Supply chain issues slow opening of new Fayette County jail

The still-awaited instillation of a manual smoke override system has delayed the opening of Fayette County’s new jail.
Commissioners on Thursday said supply chain issues are responsible for the delay, indicating they believed it would be installed soon. Once the system is installed and inspected, officials said the county will get its final occupancy permit to begin operations at the $44 million facility, located 245 McClellandtown Road in Uniontown.
Construction started on the new jail, which will replace the county’s existing facility adjacent to the courthouse, started in March 2021. In August and September, officials offered public tours the jail, and said they expected to move inmates into the 114,500-square-foot facility late last month or early this month.
Also on Thursday, the commissioners enacted an ordinance to approve permanent financing for the project through a 30-year USDA loan with a 2.25% interest rate.
Commissioner Vince Vicites called the loan a “godsend,” and said going that route instead of a bond issue saved the county about $25 million. He also noted that the project is under budget by between $1 million and $1.5 million.
In other business, the commissioners unanimously voted to approve a memorandum of understanding between the county and the National Road Heritage Corridor to provide support for the design and the sustainability of the Sheepskin Trail, as well as the trail network under the management of the county.
The support from the NRHC excludes construction, managing the formation, operations and ongoing activities of the Fayette County Trail Coalition.
“This is going to be similar to the Regional Trail Corporation, which owns the Great Allegheny Passage from Connellsville to The Point in Pittsburgh,” said Commissioner Scott Dunn, adding that different trail organizations also operate under the Regional Trail Corporation for those sections of the GAP.