Construction to replace 14 miles of existing fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego began Friday.
The construction area stretches from about a half mile east of the Pacific Ocean through to the Otay Mesa area.
RELATED: Facts To Know About The Border Wall After VP Pence’s Visit
U.S. Customs and Border Protection called it one of Border Patrol’s “top priority projects.” The barriers that will be replaced went up in the 1990s from recycled scraps of metal from the Vietnam War. They stand between eight and 10 feet high and include corrugations that can be used to climb.
The construction company is Texas-based SLSCO, which was awarded a $147 million contract for the project.
RELATED: America's Wall: Decades-Long Struggle To Secure US-Mexico Border
The replacement project is the third of two border wall projects the Trump administration has initiated, including replacing two miles of border fencing in Calexico and adding 20 miles of fencing in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.
RELATED: Border Patrol: Wall In New Mexico To Be ‘Serious Structure’
“The construction of this new substantial wall will improve overall border security, the safety and effectiveness of Border Patrol agents, the safety of the public, and will enhance the atmosphere for business and commerce in the area,” said Rodney Scott, Chief Patrol Agent for the San Diego Sector.
