Contruction on Taller White House Fence to Begin this Summer

Construction on Taller White House Fence to Begin this Summer

The fence around the White House will grow by five feet this summer.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • May 28, 2019

The fence that surrounds the White House will grow by five feet this summer. The new fence will be the first time the perimeter of the grounds have been altered in almost a century. 

The fence installation is part of plans to improve the perimeter of the grounds, according to an article by The Washington Post. Crews will begin this summer on replacing the now six foot fence (which stands on top of a two-foot stone wall) with one that will be 13 feet tall. The new fence will include an 18-inch, aboveground stone base at the bottom, a 10-foot, 7-inch metal fence and a one-foot tall "anti-climb feature" at the top.

The fence has largely remained the same since the early 1900s when a six foot fence was installed on top of a stone wall that had been added when Thomas Jefferson was president. The only alteration that had been made since was the addition of spikes at the top of the fence following 9/11.

Changes will also be made to six vehicular and nine pedestrian gates around the perimeter of the White House.

The changes will cost nearly $64 million and come after several incidents of intruders attempting to scale the fence to gain entrance to the White House grounds. Just last January a 55-year-old woman attempted to jump a barrier and a Virginia man tried to get into the White House saying he wanted to help President Trump, "bring peace to the world."

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • TSA Intercepts 6,678 Firearms at Airport Security Checkpoints in 2024

    During 2024, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) intercepted a total of 6,678 firearms at airport security checkpoints, preventing them from getting into the secure areas of the airport and onboard aircraft. Approximately 94% of these firearms were loaded. This total is a minor decrease from the 6,737 firearms stopped in 2023. Throughout 2024, TSA managed its “Prepare, Pack, Declare” public awareness campaign to explain the steps for safely traveling with a firearm. Read Now

  • 2024 Gun Violence Report: Fewer Overall Incidents, but School Deaths and Injuries Are on the Rise

    Omnilert, provider of gun detection technology, today released its compilation of Gun Violence Statistics for 2024 summarizing gun violence tragedies and their adverse effects on Americans and the economy. While research showed a decrease in overall deaths and injuries, the rising number of school shootings and fatalities and high number of mass shootings underscored the need to keep more people safe in schools as well as places of worship, healthcare, government, retail and commerce, finance and banking, hospitality and other public places. Read Now

  • Survey: Only 7 Percent of Business Leaders Using AI in Physical Security

    A new survey from Pro-Vigil looks at video surveillance trends, how AI is impacting physical security, and more. Read Now

  • MetLife Stadium Uses Custom Surveillance Solution from Axis Communications

    Axis Communications, provider of video surveillance and network devices, today announced the implementation of a custom surveillance solution developed in collaboration with the MetLife Stadium security team. This new, tailored solution will help the venue augment its security capabilities, providing high-quality video at unprecedented distances and allowing the security team to identify details from anywhere in the venue. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.” 3

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles. 3

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening. 3