Although some concerns were expressed with how exactly it would be paid for, county officials on Thursday approved final design plans for an expansion to the county jail.

The work will finish the building’s second floor, which is currently used for storage space, and increase the jail’s capacity from 200 to almost 300.

The jail currently is crowded on the weekend, and county officials see the increase as a necessity in order to keep up with crime.

The project is expected to cost $2.9 million, although county facilities director Jon Melvin said competitive bids could pull the project under budget.

Other planned improvements include replacing the gravel employee parking lot with a paved one and installing new secure entrances for inmates.

The jail improvements are expected to be at least partially paid for by renting space in the jail to house federal prisoners for the U.S. Marshals for $65 a day, a plan formulated by Sheriff Walter L. Davis III.