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Congress watchdog: Border wall may cost more, take longer

Posted at 6:51 PM, Aug 06, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-06 21:51:55-04

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A congressional watchdog agency says the Trump administration's plan to erect hundreds of miles of barriers along the border with Mexico fails to adequately consider costs, potentially raising the price and creating delays.

The administration has estimated it will cost $18 billion for 722 miles (1162 kilometers) of wall but that was based on average cost per mile.

The Government Accountability Office said Monday that costs can vary considerably based on the slope and topography, land acquisition costs and other factors.

The GAO says that without more information there is increased risk that the wall "will cost more than projected, take longer than planned, or not fully perform as expected."