A construction crew will begin resurfacing the circle drive at the Lawrence Memorial Hospital’s main entrance off Arkansas Street on Thursday. Patients and visitors are encouraged to enter the hospital through the Lawrence Health Plaza entrance just south of the main entrance at 330 Arkansas during the work, which is expected to last through Nov. 26.

The hospital is on schedule to complete the second phase of a three-year expansion project by spring, according to Janice Early-Weas, director of community relations for LMH.

An East Tower addition includes a new 28,000-square-foot emergency department, which is expected to open in February, followed by expansions of the maternity and intensive care units. Phase three includes a new 42,000-square-foot surgical services facility, which will be built where the emergency department currently is located. The hospital also plans to convert its semi-private patient rooms to private rooms.

Phase one was completed earlier this year and included 18 new patient rooms built as a 19,000-square-foot addition to the third floor, and a 9,000-square-foot expansion and upgrade of the hospital’s mechanical facilities.