A Milwaukee bridge operator who was fired after a downtown span began to rise with a pedestrian still on it is now fighting to get his job back, turning a tense moment over the Milwaukee River into a full-blown personnel battle at City Hall.
The city’s discharge notice identifies Anthony S. Bass as the operator on duty when the Wisconsin Avenue Bridge started to open over the Milwaukee River on Aug. 22, 2025. According to the paperwork, a captain of a nearby tour boat warned that someone was still on the deck as the bascule span began to lift, but the bridge continued to move.
As reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the city’s formal discharge notice accuses Bass of failing to follow required procedures to make sure the bridge decks were clear before an opening. The document states that the Wisconsin Avenue span began to rise while a pedestrian remained on it and that the operator did not stop the lift after being alerted. The paper reports that the discharge paperwork was filed with the city’s personnel office this week.
How Bascule Bridges Are Supposed To Work
HistoricBridges.org and engineering guides note that movable bridges like Milwaukee’s river crossings rely on a strict sequence of safety checks before anything moves. That includes visual clearance of the deck, radio or phone confirmation with marine traffic, and properly working physical barriers to keep people and vehicles from sneaking through at the last second.
Operators are trained to verify that the deck is clear of pedestrians and vehicles and to coordinate with boat traffic to avoid close calls or collisions. With multiple movable spans downtown, the city depends on experienced operators to keep both river traffic and people on foot out of harm’s way.
Appeal Route And What Happens Next
Under Milwaukee’s civil service rules, fired employees can appeal discipline to the City Service Commission. Forms and instructions for those appeals are provided through the Department of Employee Relations, and City of Milwaukee personnel guidelines spell out the steps and timelines for classified workers who want to contest a discharge.
GovSalaries public payroll records list an Anthony Bass as a bridge operator for the city, reinforcing the job title cited in the discharge notice. Bass is challenging his firing and his case is moving into administrative review.
Why Neighbors Are Watching This Case
The incident lands at an awkward time for Milwaukee’s infrastructure, as residents are already eyeing bridge conditions and staffing decisions with extra skepticism. The city is working through multiple bridge projects and inspections along the riverfront, and every mishap becomes part of a bigger conversation about safety and maintenance.
WISN recently reported that the historic 16th Street viaduct was closed for safety inspections, adding to public concern about how the city manages critical crossings. Against that backdrop, the discharge notice against Bass and his expected appeal will test how Milwaukee balances holding operators accountable with protecting the procedural rights of civil service employees. Neighbors who walk, drive, or boat under these spans have a clear stake in how that balance is struck.
