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Big Bend Nat'l Park bulldozed to erect border wall

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Dao

Dao

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The Department of Homeland Security waived dozens of environmental, cultural, and public health laws to expedite the project, triggering local opposition and lawsuits from environmental groups. [1, 2]
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Funded by federal border allocations (including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act), a major $1.7 billion contract was awarded to Southwest Valley Constructors Company for the Big Bend segment (BBT-4), part of broader multi-billion dollar regional security packages.
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The $1.7 billion contract was awarded as a "no-bid" contract, meaning it was not put through a traditional competitive public bidding process. [1, 2]
Southwest Valley Constructors Co. secured the project....
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Texas Tribune has been beating the drums about this since May...
https://www.texastribune.org/2026/05/15/texas-big-bend-border-wall-contract-awarded-billion/
 
The sad part is very few illegals cross in Big Bend. The government is treating it like there’s a massive amount of crossings to stop there. It’s a desert on the Mexican side as well and there are no cities near the border, Boquillas doesn’t count as it is 100’s of miles from the nearest larger town. Plus parts are canyons that make it impossible for a normal pickup to cross. I understand the need for the border patrol to have roads to follow the river, but why don’t they use and improve the roads that are already there?

If you want to read more, https://www.marfapublicradio.org/border-immigration
 
I've been following this issue for some time as a Texan and BB area lover. However, I see some sources say the wall is going through the National Park, and I see other sources say the wall is not going to be constructed in the park. The problem I'm seeing is that it's hard to get the factual bottom line on the issue as it's full of pro and con biases in the reporting. I've tried to find official maps from the feds that confirm the exact location of a complete wall or wall segments in the area from Presidio to well past the national park. Here's the closest thing I've found, and it indicates that there will be a so called "Smart Wall" not a traditional, metal wall as we know it.

Smart Wall Map

U.S. Customs and Border Protection provides information on border security, trade, travel, customs regulations, trusted traveler programs and enforcement news to the public.
www.cbp.gov

This Smart Wall is what I've been hearing to be the actual outcome, but again it's nearly impossible to get through the hand wringing and screaming...some of it from both sides...to figure out the facts. For example pictures like the ones with bulldozers and other heavy equipment are circulated as being in the park while clearing huge swaths of pristine desert for miles and miles to build the traditional bollard metal fence. However, then I'll read that some of those pics are AI generated...or...that they are real but depict the insertion of the electronics that will be part of this Smart Wall...with the landscape returned as much as is possible to its original condition after the project. I don't know who to believe, but as we've seen over nearly every project, issue, and whatever, there are many more than willing to lie and obfuscate to push personal agendas.

Frankly, if the wall is to be this Smart Wall concept as I understand it, I can live with that. It's a rational approach for a location that has true scenic, historical, and adventure value for citizens to enjoy. National security is a real thing. I'm not as fearful of those sneaking across to do temporary work in the U.S., though that issue has its own problems, but as we've seen for a fact that huge numbers of these individuals do not fit that description. To me it's illogical to just dismiss any kind of border security even in this wonderfully beautiful area. But if technology can provide security in a reasonable manner without killing the nature of this area, I'm for it.
 
What I’ve read is, Smart Wall technology from just east of Presidio to the east boundary of Big Bend. West of Presidio will be a wall. Hudspeth county has contractors staging off of hwy 90 near Valentine. They are working off of Indian Springs road and Bramlett road to access the river.
 
Someone mentioned bulldozers at Cottonwood, but did not mention which direction they were heading.
 
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The title of this thread is "Big Bend National Park Bulldozed to Erect Border Wall". Is it?

I just got off the phone with a Border Patrol agent that goes to my church. He stated that the current map on their website...the one I linked above...is the official information on the status of the border security type of wall being implemented. There does not appear to be any intent to build a physical wall in the area shown which obviously takes in BBNP and BBRSP.

Now...someone is lying. Who do we believe it is?
 
jgrm1 said:
4. Political Content. We currently do not allow political content on the site, even in the Off Topic section.
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I don't think this topic and location is what that rule was made for.

dukey33, you are right on at least probably 50% of this, but it's also what's been going on about this issue to obfuscate facts. We just want to know the facts about one of the favorite places that we Texans like to ride.
 
Tourmeister said:
Someone mentioned bulldozers at Cottonwood, but did not mention which direction they were heading.
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Scott, recently BBNP had gotten enough rain for a NOAA flood alert for the Castalon area. The BB area from Presidio to the NP is one of my daily weather locations that I like to look at for temps and other weather issues. It's been impressive how much consistent rain they've gotten in the BB area in the last 6 weeks or so, though most of it was not flooding level. I wouldn't be surprised that any bulldozers or equipment seen in the Cottonwood camp/Castalon area recently is due to the rain. We've all seen how the dirt and sand washes on the road in that area frequently. Then again...I'm not in the heavy equipment union down there. :mrgreen:
 
jgrm1 said:
The video link from a candidate for senate isn’t political?
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The link may be political, but for most of us on this forum, I think the threat to the BB area far outweighs the political concept here. We're talking about something that could impact motorcycle riding. Maybe Scott can jump in and clarify for us.
 
I don’t give a whit about Talarico. I do care about TWT becoming another sludge pit on the internet. This is one site where we can escape the incessant political barrage. I want to keep it that way.

-Jeff
 
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jgrm1 said:
I don’t give a whit about Talarico. I do care about TWT becoming another sludge pit on the internet. This is one site where we can escape the incessant political barrage. I’d like to keep it that way.

-Jeff
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I don't see anyone on this thread going on about Talarico, voting for a candidate, or political parties. We are talking about one of the places in Texas that rivals the title of "mecca" when it comes to one of TWT's favorite riding locations in Texas. That's not political in my book.
 
You dont have to click on that link unless you want to . I did not see any political crap till it was brought up . And there is a big difference between a motor grader or front end loader and bulldozer . Motor graders and frontend loaders are what is used to clear the road of mud after heavy rains . They live in Big Bend NP for park maintaince . Just because its yellow doesnt make it a bulldozer .
 
There are videos of bulldozers clearing land near Glen Spring road on other social medias. The one in the first post isn’t one.
 
Cagiva 549 said:
Glen springs is nowhere near the border .
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I wonder if the road clearing and maintenance is still going on from this past Christmas. They only have one guy that does road maintenance out there along with other jobs, so it isn’t like it can get it done quickly.

Maybe?
 
I mentioned I had been seeing a lot of rain in the Big Bend area, and there had been flood warnings in the Castalon area a short while back. I just checked some numbers from July 1st with some areas getting 5 inches in just 2 weeks and more before and after. That's a ton of rain for that area. DFW, it could indeed be road and trail repair due to those rains, but I don't know that for a fact.
 
So sad and very unnecessary….. I have been visiting for close to 40 years. Never saw one migrant crossing . Way too remote. Huge waste of your money and my money 😭
 
December 2024 on River Road riding with a buddy we came upon 2 BP pickup trucks filled with illegals in the open bed and just 2 BP officers present. They were all males, so I stopped and asked one of the officers if they needed any help. He said they had it covered, and these illegals seemed peaceful. We went on our way.

Two years prior my neighbor and his riding partner were attempted to be flagged down by a group of about 20 illegals on River Road. My neighbor said they had to gas it past the group to keep from being stopped. They notified park personnel as soon as they were able. I have no idea on the numbers of crossings in the area, but it ain't zero.

sandman, what's your take on the Smart Wall? I'm not for a conventional metal wall as we know it elsewhere.
 
TNC said:
I mentioned I had been seeing a lot of rain in the Big Bend area, and there had been flood warnings in the Castalon area a short while back. I just checked some numbers from July 1st with some areas getting 5 inches in just 2 weeks and more before and after. That's a ton of rain for that area. DFW, it could indeed be road and trail repair due to those rains, but I don't know that for a fact.
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Thats two years worth of rain for there
 
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