Pueblo County advances $180 million plan for west-side jail
Pueblo County commissioners have advanced plans for an estimated $180 million detention center on Pueblo’s west side, a proposal that would move the county jail from downtown and address overcrowding concerns that drew a threat of state sanctions.
The proposed facility would be built at 3830 Medal of Honor Boulevard. It would replace the existing Pueblo County Jail at 909 Court Street, which is located downtown.
The action was reported in June 2026, with county planning still underway. Advancing the plan is not the same as starting construction or approving a final facility budget. The cited reporting describes an advanced proposal, rather than a completed construction contract or final authorization for the jail.
What the county is proposing
The central change is the proposed replacement of the current jail with a new detention center on the city’s west side. The estimated project cost is $180 million.
If the proposal moves forward, a major county detention operation would eventually shift from 909 Court Street to the Medal of Honor Boulevard site. That would reshape where the county provides jail services and where a substantial public facility is located within Pueblo.
The plan also represents a significant potential public capital commitment. At an estimated $180 million, the project would be one of the county’s largest infrastructure undertakings, although the estimate should not be treated as a final budget.
Overcrowding prompted state concern
State officials threatened sanctions over overcrowding at the existing jail. That concern helped drive the county’s move toward a replacement facility.
The state action described in the reporting was a threat of sanctions, not a statement that sanctions had already been imposed. The overcrowding issue gives the proposal a public-safety and regulatory dimension beyond the question of where a new building would be placed.
A replacement jail could give the county a way to respond to the capacity concerns that led to state scrutiny. The available plan, however, does not establish the new facility’s jail capacity or explain how operations would be handled while a replacement is being planned or built.
Key details remain ahead
Several decisions remain unresolved as planning continues. The final financing structure, construction schedule and approval milestones have not been established in the cited reports. The reports also do not establish the project’s final capacity.
Those details will determine how the $180 million estimate translates into county obligations and when, if ever, the jail operation could move from downtown to the west-side site. They will also clarify whether the proposal advances through additional county approvals before construction can begin.
For now, the verified development is that Pueblo County commissioners have moved the replacement-jail plan forward. The proposed location is 3830 Medal of Honor Boulevard, the facility it would replace is at 909 Court Street, and the estimated cost is $180 million. The county’s next publicly significant steps will be tied to financing, design, scheduling and formal approval of the project.
Sources
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