Not Very Resilient
Last Update: 6/19/2026
AI Resilience Score for Bridge and Lock Tenders:
30.5%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
Med
Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
Low
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
Low
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
There are a reasonable number of sources for this result, but there is some disagreement between them.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forBridge and Lock Tenders
$58,490 median salary•300 annual openings•SOC Code: 53-6011.00
Bridge and Lock Tenders are less resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 5 sources.
Bridge and lock tender work is labeled "Not Very Resilient" because many of its most routine tasks, like logging vessel traffic, monitoring water levels, and operating controls, are being taken over by automated systems, remote control rooms, and AI-powered cameras and sensors. The core of the job has traditionally been watching, recording, and responding to predictable patterns, which is exactly the kind of work that technology handles well.
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Bridge and lock tender work is labeled "Not Very Resilient" because many of its most routine tasks, like logging vessel traffic, monitoring water levels, and operating controls, are being taken over by automated systems, remote control rooms, and AI-powered cameras and sensors. The core of the job has traditionally been watching, recording, and responding to predictable patterns, which is exactly the kind of work that technology handles well.
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Bridge and Lock Tenders
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Bridge and Lock Tenders jobs?
If you're thinking about a job as a bridge or lock tender, here's the honest picture: the role isn't disappearing, but technology is changing what the workday looks like. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has been studying centralized "remote operations" of locks for years, and a new PIANC Working Group 192 report released in August 2025 [1] catalogs how operators worldwide are using high-definition cameras, thermal imaging, SCADA control integration, big-data analysis, and self-learning software to run movable bridges and locks from central control rooms. On the inspection side, ERDC researchers are deploying underwater ROVs equipped with multibeam sonar and laser scanning [2] to check lock gates without dewatering or sending divers — a clear example of AI-assisted augmentation rather than replacement.
Even hydropower facilities are now using Boston Dynamics' Spot robot with computer-vision systems to read instruments and perform routine inspections autonomously [3], freeing humans for higher-skill maintenance. Routine paperwork tasks like vessel logs and water-level readings are increasingly captured automatically through AIS vessel-tracking data feeds.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Bridge and Lock Tenders?
Adoption is moving, but slowly — and that's actually good news for workers. Most U.S. locks were built decades ago; the Chicago Harbor Lock alone is more than 85 years old and just received three winters of major rehabilitation [4], showing how retrofitting old infrastructure is expensive and gradual. Industry leaders at the 2026 Tennessee River Valley Association conference stressed that aging lock projects remain top funding priorities [5], meaning agencies are focused on basic reliability before full automation.
Safety, cybersecurity, and accountability also slow adoption — someone still needs to make judgment calls during storms, equipment failures, or emergency vessel traffic. Federal projections back this up: BLS notes that transportation occupations as a whole will see only average growth through 2034 even as warehousing and logistics rapidly automate [6]. For bridge and lock tenders, that means human skills like situational awareness, mechanical troubleshooting, and clear communication with vessel pilots remain genuinely valuable — and learning to work alongside sensors, cameras, and control software will make you more employable, not less.
Sources
Will AI replace Bridge and Lock Tenders?
In part. We think AI will eventually automate a real share of this work, but human judgment will still matter in the short term.
Our 30.5% AI Resilience Score puts this role in genuinely exposed territory. Remote-operations technology is already here: centralized control rooms using high-definition cameras, SCADA systems, and self-learning software are reshaping how locks and movable bridges get managed worldwide [1]. Routine tasks like vessel logging and water-level readings are increasingly captured automatically. That is real displacement, and it is worth taking seriously.
What slows the shift is the infrastructure itself. Most U.S. locks are decades old, expensive to retrofit, and still require someone on-site to handle storms, equipment failures, and emergency vessel traffic (dvidshub.net, waterwaysjournal.net). Situational awareness, mechanical troubleshooting, and clear communication with vessel pilots are genuinely hard to automate in aging, unpredictable environments.
The honest career advice here is to treat this job as a starting point, not a destination. The skills you build, reading sensors, coordinating traffic, understanding hydraulic systems, transfer well into roles in waterway operations management, infrastructure maintenance, and remote-systems monitoring. Learning to work alongside control software and cameras makes you more valuable now and more adaptable later.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Bridge and Lock Tenders
The articles highlight that careers as Bridge and Lock Tenders are among the least likely to be adversely affected by AI. Specifically, one article notes that these positions rank highly in resilience against automation, suggesting a stable job outlook. Additionally, advancements in AI are improving bridge construction and management, which could enhance operational efficiency and safety in this field. This means that while technology evolves, the human oversight and skills of Bridge and Lock Tenders will remain vital, ensuring a promising future in this career path.
Artificial Intelligence in Bridge Engineering and ...
ijbemr.org • 6/20/2026
by M Alsharqawi · 2025 · Cited by 5 — While AI receives significant attention in the context of operational bridge management, it is also profoundly transforming the construction ... Read more
AI at Scale in Bridge Construction Across Road Programs
cmicglobal.com • 6/20/2026
Feb 18, 2026 — Traffic impacts are planned with greater precision: AI models traffic behavior to support better work windows and lane management. Resources ... Read more
Incorporating AI impacts in BLS employment projections
www.bls.gov • 6/20/2026
by C Machovec · Cited by 17 — The 2023–33 BLS employment projections incorporate AI-related impacts for several occupations for which high exposure to automation is deemed likely. These ... Read more
Top 10 jobs least affected by AI 1. Dredge Operators 2. ...
www.instagram.com • 6/20/2026
2. Bridge and Lock Tenders 3. Water Treatment Plant Operators 4. Foundry Mold and Core-makers 5. Rail-Track Maintenance Equipment Operators Read more
Dredge Operator Jobs Least Likely to Be Adversely Impacted by AI
dredgewire.com • 8/3/2025
Maritime jobs were 4 of Top 10 at least risk–out of almost 2,000 job categories! “AI can't dredge a river”. DredgeWire Exclusive.
More Career Info
Career: Bridge and Lock Tenders
They operate bridges and locks to let boats pass safely, ensuring everything works smoothly and on schedule.
Parent Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$58,490
Jobs (2024)
2,900
Growth (2024-34)
-3.3%
Annual Openings
300
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Log data such as water levels and weather conditions.
2
Attach ropes or cable lines to bitts on lock decks or wharfs to secure vessels.
3
Perform maintenance duties such as sweeping, painting, and yard work to keep facilities clean and in order.
4
Inspect canal and bridge equipment, and areas such as roadbeds for damage or defects, reporting problems to supervisors as necessary.
5
Clean and lubricate equipment, and make minor repairs and adjustments.
6
Direct movements of vessels in locks or bridge areas, using signals, telecommunication equipment, or loudspeakers.
7
Observe approaching vessels to determine size and speed, and listen for whistle signals indicating desire to pass.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
