State profile · Near median Poor share

South Carolina bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in South Carolina.

9,490
Public bridges
38.9%
Good condition
6.2%
Poor condition

South Carolina holds 9,490 public highway bridges (#26 of 52 by inventory) with a 6.17% Poor share (#25 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 6.2% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 28 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

9,490

Public highway bridges in South Carolina

Good Condition

38.9%

3,690 bridges rated 7-9

-11.1pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

6.2%

586 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-1.3pp vs national avg 7.5%

South Carolina vs national bridge condition

South Carolina - Good condition share 38.9%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

South Carolina - Poor-condition share 20.6%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

South Carolina in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: South Carolina has 9,490 bridges and a 6.2% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #28 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: South Carolina has 9,490 bridges and a 6.2% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #28 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

South Carolina vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

9,490 26th of 54 higher than 28 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. 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 · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for South Carolina

The highlighted point is South Carolina: 9,490 bridges and 6.17% in Poor condition, rank #28 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below South Carolina on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • New Jersey: 6,827 bridges · 6.01% Poor
  • Mississippi: 16,739 bridges · 6.03% Poor
  • South Carolina: 9,490 bridges · 6.17% Poor
  • Wyoming: 3,136 bridges · 6.51% Poor
  • Wisconsin: 14,446 bridges · 6.52% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in South Carolina

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 9,490 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains South Carolina’s inventory

State agency holds 89.2% of the 9,490 public highway bridges filed under South Carolina in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When South Carolina’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 13.0% of the 9,490 bridges with a recorded original year in South Carolina. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

South Carolina38.9%54.9%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - South Carolina (FHWA NBI)

Counties (46)

Abbeville 163 Aiken 198 Allendale 69 Anderson 463 Bamberg 80 Barnwell 76 Beaufort 72 Berkeley 216 Calhoun 64 Charleston 336 Cherokee 199 Chester 190 Chesterfield 199 Clarendon 170 Colleton 231 Darlington 174 Dillon 128 Dorchester 198 Edgefield 124 Fairfield 139 Florence 277 Georgetown 113 Greenville 635 Greenwood 144 Hampton 113 Horry 479 Jasper 129 Kershaw 174 Lancaster 181 Laurens 259 Lee 91 Lexington 229 Marion 112 Marlboro 96 McCormick 68 Newberry 218 Oconee 215 Orangeburg 273 Pickens 291 Richland 361 Saluda 125 Spartanburg 638 Sumter 166 Union 131 Williamsburg 195 York 288

South Carolina vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below South Carolina on the same metric.

NJ

New Jersey

6.01% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$6,827

MS

Mississippi

6.03% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$16,739
Selected

SC

South Carolina

6.17% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$9,490

WY

Wyoming

6.51% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$3,136

WI

Wisconsin

6.52% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,446

Bridges Needing Most Attention in South Carolina

Six lowest-condition bridges in South Carolina, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

C-42-1024

Poor

Over: PACOLET RIVER

1.0 MI NW OF CAMPOBELLO, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1932 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 275

C-4-3791

Poor

Over: CSX RAILROAD

1.0 MI S WILLIAMSTON, Anderson, SC

Built 1950 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 175

C-28-250

Poor

Over: LITTLE FLAT ROCK CK

13MI W OF CAMDEN, Kershaw, SC

Built 1950 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 200

S-41-164

Poor

Over: BR OF LITTLE SALUDA RV

5.5 MI NE OF SALUDA, Saluda, SC

Built 1952 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 25

C-11-92

Poor

Over: GILKEY CREEK

6.7 MI SE GAFFNEY, Cherokee, SC

Built 1954 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 125

C-11-331

Poor

Over: ABINGTON CREEK

8.8 MI SE GAFFNEY, Cherokee, SC

Built 1954 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 275

All Bridges in South Carolina

SC 49

Fair

Over: SHOALS CREEK

CITY OF UNION, Union, SC

Built 1931 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 4,500

SC 9

Fair

Over: RODENS CREEK

8.7MI W OF CHESTER, Chester, SC

Built 1937 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 2,300

C-29-92

Fair

Over: SIX MILE CREEK

15.4 MI N LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 1937 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 800

US 52

Fair

Over: GOOSE CREEK

1/2MI S OFUS176 @ GOOSECK, Charleston, SC

Built 2003 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 62,300

I-85

Fair

Over: BIG BEAVER DAM CREEK

5.5MI NW OF WILLIAMSTON, Anderson, SC

Built 1963 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 70,700

US 123/SC 93 CON

Fair

Over: US 123 SBL

1.0 MI SW EASLEY, Pickens, SC

Built 1963 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 8,400

SC 9

Fair

Over: U.S. 17

1.5MI NW OF CHERRY GROVE, Horry, SC

Built 1970 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 19,900

I-526 WB

Fair

Over: S-1168/SAVAGE RD

5.5 MI NW CHARLESTON, Charleston, SC

Built 1982 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 21,950

I-526 WB

Fair

Over: SC 461/ PAULCANTRELL BVD

5.8 MI NW CHARLESTON, Charleston, SC

Built 1982 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 21,950

S-45-85

Fair

Over: INDIAN TOWN SWAMP

5.0 MI N STUCKEY, Williamsburg, SC

Built 1993 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 300

US 21/RIBAUT RD

Fair

Over: BATTERY CREEK OVERFLOW

NR PARRIS ISLAND, Beaufort, SC

Built 1993 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 31,700

S-25-43

Fair

Over: WHIPPY SWAMP

6.5MI N HAMPTON, Hampton, SC

Built 1995 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 225

S-10-2535

Fair

Over: PENNYS CREEK

5 SW OF CHARLESTON, Charleston, SC

Built 2004 Load: 50.5 t ADT: 125

I-26

Fair

Over: GLIDERS CREEK

5.8 MI N W OF NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1960 Load: 50.9 t ADT: 44,400

S-16-179

Fair

Over: I-95

5MI N FLORENCE, Darlington, SC

Built 1967 Load: 50.9 t ADT: 6,500

I-20 EB

Fair

Over: U.S. 1

9 MI N OF AIKEN, Aiken, SC

Built 1969 Load: 50.9 t ADT: 18,050

SC 150

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

4.3 MI S OF GAFFNEY, Cherokee, SC

Built 1973 Load: 50.9 t ADT: 1,750

S-21-12

Fair

Over: SCL RR

CHURCH ST FLORENCE, Florence, SC

Built 1980 Load: 50.9 t ADT: 20,600

S-4-143

Fair

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

6.3MI NE WILLIAMSTON, Anderson, SC

Built 1987 Load: 50.9 t ADT: 5,600

US 176 EB

Fair

Over: ROCKY CREEK

5.7 MI N.W. OF UNION, Union, SC

Built 1987 Load: 50.9 t ADT: 4,600

US 501 SB

Fair

Over: S-41

3MI NE OF MARION, Marion, SC

Built 1989 Load: 50.9 t ADT: 4,050

S-25-13

Fair

Over: WHIPPY SWAMP

6MI NW VARNVILLE, Hampton, SC

Built 1999 Load: 50.9 t ADT: 375

C-4-756

Fair

Over: BEAVERDAM CR

14.3 MI NW OF ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1963 Load: 51.2 t ADT: 125

S-35-412

Fair

Over: BEAVERDAM CREEK

6 MI NW MCCOLL, Marlboro, SC

Built 2003 Load: 51.2 t ADT: 75

C-4-840

Fair

Over: CANOE CR

14.9 MI SW OF ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1965 Load: 51.2 t ADT: 125

SC 5 NB

Fair

Over: U.S. 521 SBL

7.3 MI N OF LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 1973 Load: 51.2 t ADT: 5,900

S-30-61

Fair

Over: C.N.&L. RR

CITY OF LAURENS, Laurens, SC

Built 1976 Load: 51.2 t ADT: 2,000

S-23-124

Fair

Over: SOUTH SALUDA RIVER

10.2MI NW TRAVELERS REST, Greenville, SC

Built 1979 Load: 51.2 t ADT: 100

US 17 BUS SB

Fair

Over: US 17

AT MURRELLS INLET, Horry, SC

Built 1980 Load: 51.2 t ADT: 12,900

SC 9 NB

Fair

Over: S.C.L. RAILROAD

1MI E OF WALLACE, Marlboro, SC

Built 1960 Load: 51.5 t ADT: 4,350

US 17

Fair

Over: I-95

1MI N OF RIDGELAND, Jasper, SC

Built 1966 Load: 51.5 t ADT: 3,400

I-20 WB

Fair

Over: ABANDAND RR

1 MI S OF CAMDEN, Kershaw, SC

Built 1972 Load: 51.5 t ADT: 15,900

S-18-610/ALONZO RD

Fair

Over: GUM BRANCH

3.6 MI SE ST GEORGE, Dorchester, SC

Built 1988 Load: 51.5 t ADT: 500

I-95

Fair

Over: PUDDING SWAMP

18 MI E OF SUMTER, Sumter, SC

Built 1967 Load: 51.8 t ADT: 35,000

I-20 EB

Fair

Over: N. EDISTO RIVER

9 MI SE OF MONETTA, Aiken, SC

Built 1970 Load: 51.8 t ADT: 17,200

I-20 WB

Fair

Over: N. EDISTO RIVER

9.0 MI SE MONETTA, Aiken, SC

Built 1970 Load: 51.8 t ADT: 17,200

SC 34

Fair

Over: CSX & SOUTH RWY

1.5 MI SE OF NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1975 Load: 51.8 t ADT: 6,600

SC 9 NB

Fair

Over: I-77

10.6MI NE OF CHESTER, Chester, SC

Built 1978 Load: 51.8 t ADT: 6,300

SC 191

Fair

Over: HORSE CREEK (KELLEY CR)

WARRENVILLE, Aiken, SC

Built 1997 Load: 51.8 t ADT: 6,900

I-26

Fair

Over: TOMS CREEK

6 MI S OF CAYCE, Lexington, SC

Built 1960 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 69,100

I-20 WB

Fair

Over: BRANCH OF HAIGS CREEK

10 MI SW OF CAMDEN, Kershaw, SC

Built 1966 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 25,050

RAMP ON I-26

Fair

Over: VEGETATIVE RIGHT OF WAY

IN CHARLESTION, Charleston, SC

Built 1968 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 1,900

I-20 WB

Fair

Over: S-49

12 MI NE OF AIKEN, Aiken, SC

Built 1970 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 18,100

SC 9 SB

Fair

Over: I-77

10.6MI NE OF CHESTER, Chester, SC

Built 1978 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 6,300

S-39-317

Fair

Over: NS RAILROAD

2.0 MI NE LIBERTY, Pickens, SC

Built 1985 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 2,100

S-26-51

Fair

Over: MURRELS INLET CREEK

GARDEN CITY, Horry, SC

Built 1991 Load: 52.2 t ADT: 10,300

L-40-484

Fair

Over: VISTA GREENWAY

CITY OF COLUMBIA, Richland, SC

Built 1961 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 12,200

S-40-73

Fair

Over: SMITH BRANCH

2 MI NW OF COLUMBIA, Richland, SC

Built 1965 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 7,900

I-77

Fair

Over: TAYLORS CREEK

3.0 MI SE ROCK HILL, York, SC

Built 1975 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 57,200

S-32-273

Fair

Over: I-20

5 MI NW OF WEST COLUMBIA, Lexington, SC

Built 1979 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 16,800

Showing 5,051-5,100 of 9,490 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What to do with this

Use South Carolina's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in South Carolina and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. South Carolina Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; 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.