Posted on 03/30/2018 11:39:45 AM PDT by NobleFree
President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce the start of construction his proposed wall on the U.S. southern border — but that's not exactly what happened.
“Great briefing this afternoon on the start of our Southern Border WALL!” Trump tweeted, sharing pictures of work being done in Calexico, California.
Great briefing this afternoon on the start of our Southern Border WALL! pic.twitter.com/pmCNoxxlkH
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2018
[...] The project to replace dilapidated fencing in Calexico began in 2009, the LA Times reported. [...]
A press release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection explains that construction on the fence replacement in Calexico began on February 21:
The area of the border wall replacement will be an approximately 2.25-mile section replaced with 30-foot high bollard style wall. The project covers an area from approximately the Calexico West Port of Entry extending westward beyond the Gran Plaza Outlets. The project also includes around 2.25 miles of all-weather roads.
CBP explains that the previous fencing in that spot “was built in the 1990s out of recycled scraps of metal and old landing mat,” and needed to be updated after repeated breaches led to frequent and expensive repairs. [...]
Furthermore, the segment pictured in Trump's tweet isn't really much of a wall at all, but a bollard fence similar to what already exists along parts of the border. During the presidential campaign, Trump lashed out at primary opponent Jeb Bush for suggesting that Trump would build a fence instead of a wall.
Jeb Bush just talked about my border proposal to build a “fence.” It's not a fence, Jeb, it's a WALL, and there's a BIG difference!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2015
Procurement has been going on for nearly a year. Prototypes have been built. The fence repair and replacement now occurring looks very like one of the prototypes
I don’t want fence repair, I want a wall where there is a fence and a wall everywhere else....
I am my own person, which is why I was ‘huge’ for Trump when he first announced. But just as the truth led me to back him then, I am not going to gloss over the facts as I see them. If you think that is being used... well, thoughts are free.
In other words, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
I’ve always said that if the President tweeted tomorrow that the wall was finished and made from materials so advanced that no one could see them, then there would be about 30% of the population that would congratulate him for a job well done.
fence——wall. It’s all in what you want to believe.
You know every well what I mean. Trump doesn’t speak “politician-ese” or “legalese” or like the Bushes or any other snooty-nosed elite.
He’s not hiding the truth like they do; Trump is talking optimistically like a builder does.
Do you yearn for Jeb?
And Congressvermin are the only reason an actual wall with sufficient funding is not taking place.
BTW Israel has fences and the work, same in Hungary and IIRC Bulgaria.
A VERY tall fence, as in the photo, especially with concertina wire on the top, will do quite well. Plus in some places, it’s necessary to see through so the good guys on this side can see what the aholes on the other side are doing.
I never expected different - I live in Arizona.
You want too many words from him. What you want is not possible.
I've long said if the President said tomorrow the wall was finished and made from materials so advanced that no one could see them, about 30% of America would agree and brag about his accomplishment.
I think it is worthless - no help in any way.
Kind of like that budget bill he signed. Believe what you will.
You got anyone else to pay attention to?
6 is a stretch.
No. You’re queen for the day.
Just this one at Calexico, CA is currently going. Twenty miles just West of El Paso, including the Santa Teresa Border Crossing, has had the contract awarded, so they should start construction in the next few weeks. Both of these project are estimated to complete in about a year from start.
Now that the new money has been released, contracting actions should be under way (not public, just among pre-approved vendors from last year's preparations) for more segments. Contracting could take anywhere from a few weeks to six months.
Fourteen miles of double barrier (14 x 2) was authorized in San Diego, but Trump may hold that up to pressure California politicians. Five miles goes to El Paso itself, and there is about twenty miles that I am unsure of (Santa Teresa?). The big effort in this group will be the Rio Grande Valley.
28 miles of levee wall with bollards in Hidalgo County, plus eight more in neighboring Starr County, will fill in the existing gaps to completely wall/fence off the McAllen Texas metro area (except for the Santa Ana Wildlife Reserve outside of town, which will take any flooding that occurs). It will be a big fortification of the Rio Grande Valley, where the most crossings occur.
When these projects get underway later this year there will likely be a half dozen or more crews working at once. There are still lots of variables, especially if Trump shifts the San Diego effort elsewhere.
This guy is an anti-Trump troll, donna...
I found the other day he’s not worth the effort...He can talk to himself from now on...
Looking at his posting history, I went back over 2 months and found not a single positive comment about Trump...Everything negative...
Now you can call it anything you want...it's a wall, a barrier, a deterrent, a fence etc etc
We're looking for a result with benefits. And this see through wall/fence seems to fit the bill.
It's really common fence.
You have to consider President Trump and his whole life....building "solid" buildings. It's his language. Everyone seems to want to play "gotcha".
Post 36 has some status info on the project segments.
Contracting preparations have been going last year, to pre-approve vendors (capability, finances, past performance), define requirements and such. They generally don’t publish anything publicly until contracts are awarded, so we don’t see what is going on during solicitation, bid and evaluation.
Some segments may require a design phase, and then another round of bidding for construction (and possible protests), whereas other segments may have already been designed and have bids submitted, just awaiting funding. We won’t know till awards are made.
I would anticipate that they prepared some tasks for quick award, since the President of the United States was asking for status updates at every cabinet meeting... Construction typically starts 2-3 months after award.
In terms of design, the report from the prototyping phase did recommend that design features from the prototypes should be mixed as needed for different portions of the wall. Flood-prone areas need solid concrete bases (not just bollards), and so on. Overall, the Border Patrol strongly wants the see through bollards where ever possible. It seems that we are getting good patrol road and lighting with all new work as well. Camera and sensor features are hush hush.
The money authorized in the Omnibus specifically seeks to limit design to previously operationally proven designs, mentioning bollards and levee walls specifically as what they like. I believe that is what we will see, and it is damn fine, highly effective barrier, at thirty feet tall. Hopefully, they start adding some barrel top or concertina as well, but it might not even be needed.
Really all we need is money, but there is a natural ramping up process for all involved - contracting officers, vendors and suppliers. Something like 100 miles this year, two hundred next year, three hundred the next would be a very significant effort - especially compared to eight year dead stop under Obama. The Congressional vision is essentially a hundred miles ($1.6 billion) per year for ten years - a lot of time for them to back out of the commitment.
In truth, 300 miles of Trump style barrier in the urbanized areas would seriously impede illegal crossings, and 1,000 to 1,200 would make it more like an expedition than a border crossing. One of the best things about the Trump program, is that they are doing the most important/effective pieces first, rather than the easiest. Every bit they get done, will be well worth it.
It has to built so that no Democrat can render it worthless. I know that’s vague but a wall that is not maintained, manned, funded and secured will be worthless. Let’s just assume the nest a-hole rat President candidate will partially campaign on “bringing down the wall” and will have millennials and all other libtards salivating.
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