$2.5 Million to Bridge Tenders
by Mark Cavers In 2008, the Department of Transportation paid 33 bridge tenders $2,515,550.28 in combined total wages. The 13 highest paid tenders all made over $90,000, and 29 of the 33 made over $60,000. Bridge tenders are responsible for operating “a vertical lift, horizontal swing or basque electrically controlled bridge.” This position requires “knowledge, skill and mental development...
by Mark Cavers
In 2008, the Department of Transportation paid 33 bridge tenders $2,515,550.28 in combined total wages. The 13 highest paid tenders all made over $90,000, and 29 of the 33 made over $60,000. Bridge tenders are responsible for operating “a vertical lift, horizontal swing or basque electrically controlled bridge.” This position requires “knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to completion of four years of elementary school” and “one-year general mechanical experience.”
You can find this information by going to IllinoisOpenGov.org, clicking on “Payroll” and searching for “Bridge Tender” in the “Position” section. For other examples of wasteful spending here in Illinois, see the 2010 Illinois Piglet Book.