Construction begins on border wall funded by $2.8 billion allowed by SCOTUS decision last month

[Right_in_Virginia]

Construction begins on border wall funded by $2.8 billion allowed by SCOTUS decision last month
American Thinker, Aug 25, 2019

President Trump has received a lot of derision for supposedly not building a single mile of new border barrier, despite his campaign promises. But the real story is a bit more complicated, and as of last Friday, crews began construction on 247 miles of 30-foot-high wall in Arizona and New Mexico. Last month, the Supreme Court decided that use of parts of the military budget to protect our sovereignty was oaky, and this added $2.8 billion to the $1.7 billion that Congress appropriated for wall construction. That permitted President Trump to start to fulfill his promises.

Most of the construction will be replacement of existing fence, but 17 miles of it will be brand new border barrier. The Associated Press has a video (embedded below) featuring shots of various points of the project, but this cropped image below expresses the new fencing part of the project:



The AP gives space to wall opponents of both the illegal immigration advocates and the ecology variety. But it doesn’t concern itself with the reasons why most of the construction is replacing existing wall, so I will add some speculation as to why so much initial effort is replacing wall.
1.The first walls, old and easy to breach, were built in the highest traffic areas, for the most part.
2.There are fewer permits necessary to replace wall than to build new wall.
3.There is less need for land acquisition, sometimes requiring court action, to replace existing wall. While new wall may require land purchases, which can eat up time.

The AP tells us that completion of the 247 miles of fence will be complete in 45 days.

Hat tip: Roger Luchs

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/08/construction_begins_on_border_wall_funded_by_28_billion_allowed_by_scotus_decision_last_month_.html

[Elderberry]

The administration has awarded $2.8 billion in contracts for barriers covering 247 miles (390 kilometers), with all but 17 miles (27 kilometers) of that to replace existing barriers instead of expanding coverage.

[Right_in_Virginia]

And this:

Fisher Border Wall El Paso, TX Extended Cut Version
June 15, 2019, YouTube

On April 29th, 2019, Fisher Sand & Gravel Co. was contacted by We Build the Wall to construct a half mile of fence in Sunland Park, New Mexico. The location was deemed “Unbuildable” by government agencies due to the harsh construction conditions. In just over one month of being notified of this project, Fisher procured and fabricated the bollard fence panels and finished all construction within two weeks.


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[Right_in_Virginia]

USBPChief‏
Verified account  @USBPChief

Construction of the new border wall system continues near San Luis, AZ. We’ve completed over 60 mi of new border wall system so far with the help of @usacehq. This new system improves impedance & denial of illegal entries, making the border safer for both my agents, & our nation.

3:29 PM - 23 Aug 2019

Video at link: 

https://twitter.com/USBPChief/status/1165028307886333952

[Victoria33]

@Elderberry

So, only 17 miles of new wall.  Good to know.

[Right_in_Virginia]

The administration has awarded $2.8 billion in contracts for barriers covering 247 miles (390 kilometers), with all but 17 miles (27 kilometers) of that to replace existing barriers instead of expanding coverage.

So, just to be clear --- you're proposing we leave over 200 miles of decaying and ineffective barriers in place in the high traffic areas.  Yes or no?

[Right_in_Virginia]

@Elderberry

So, only 17 miles of new wall.  Good to know.

No, @Victoria33  It's 247 miles of new wall.  Replacement of ineffective, broken, decaying barriers counts; especially in high traffic areas.  Or would you prefer we leave the decay and maybe pave an express lane to the area for easier access by the invaders?

[EdJames]

No, @Victoria33  It's 247 miles of new wall.  Replacement of ineffective, broken, decaying barriers counts; especially in high traffic areas.  Or would you prefer we leave the decay and maybe pave an express lane to the area for easier access by the invaders?

Since most of the "existing" sections being replaced do not currently serve as any form of deterrent whatsoever, the wall sections that replaces them are functionally "new wall." 

Not hard to understand this.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Since most of the "existing" sections being replaced do not currently serve as any form of deterrent whatsoever, the wall sections that replaces them are functionally "new wall." 

Not hard to understand this.

 

[Elderberry]

So, just to be clear --- you're proposing we leave over 200 miles of decaying and ineffective barriers in place in the high traffic areas.  Yes or no?

I was just pointing out that the wall effort primarily remains on upgrading existing wall. 17 miles of new wall is a start from not having any new wall up until now. Repairing existing wall doesn't require any permits or land acquisitions. I would like to see a total functional wall. But along the Rio Grande with it's switchbacks and differing topography, I wish that the location of the wall is rationally thought out. It may make more sense in some areas for the wall to be constructed several miles away from the border.

The AP gives space to wall opponents of both the illegal immigration advocates and the ecology variety. But it doesn’t concern itself with the reasons why most of the construction is replacing existing wall, so I will add some speculation as to why so much initial effort is replacing wall.

1.The first walls, old and easy to breach, were built in the highest traffic areas, for the most part.

2.There are fewer permits necessary to replace wall than to build new wall.

3.There is less need for land acquisition, sometimes requiring court action, to replace existing wall. While new wall may require land purchases, which can eat up time.

[skeeter]

Since most of the "existing" sections being replaced do not currently serve as any form of deterrent whatsoever, the wall sections that replaces them are functionally "new wall." 

Not hard to understand this.

I don't quite understand the argument of the critics who scoff at the rebuilding of existing sections. Is their assertion this is unnecessary and proof we're being fooled?

[EdJames]

I don't quite understand the argument of the critics who scoff at the rebuilding of existing sections. Is their assertion this is unnecessary and proof we're being fooled?

In some cases I see it being used as fodder for the “Trump always lies to his supporters” meme.

[austingirl]

I don't quite understand the argument of the critics who scoff at the rebuilding of existing sections. Is their assertion this is unnecessary and proof we're being fooled?

For certain people, yes.

[Elderberry]

https://www.constructiondive.com/news/cbp-awards-305m-worth-of-texas-border-wall-contracts/561262/

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, earlier this month awarded an $80.9 million base contract to New Mexico-based Southwest Valley Constructors for the construction of 11 miles of new levee walls at the U.S.-Mexico border in Hidalgo County, Texas. With options, the total contract is worth up to $304.6 million.
Southwest will perform the work at three locations along the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) levee beginning in Mission, Texas. The wall will have the same design as other levee wall barriers in the area — 18-foot-tall steel bollards on top of a concrete wall to the height of existing levee — but will also feature all-weather roads, lighting and other technology that will create a total enforcement zone. Other work awarded to Southwest includes 25 automated border wall gates off the IBWC levee at the end of or along existing levee ramps.

[Elderberry]

CBP also gave Southwest a $33 million contract in June to build about four miles of similar border wall in Starr County, Texas. That money also came from appropriations, not the DOD or Department of the Treasury. The Trump administration is appealing a Ninth Circuit court ruling that it cannot divert money from the military and use it for border wall construction.

[Elderberry]

Meanwhile, the CBP, according to this latest press release, said it will not perform work in sensitive areas like the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge or the National Butterfly Center.

[verga]

This will get zero play in the MSM

[Fishrrman]

Right in Va posted:
"On April 29th, 2019, Fisher Sand & Gravel Co. was contacted by We Build the Wall to construct a half mile of fence in Sunland Park, New Mexico. The location was deemed “Unbuildable” by government agencies due to the harsh construction conditions. In just over one month of being notified of this project, Fisher procured and fabricated the bollard fence panels and finished all construction within two weeks."

... which is why the utterations of some in this forum that "the wall cannot be built in some places" is absolute nonsense.

It can be built anywhere we have the will to build it.
Period.

[Right_in_Virginia]

USBPChief‏
Verified account  @USBPChief

Construction of the new border wall system continues near San Luis, AZ. We’ve completed over 60 mi of new border wall system so far with the help of @usacehq. This new system improves impedance & denial of illegal entries, making the border safer for both my agents, & our nation.

3:29 PM - 23 Aug 2019

Video at link: 

https://twitter.com/USBPChief/status/1165028307886333952

The CBP showed this new section of steel bollard wall near San Luis, Arizona



The new wall is in the Yuma Sector, which is the third busiest along the border



Some sections of the new wall have three barriers to create a triple enforcement zone



More photos and video at link:  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7392979/Border-Patrol-unveils-60-new-miles-Donald-Trumps-border-wall-drone-footage.html

[Right_in_Virginia]

Pinned Tweet

Donald J. Trump‏
Verified account  @realDonaldTrump

The Wall is going up very fast despite total Obstruction by Democrats in Congress, and elsewhere! https://www.instagram.com/p/B1t2uUeBXdU/?igshid=b6tjibw3fnws …


10:48 AM - 28 Aug 2019

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1166769660450226177