activities, and Special Events." (PDF - 6.01 MB) Contact NIH Special Events for guidance: 301-496-9966.

For information about planning your visit to the NIH Clinical Center, please visit the Clinical Center web site at http://www.cc.nih.gov/about/visitor.shtml.

Tune your radios to 1660 AM for further NIH traffic, parking and security advisories. For questions, please contact the ORS Information Line at orsinfo@mail.nih.gov or 301-594-6677, TTY 301-435-1908.

Visitors, including patients, contractors, and vendors:

All visitors including patients, contractors, vendors and delivery persons must use the following entrances (see the Visitor Map):

• Rockville Pike at South Drive (Metro):
  Regular weekday schedule:
  Open 24 hours - Inbound and Outbound traffic
  -- Open to All Vehicles
  -- Pedestrian Turnstiles Open for Employees
  -- Gateway Center at Metro Open for Visitor Registration
  
• Old Georgetown Road at Center Drive:
  (This entrance is primarily for commercial vehicles and visitors)
  Regular weekday schedule:
  5 am to 2 pm - Inbound traffic only
  2 pm to 7 pm - Inbound and Outbound traffic
  7 pm to 5 am - Closed to all traffic
  
• Cedar Lane at West Drive: (Patients and Patient Visitors Only)
  Regular weekday schedule:
  7 am - 3 pm Inbound traffic only
  Clinical Center Hospitality staff will assist patients at the entrance weekdays from 7 AM - 3 PM.
  (Please note that this entrance is closed on weekends and holidays.)
  To view a map detailing the Patient Visitor Entrance, please visit:
  http://clinicalcenter.nih.gov/about/visitor/_pdf/campusmap_color.pdf (PDF - 479 KB)

Employees

• Rockville Pike at Wilson Drive: (Employees Only)
  Regular weekday schedule:
  5 am to 7 pm - Inbound and Outbound traffic
  9 pm to 5 am - Closed to all traffic
  
• Rockville Pike at Center Drive: (Employees Only)
  Regular weekday schedule:
  6 am to 7 pm - Inbound and Outbound traffic
  7 pm to 6 am - Closed to all traffic
  
• Old Georgetown Road at Lincoln Drive: (Employees Only)
  Regular weekday schedule:
  6 am to 7 pm - Inbound & Outbound traffic
  7 pm to 6 am - Closed to all traffic
  
• Old Georgetown Road at South Drive: Open (Employees Only)
  Regular weekday schedule:
  6 am to 12 pm - Inbound and Outbound traffic
  12 pm to 3 pm - Closed to all traffic
  3 pm to 9 pm - Outbound traffic only
  
• Rockville Pike at North Drive: Open (Employees Only)
  Regular weekday schedule:
  6 am to 10 am - Inbound and Outbound traffic
  10 am to 3 pm - Closed to all traffic
  3 pm to 7 pm - Outbound traffic only

• Rockville Pike at South Drive (Metro):
  Open 24 hours - Inbound and Outbound traffic
• Old Georgetown Road at Center Drive:
  Saturdays: 5 am to 6 pm - Inbound and Outbound traffic
  Sundays: 6 am to 6pm - Inbound and Outbound traffic

Please note: visitor parking is limited at NIH. Visitors are encouraged to use public transportation such as the Metrorail subway system which has a convenient stop (Medical Center) on the NIH campus. Visit the "Metro" site for information on fares and schedules http://www.wmata.com/.

Visitors must park in designated visitor parking lots. Patients may park 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the Clinical Center garage, P-1 level. Vehicles will be inspected prior to parking in underground or multi-level garages.

Public buses are no longer allowed to circulate on campus. Visitors arriving by bus will be dropped off at the NIH/Medical Center Metro stop at Rockville Pike and South Drive. Patients and visitors on official business can then ride the Campus Shuttle to the Clinical Center and other designated shuttle stops on the campus.

Campus Shuttle Schedule

The NIH Campus Shuttle is free of charge and runs daily, both on and around campus and from campus to various off-campus NIH buildings.

Shuttle schedule (for Blackberry)

The URL for BlackBerry devices is http://shuttle.nih.gov. This application is suitable for BlackBerry models 6710 and 6510. It is not suitable for models 850, 950, and 957 due to memory limitation. This feature requires that the BlackBerry subscriber has Wireless Internet access.

If you have questions, please contact grante@ors.od.nih.gov. We will be glad to test other devices that you have.

Construction is beginning on a new NIH Gateway Center for the Bethesda campus. The Center will provide a central location for registering and orienting visitors and provide additional parking spaces outside the secured perimeter of campus. The NIH Gateway Center will be an integral component of the Perimeter Security System and will consist of three facilities:

1. a visitor/guest registration and badging center (Building 66);
2. an underground parking garage for 350 cars (MLP-11);
3. a visitor vehicle inspection station (Building 66A).

The NIH Gateway Center will be located adjacent to the Medical Center Metro Station at the South Drive entrance to campus from Rockville Pike/Wisconsin Avenue (Route 355).

During construction, pedestrian routes leading towards Natcher (Bldg. 45), the National Library of Medicine (Bldg. 38), and other buildings in this area will be impacted. The existing pedestrian path beginning near the Metro and leading towards Natcher will be closed.

The following measures will be taken to accommodate pedestrian traffic during construction:

1. New Shuttle Service—an enhanced shuttle service will be added for the Natcher Building (Bldg. 45) and the National Library of Medicine (Bldg. 38).
   The existing "Campus Express" route will be renamed the "Campus Limited" route and will add new stops at the Metro, Buildings 45 and 38. This shuttle will pick up and drop off Metro/bus passengers at the new shuttle loop inside the fence. To review the full schedule for the new Campus Limited route, please visit the NIH Shuttle webpage at: http://dtts.ors.od.nih.gov/NIHShuttle/scripts/shuttle_map_live.asp
2. New Pedestrian Pathway—A new pedestrian pathway beginning next to the temporary NIH Gateway Center will connect to existing pathways leading to Natcher, NLM and nearby buildings. An existing pedestrian pathway is also available along Rockville Pike.
3. Rear Entrance to Natcher Open—the rear entrance to the Natcher Conference Center will open for NIH employees during normal business hours. However, all visitors still need to enter Natcher using the front entrance.

For a map providing an overview of the area under construction including the new Campus Limited Shuttle stop and the new pedestrian pathway, please visit: http://dtts.ors.od.nih.gov/gateway_map.htm

The Medical Center Metro Station will remain open at all times during construction. For bicycle commuters—there will be no loss of existing bicycle racks at the Metro. Please use caution when walking or cycling through this area, as well as throughout the campus.

Emergency Preparedness

Information regarding emergency planning and preparedness at the NIH is available in the NIH Emergency Preparedness Handbook http://ser.ors.od.nih.gov/documents/HandbookFinal.pdf (PDF - 547 KB).