Drug running tunnels

[mallorian69]

(10-25-2015, 08:53 PM)Johnny Cupcakes Wrote: OK....let's stop making fun of the giant ditch suggestion that Sunset laid out.  Let's see what it would take instead.  

Needed information:
This ditch would be 100' deep according to the OP.  
Since the width is not listed, we'll go with the width of a wide sidewalk....3'.  
The U.S./Mexico border is 1989 miles long.  There are 5280 feet in a mile, so this would be 10,501,920 feet long.
According to the RS Means guide for construction estimating, it costs $10.41 per linear foot to excavate 4 inches deep.  Multiply this by 300 to get the 100 feet = $3123/ft.
10,501,920 x 3123 =

$32,797,496,160.00*

*soil disposal not included.  costs include labor, material, and equipment rental**.
**Equipment is for digging 4". I imagine equipment rental for 100' may be a bit more.
***price includes excavation of soil only. Rivers, mountains, etc. will add additional cost.

Your tax dollars hard at work.

Your estimate is for if a private firm were to do all of the work. There are ways to reduce the cost. The government already owns all of the equipment needed to dig the ditch so no equipment rental needed. Army combat engineers and navy seabees have experience digging ditches as part of defensive fortifications so they could be used to supply some of the man power further reducing costs. Prisoners could also be used for labor. 
Those are just off the top of my head. I'm sure I could think of more if I actually cared to.