With Bob Fowler praising each drivers' aim, it's tough to ignore him and the 50-cent toll.

"We always do pay but it does get annoying cause we have to go through here everyday so it's a lot of money to spend," says Anjelica and Alexandria Peacock

"I usually check cause there have been times I've pulled up and it's like oh god and I'm digging through the cushions to find something," says Kristen Thomas.

Winnebago County started beefing up security around the Machesney Park toll bridge last year, and since then violations have gone down 60-percent. That's one-out-of every eight-thousand drivers ignoring the toll each month.

"The publicity and the fact people don't know when the Sheriff's Department is going to be out there it really helps us," says County Engineer Joseph Vanderwerff.

County highway workers like Fowler man the bridge for 12 hours a day, there's also cameras to help catch drivers in the act. But since there's a 75-dollar fine at stake, many would rather slam dunk their 50-cents in change.

The toll bridge generates 800-thousand dollars every year. That money is used to pay off bonds on the bridge. The final payment is expected in 2013.