Thread: Border fence project hobbling (& fence pictures)

Border fence project hobbling

Costs among problems; year-end goal in doubt

By Randal C. Archibold
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE

September 11, 2008

The Department of Homeland Security said yesterday that cost overruns, legal obstacles and other problems are imperiling its goal of completing the 670 miles of fencing and technological improvements on the Southwest border that President Bush has promoted as vital to securing it.

The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. Customs and Border Protection is postponing plans for the virtual fence being built by Boeing Co. and instead will focus on getting the physical fence in place.

Rising costs for construction and materials and delays in acquiring land from owners could foil the effort to build the physical fence by the end of the year, said officials, who are seeking more money for the project.

The officials, speaking at a congressional hearing and in interviews, brought to light the latest in a series of problems confronting the border effort.

The department has 341 miles of new fencing in place along the 2,000-mile border. But completing the project hinges on redirecting $400 million in department funds from other purposes. Even then, the department may have only partly built the rest of the fence by year's end.

Since 2005, Congress has appropriated $2.7 billion for the Secure Border Initiative, a combination of physical barriers and the virtual fence, which will be a system of cameras and sensors.

The Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, said in a report yesterday that the Department of Homeland Security had no projections for the total cost of building or maintaining the fencing.

The report said the average cost had risen this year to $7.5 million per mile for pedestrian barriers, typically large steel and mesh plates, and $2.8 million per mile for vehicle fencing, usually an array of short thick poles. February's estimates were $4 million for pedestrian fencing and $2 million for vehicles.

Ralph Basham, the commissioner of the department's Customs and Border Protection division, told lawmakers: “We are going to be out of business unless we get some relief. The operation will stop.â€

[quote]“The partnership between DHS and Boeing has produced more missed deadlines and excuses than results,â€

Another border fence picture at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/washi ... fence.html

That isn't the new type of fence.

Originally Posted by Gogo

That isn't the new type of fence.

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No. That is what The National Guard was putting up before congress put up the money for the fence.

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

Originally Posted by Gogo

That isn't the new type of fence.

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No. That is what The National Guard was putting up before congress put up the money for the fence.

OK thanks

Picture of NEW Border Fence

with vehicle barrier between fence post

(Under - By The Numbers)

at this link:

http://www.dhs.gov/index.shtm

Right. this one is much harder to get over.

Rising costs for construction and materials and delays in acquiring land from owners could foil the effort to build the physical fence by the end of the year, said officials, who are seeking more money for the project.

Of course the costs of materials have gone up in the past several years. But money was already set aside and contracts have been made at a specific dollar amount for completion. So, its a flimsy excuse and alot of bull crap.

They are just trying to delay it on purpose, hoping that if elected, Obama will stop the project.

Originally Posted by butterbean

Rising costs for construction and materials and delays in acquiring land from owners could foil the effort to build the physical fence by the end of the year, said officials, who are seeking more money for the project.

Of course the costs of materials have gone up in the past several years. But money was already set aside and contracts have been made at a specific dollar amount for completion. So, its a flimsy excuse and alot of bull crap.

They are just trying to delay it on purpose, hoping that if elected, Obama will stop the project.

That's right when the bidding goes out the contracts are set.