Mayor Pete Saenz and former City Manager Horacio De Leon presented an alternative to the proposed border wall.

The suggested design features green areas, a walkable road, and a barrier close to 20 feet high.

The partial government shutdown is at a stalemate and city leaders are considering their options in case the federal government chooses to impose a border wall.

The Rio Grande Vega Lands Master Plan is designed to give the area around the riverbank a much-needed facelift, while also providing an 18-foot-high bulkhead for border protection.

Tricia Cortez, with the Rio Grande International Study Center, says the bulkhead project makes sense for several reasons.

Cortez says the proposed 30-foot wall is susceptible to flooding, erosion, and ecological concerns. She adds that this plan could have a smaller footprint on the environment while giving Border Patrol a clear line of sight.

The price of the project when it was prepared 15 years ago, had an estimated cost of 80 million dollars.