Construction of the 57 new miles of border wall in Laredo, Texas has gained momentum with $773 million issued recently towards the project. This is according to data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Among the contracts issued was the $283 million for construction of 27 miles of the wall, which was awarded to Fisher Sand & Gravel. Another contract for construction of 13 miles at $283 million was awarded to Southwest Valley Constructors. In August, Fisher was awarded a $289.5 million contract for the construction of 17 miles of the border wall.
The three projects may not start until next year. However, work on other parts of the wall has gained momentum with the Trump administration racing to make progress ahead of the November 3 election. A recent report by The Washington Post indicated that workers on the ground are building close to two miles a day. A promise to build a wall on the Southern border was a key campaign pillar that propelled Trump to the White House. It is a key factor in Trump’s reelection in November.
A 24 working plan has been set up on-site with the crew spread out in five locations along the border wall. Using 732,000 cubic yards of concrete and 509,000 tons of steel, the administration has managed to fence off more than 341 miles. This is according to the latest data from the CBP tracker with officials from the agency projecting that at least 450 miles will be done by the end of this year. CBP also announced that around 240 miles are under construction while another 157 miles is under preconstruction.
The three contracts were awarded despite earlier concerns and reports of shoddy work done by Fisher in certain sections of Texas.
