US 278
Carrying US 278 over HORSE CREEK
5 MI SE OF AUGUSTA, Aiken, South Carolina
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US 278 in Aiken, South Carolina sits above 57% of rated South Carolina bridges on inventory load rating (32 t), while its 1951 build year is earlier than 84% of Aiken's recorded-year cohort (198 bridges).
US 278 in Aiken, South Carolina is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1951, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 4. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure SC:000000000001775
INTERSTATE-ERA · CONCRETE · LONG-SPAN-RUN · SUPER-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- CONCRETE Concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 8 spans
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-POOR Poor
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: US 278
The US 278 bridge in Aiken, South Carolina carries US 278 over HORSE CREEK. It was built in 1951, making it 75 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 8 sections, stretching 73.2 meters (240 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 7,800 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of South Carolina bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. A component scored 4 or below, placing this bridge in the federal Poor condition category rather than declaring it unsafe or closed.
How US 278 compares
Age against the county: built in 1951, earlier than 167 of Aiken's 198 bridges with a recorded construction year (84%), against a county median build year of 1970. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across South Carolina bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (9,483 of 9,490 rated).
US 278 vs every rated South Carolina bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
32 Top 43% higher than 57% of 9,483 bridges
rated South Carolina bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Aiken inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 198 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1951
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 8
- Structure Length
- 73.2 m (240 ft)
- Deck Width
- 18.2 m (60 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 7,800 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000001775
Condition Analysis
- • At 5/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates poor at 4/9, with advanced deterioration recorded on the latest inspection.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
US 278 is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare US 278 against other structures in Aiken and across South Carolina. South Carolina bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for US 278?
US 278 in Aiken, South Carolina has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US 278 inspected?
US 278's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 7,800 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US 278 is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for US 278?
US 278 has an NBI inventory load rating of 31.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US 278?
US 278 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US 278 and does age affect safety?
US 278 was built in 1951, making it 75 years old.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
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Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.