Public works project pay scales are sometimes unrealistic.
In most states they are required to pay the highest union rate going in the state. So if the underwater welders union that fixes ships gets $90 an hour the welders working on repairs for the Tobin bridge get $90 an hour.
For contrast the expansion of state Route 3 from the NH line to Route 128/I95 was put out to a private bid. The general contractor put each piece of the project out to bid to multiple unions. So the Teamsters halls in western Massachusetts competed against Teamsters halls in eastern Massachusetts for all the trucking jobs. Same for the electricians and any other trade you could think of. They got good wages, but fair wages. Not insane wages. The project came in on budget.
I have heard stories of other states paying whatever the highest union wage in the country is. So if pipefitters working in Alaska get $150 an hour that same price is paid on public works projects in states like California and Hawaii.
I would not doubt it if some of that is going on here when you look at the numbers being thrown around.
The Big Dig had some chump broom pushing jobs making $80 an hour.
