ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, July 13, 1996 TAG: 9607150041
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: RADFORD
The Regional Jail Authority is trying to fit its 240-bed facility on a proposed site in Dublin so it can be expanded in future years.
Authority members may meet with Dublin town officials next week to see if the tract south of the former Burlington Industries property can be expanded slightly to accommodate the jail.
Participants in the jail include the city of Radford and counties of Pulaski, Giles and Grayson. They anticipate having to enlarge the jail - in the near future, to a 384-bed facility and in a later phase to 576 beds.
Bill King, representing Thompson & Litton, the architects, said geo-technical testing and the final engineering would be done once the authority and town are comfortable with the positioning of the jail. Topographical mapping has been completed, but it is not known whether rock or other barriers will be encountered in any part of the proposed site.
The authority will ask Dublin Town Council to consider widening the jail area to cross a road to a ravine that would form a natural boundary. The rough terrain would be smoothed out as part of the site preparation.
"I understand the need for it. It's very clear. Meeting the natural contours makes sense, too," said Dublin Town Manager Gary Elander, who attended the authority meeting Friday.
"It's got a lot of arguments for it. It's making the best use of the land," he said of expanding the tract. "Let's take it to council and see what they think."
LENGTH: Short : 35 linesby CNB