ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) -- Friday marked the last meeting of 2024 for the Allen County Commissioners and the last approval vote to fund the last five construction phases for the new Allen County Jail. A representative for Weigand Construction, Cody Michaud, presented a $4.4 million Phase 5 bid package. Weigand is the construction manager for the project. The final phase includes off-site asphalt, concrete, landscaping, and water lines that were increased from 12 to 16 inches in diameter, fences and gates. Allen County Commissioner Nelson Peters Clearing the site for initial concrete work began in October after the last hurdles, including anti-jail lawsuits, ended. The total project construction cost is currently at $267 million, well below estimates during the pandemic. However, that doesn’t include other soft costs. “You have to be careful because the $267 (million) is just for construction costs.  There are some other figures that at the end of the day will need to be taken into account. Those will include architectural fees, contract fees and other stuff. Those numbers haven’t been reconciled yet, so there really is no bottom line number to bring to the table yet," said outgoing commissioner Nelson Peters. Peters said the $267 million figure is “significantly less” than original estimates. “We’ve had just about every bid package 1 through 5 come in significantly lower than what was originally anticipated. That means great savings for the taxpayers of Allen County.“ Although the new jail was estimated to cost as much as $350 million, that number will probably be closer to $300 million, officials have said. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed up construction prices because of the amount of work contractors had to choose from and supply chain issues. “They could pretty much write their own tickets as to what projects they would take on and what they would charge,” Peters said. By 2024, contractors had more time for work and weren't as selective, he added. Right now, the jail is still in the beginning phase. “The next phase will probably be utility hookups. All the concrete has probably been poured,” said Peters, who still believes the ribbon cutting will take place in late 2027, a date that is “not bad given all the obstacles.” The new jail came about after a federal judge agreed with a Jan. 2020 lawsuit filed by inmates that the Allen County Jail was inhumane because of overcrowding and understaffing. Peters called the existing downtown jail “dilapidated,” even though a newer part might be refurbished for mental health services. Will the Allen County courts eventually move out to the new site on Meyer Road? Short term, no, Peters said, even though the Department of Health and Allen County Community Corrections are enthusiastically making plans to relocate in an existing building. Originally, there was a plan for the courts and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, “but that was scaled back over the objections of some (stakeholders),” Peters said.” It makes sense to house everyone together like that.”