Posted on 09/30/2019 11:36:10 AM PDT by BeauBo
CBP... has awarded three contracts to construct up to approximately 65 miles of new (ALL NEW) border wall system within U.S. Border Patrol’s (USBP) Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Sector located in Starr, Hidalgo and Cameron Counties in Texas... (It) will include an 18-30 foot tall steel bollard wall, all-weather roads, lighting, enforcement cameras, and other related technology to create a complete enforcement zone. Construction is anticipated to begin in early 2020, pending availability of real estate, and will take place in locations where no barriers currently exist.
(September 29) a contract to construct up to approximately 21 miles of new border wall system located within Starr County, Texas was awarded to Southern Border Constructors for the base contract amount of $120,412,400. The total contract value, including options, is $257,808,800 The project area begins west of Falcon Dam Port of Entry and extends eastward, in five non-contiguous segments, which will connect to other new border wall segments.
(September 29) a contract to construct up to approximately 22 miles of new border wall system located within Starr and Hidalgo Counties, Texas was awarded to Southern Border Constructors for the base contract amount of $110,022,700. The total contract value, including options, is $258,085,400. The project area begins east of the Rio Grande City Port of Entry and extends eastward, in two non-contiguous segments, which will connect to other new border wall segments.
(September 29) a contract to construct up to approximately 22 miles of new border wall system located within Cameron and Hidalgo Counties, Texas was awarded to Gibraltar-Caddell Joint Venture for the base contract amount of $155,269,992. The total contract value, including options, is $296,709,805. The project area begins east of the Pharr Port of Entry and extends eastward, in 12 non-contiguous segments, which will connect to other new border wall segments.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbp.gov ...
None of it funded with with DoD money, which has been the subject of lawsuits.
With the other five contracts that have already been awarded in the Rio Grande Valley, about 100 miles are on contract there now - the great bulk of the Sector that had been open - almost all (if not all) of these miles are in areas that had no barrier whatsoever before.
Just getting the Rio Grande Valley done would be a very significant accomplishment. The same with San Diego, or Yuma. President Trump is getting all three done (San Diego in January) - plus hundreds of more miles. And there are still next year's accomplishments to look forward to as well.
Note that this is Border Wall System, not Levee Wall - construction is much quicker for this kind of barrier.
Also note that it starts right at the Falcon Lake Dam Port of Entry, and continues joining segments of existing barrier. This fundamentally closes down huge open corridors to illegal traffic, with very long continuous runs of Wall System. Very extensive. The Rio Grande Valley Sector will be transformed.
The barrier program is seriously rolling out now, as are the various Technology Programs for the border.
65 ALL NEW miles awarded yesterday. Somebody must break the news to Post-Menopausal Ann Coulter.
More good news. Thanks BeauBo.
Excellent.
Despite all the attacks on him, Trump is moving ahead with his agenthe border wall is part of that.da, to MAGA,
Border Wall Ping.
Something happened as I was typing and things got mixed up.
What I tried to say:
Despite all the attacks on him, Trump is moving ahead with his agenda, to MAGA, the border wall is part of that.
Still not tired of winning! MAGA!
Caddell, one of the prototype builders (in a Joint Venture with Gibraltar), finally gets some of the actual construction work.
AWESOME!
I am impressed with the wall and placement methods being used.
This sucker goes up fast when they put it up.
If there is a govt shutdown, how much of this gets impacted. Managed by Army Corps of Engineers with contractors executing the work? Once bids are accepted can it be postponed by shutdown.
Always worry about lawsuits, legal impediments can slowdown also.
“I am impressed with the wall and placement methods being used.
This sucker goes up fast when they put it up.”
This is because President Trump has been smart enough to have the steel panels prebuilt. After they build the road and have dug the trench for the wallfootings all I have to do is drop the steel wall panels in by crane, make a few welds, and then pour concrete around the base.
Mad MoFo Trump knows how to build. In 2020 watch for the Trump Administration to go balls out on construction and telling the courts to pack sand.
Excellent. Keep on building that wall.
Thanks for the mention. I thought at one point I had seen wall struts not put together yet. I had wondered if a crew was assembling them on site.
Plus, with his simple threat to Mexico with tariffs, Mexico is now holding most of the asylum seekers in country and even put troops are their southern border. When is the last time you heard of a large caravan coming from Central America? They are getting the message.
“CBP notified the trespassers which areas would remain open”
Congress deliberately wrote some exceptions (gaps) into the appropriations they provided.
They purposely left 5 gaps unfunded, and required consultation with local (municipal) officials in 5 others (Salineno, Roma, Escobares, Rio Grande City, La Grulla).
But the net result is about 90% of the open mileage is getting built, and Border Patrol Officers and technology will converge on those much smaller gaps. If they can get through the administrative hurdle of local consultation requirement and get those small municipal areas built as well, only a few miles of gaps will remain.
Those purposely unfunded gaps are Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, La Lomita Historical Park, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, within or east of the Vista del Mar Ranch tract of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, or the National Butterfly Center - something like a mile or two each.
Although the appropriation specifically prohibited using those specific dollars to build barrier in those locations, it did not specifically forbid ever building barrier there. Other money might be used, but it is probably just not worth the hassle right now, when getting the big gaps built is the priority.
Those small gaps will be like shooting fish in a barrel for the Border Patrol, compared to the over 100 miles of dense vegetation they have to police now.
Hope once construction starts it is unstoppable and 24/7. Outside of summer heat expect 12 hr shifts ten months out of the year.
Absolutely continue if any lawfare used. Let them eat sand and rock. Fiber is good for the diet.
“...like shooting fish in a barrel...” Figuratively speaking of course.
Yes, it does and that is due to Pres. Trump listening to Border Patrol priorities and not micro-managing. That is leadership. Plus, with Trump's other solutions regarding asylum and threatening Mexico with tariffs, where are all the new caravans? The word has gotten out to Central America.
This is the first President I have seen to take action this problem since I first got involved back in the 80's when I live 2 miles from the border in San Diego. I'm encouraged.
“If there is a govt shutdown, how much of this gets impacted.”
No impact. This is funded with prior year appropriations (FY18 and FY19) - money that is already on account. Construction money remains good for five years.
These contracts have been formally awarded, so it is now on the contractors to perform. The Contracting Officer and the minimal staff of finance people required to validate and disburse progress payments to the contractors are designated as “essential” and continue to function through Government shutdowns.
“Always worry about lawsuits, legal impediments”
The main obstacle in the Rio Grande Valley, is settling with about 400 private landowners, which has been working for quite some time. Ultimately, the Government can condemn a property under eminent domain, and start building the next day. The legal case to determine the price might drag on for ten years, but the wall would be built. The Government has been very careful - relatively patient, gentle and generous - with the landowners this time around, as compared to the Bush-era Secure Fence Act construction (2007-9). Lesson learned.
There are some other lawsuit tracks that the Left is pursuing, but they are particularly weak - a made up Indian Tribe, use of environmental waivers (which has been upheld several times already). These contracts don’t use any of the Military Construction money, that will probably have to go to the Supreme Court in a few months for a quick review.
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