Tall Orders: Otay Mesa Border Wall Prototypes Being Tested Soon for Climbing, Tunneling, ‘Breaching’

The concrete is nearly cured. Tunneling and climbing are about to begin.

Testing of eight border wall prototypes on Otay Mesa is expected to begin shortly, launching a 30- to 60-day process followed by an extra month or two to evaluate what Customs and Border Patrol engineers learn.

The 30-foot prototypes at the border will be evaluated on how people might climb them or tunnel underneath. Other “breaching” methods will be done on mockups at undisclosed locations.

Companies that built the prototypes (four of them concrete, the rest undiclosed materials) are:

• Caddell Construction Co. of Montgomery, Alabama.
• Fisher Sand & Gravel Co., DBA Fisher Industries, of Tempe, Arizona.
• Texas Sterling Construction Co. of Houston.
• W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Co. of Philadelphia, Mississippi
• KWR Construction Inc. of Sierra Vista, Arizona.
• And ELTA North America Inc. of Annapolis Junction, Maryland

“There will be different versions that will come out from these prototypes,” CBP Acting Deputy Commissioner Ronald Vitiello told a press conference last month.

A composite of best features will likely result, rather than a choice of best wall built by the six contractors.

“There are different requirements for different locations,” he said.

Asked what will happen to the prototypes, Vitiello said: “We’re going to see what happens on the evaluation and then we’ll make a plan to use them to their best ability. We’re not sure whether they stay here, whether they are part of the infrastructure system. But that will be determined through the testing and evaluation.”

But Vitiello assured reporters that a border wall “works” when combined with technology such as sensors and cameras and proper agent response with needed roads.

“I’m happy to have a discussion about that with anybody,” he said.

Down the line — if Congress appropriates money — other vendors will compete for future projects.

The lineup, with costs reported by The New York Times:

W.G. Yates & Sons: $458,103

W.G. Yates & Sons: $453,548

Texas Sterling Construction: $470,000

KWR Construction Inc.: $486,411

Fisher Industries: $365,000

ELTA North America Inc.: $406,318

Caddell Construction Co.: $344,000

Caddell Construction Co.: $320,000

This prototype, constructed of concrete by Texas Sterling Construction, Co of Houston, has razor wire on top. Photo by Chris Stone

This wall was constructed by W.G. Yates & Sons from Mississippi and is made of material other than concrete. This is the U.S. side of the wall. Cost of Prototype: $458,103, according to the New York Times. Photo by Chris Stone

This wall was built by KWR Construction, Inc. of Sierra Vista, Arizona from material other than concrete. Photo by Chris Stone

This wall was constructed by W.G. Yates & Sons from Mississippi and is made of material other than concrete. This is the Mexico side of the wall. Cost of Prototype: 458,103. Photo by Chris Stone

This wall, constructed by the Fisher Sand & Gravel, co, DBA Fisher Industries from Tempe, Arizona, is made of concrete. Cost of Prototype: $365,000, according to the New York Times. Photo by Chris Stone

This wall, built by This wall was built by KWR Construction, Inc. of Sierra Vista, Arizona from material other than concrete. Prototype cost: $486,411 according to the New York Times. Photo by Chris Stone

This prototype was made of concrete by Caddell Construction Co. of Montgomery, Alabama. It is the Mexico side of the wall. Cost of Prototype: $344,000, according to the New York Times. Photo by Chris Stone

This prototype was made of concrete by Caddell Construction Co. of Montgomery, Alabama. Photo by Chris Stone

This prototype was made of material of other than concrete by Caddell Construction Co. of Montgomery, Alabama. Photo by Chris Stone

Three border wall prototypes in Otay Mesa. Photo by Chris Stone

This is the U.S. side of the prototype of Texas Sterling Construction, Co. of Houston, Texas. Photo by Chris Stone

The eight prototypes of President Trump’s planned border wall. Photo by Chris Stone

A secondary mesh steel fence (right) 14 to 16 feet high runs 13 miles along the border. Photo by Chris Stone

The primary fence, 8 to-10 feet high, runs 46 miles in San Diego sector along the border. Photo by Chris Stone

Homes in the hillsides of Mexico can be seen over the primary fence along the U.S.-Mexican border. Photo by Chris Stone

A coyote walks along the secondary border fence near the constructed prototypes. Photo by Chris Stone

More than 1,700 breaches of the secondary fence have been cut by people illegally entering the country in the last three years. Photo by Chris Stone

Vincent Pirro, a public affairs officer with the Border Patrol, said such breaches in the steel mesh secondary fence can be made in about 40 seconds. Photo by Chris Stone

This prototype was made of material of other than concrete by Caddell Construction Co. Cost of Prototype: $320,000, according to the New York Times. Photo by Chris Stone

This prototype was made by ELTA North America, Inc. of Annapolis Junction, Maryland of material other than concrete. Cost of Prototype: $406,318. Photo by Chris Stone

This prototype was made of concrete by W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company of Mississippi. Cost of Prototype: $453,548, according to the New York Times. Photo by Chris Stone