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 12 CON

Good

Over: SC 12

CITY OF WEST OF COLUMBIA, Lexington, SC

Built 1977 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 2,800

SC 45

Good

Over: MECHAW CREEK

5 MI N OF MCCLELLANVILLE, Charleston, SC

Built 1978 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 400

S-4-53

Good

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

4.0MI NW WILLIAMSTON, Anderson, SC

Built 1980 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,500

S-37-241

Good

Over: TRIB TO CONEROSS CREEK

2.1 MI S.W. OF WALHALLA, Oconee, SC

Built 1989 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 300

I-85 RAMP

Good

Over: I-26 & I-85

5.0 MI NW OF SPARTANBURG, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1990 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 7,100

C-42-940

Good

Over: NORTH PACOLET RIVER

5.3 MI E OF LANDRUM, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1990 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 225

S-11-60

Good

Over: SUCK CREEK

9.7MI NW GAFFNEY, Cherokee, SC

Built 1992 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 300

RAMP ON SC 30 WB

Good

Over: S-30EB/LOCKWOOD DR

CITY OF CHARLESTON, Charleston, SC

Built 1993 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 31,600

S-12-71

Good

Over: SMITH CR

9.3MI W CHESTER, Chester, SC

Built 1994 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 25

S-42-130

Good

Over: WOLFE CREEK

1.0 MI N LANDRUM, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1994 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 275

S-46-536

Good

Over: FISHING CREEK

6.8 MI W ROCK HILL, York, SC

Built 1995 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 650

S-42-203

Good

Over: TRIB TO NORTH TYGER RV

12.0 MI E. WOODRUFF, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1996 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 150

S-46-157

Good

Over: FISHING CREEK

5.8 MI W ROCKHILL, York, SC

Built 1996 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,000

S-12-54

Good

Over: SUSYBOLE CR

11.5MI NW CHESTER, Chester, SC

Built 1997 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 75

S-43-370

Good

Over: MUSH BRANCH

8 MI W SUMTER, Sumter, SC

Built 1997 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,000

SC 80 EB

Good

Over: SC 290 & NS RAILROAD

2 MI E OF GREER, Spartanburg, SC

Built 2001 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 6,050

S-31-53

Good

Over: CANAL NO. 1

3 MI W OF LYNCHBURG, Lee, SC

Built 2019 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 150

C-23-3926

Good

Over: GRAZE BRANCH

6.6 MILES N FOUNTAIN INN, Greenville, SC

Built 2013 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 150

C-23-634

Good

Over: HORSE CREEK

10 MI SW OF FOUNTAIN INN, Greenville, SC

Built 1967 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 125

I-185 NB

Good

Over: I-85

5.0 SW OF GREENVILLE, Greenville, SC

Built 1999 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,050

S-26-669

Good

Over: MAPLE SWAMP

7 MI N OF CONWAY, Horry, SC

Built 2023 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 175

SC 34

Good

Over: SCAPE ORE SWAMP

6MI W OF BISHOPVILLE, Lee, SC

Built 2007 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 1,900

S-19-311

Good

Over: BEECH CREEK

4.5MI E JOHNSTON, Edgefield, SC

Built 2016 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 100

S-4-22

Good

Over: DEVIL FORK CREEK

7.1MI SW ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1959 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 3,300

S-10-967

Good

Over: ABBAPOOLA CREEK

11.8 MI SW CHAS, Charleston, SC

Built 2014 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 1,000

S-24-156

Good

Over: HARD LABOR CREEK

2.8 MI NE BRADLEY, Greenwood, SC

Built 2004 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 150

S-19-39

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK

5.2MI NW JOHNSTON, Edgefield, SC

Built 2019 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 100

S-29-471

Good

Over: BR OF GILLS CR

CITY OF LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 2018 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 6,200

S-32-51

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

2 MI SW CHAPIN, Lexington, SC

Built 2009 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 8,900

SC 212/WILLIAMS RD

Good

Over: BUCKHEAD CREEK (2)

2 MI S OF WILLIAMS, Colleton, SC

Built 1974 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 425

S-40-907

Good

Over: SC 277

4 MI NE OF COLUMBIA, Richland, SC

Built 1974 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 6,900

L-40-3476

Good

Over: GILLS CREEK

4 MI E OF COLUMBIA, Richland, SC

Built 2003 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 225

I-77 SB

Good

Over: SC 34

2.0 MI W OF RIDGEWAY, Fairfield, SC

Built 1978 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 23,750

S-1-228

Good

Over: CHARLIES CREEK

1.1MI NE LOWNDESVILLE, Abbeville, SC

Built 1982 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 125

S-29-76

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

CITY OF LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 1986 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 475

SC 381

Good

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK (NO. 1)

1MI S OF MCCOLL, Marlboro, SC

Built 1986 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 1,450

I-77 SB

Good

Over: RR CSXT

5 MI SE OF COLUMBIA, Richland, SC

Built 1988 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 35,450

S-42-65

Good

Over: I-85 (NEW LOCATION)

4.2 MI. NW SPARTANBURG, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1989 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 5,500

S-39-64

Good

Over: NS RAILROAD

LIBERTY- S PEACHTREE ST, Pickens, SC

Built 1991 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 3,300

S-4-199

Good

Over: CANOE CREEK

2.2 MI SW IVA, Anderson, SC

Built 1992 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 100

S-32-278

Good

Over: BLACK CREEK

10 MI S OF GILBERT, Lexington, SC

Built 1994 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 2,100

S-42-57

Good

Over: CSXT

4.0 MI W COWPENS, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1994 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 16,200

S-42-74

Good

Over: RAINBOW LAKE

6.0 MI NE INMAN, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1995 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 1,400

S-39-286

Good

Over: TRIB TO GEORGES CK

5.0 MI E EASLEY, Pickens, SC

Built 1996 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 900

S-12-304

Good

Over: DRY FORK CREEK

2.8 MI W CHESTER, Chester, SC

Built 1997 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 400

S-20-101

Good

Over: JUNE CREEK

14.5MI E WINNSBORO, Fairfield, SC

Built 1999 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 850

S-45-186

Good

Over: BROWNS BRANCH

NE OF KINGSTREE, Williamsburg, SC

Built 1999 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 4,400

US 17 SB

Good

Over: HARRY M HALLMAN JR BLVD

CHARLESTON CITY LIMITS, Charleston, SC

Built 2005 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 31,400

RAMP OFF I-77 NB

Good

Over: SC 161

4.1 MILES N OF ROCK HILL, York, SC

Built 2004 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 22,800

S-28-549

Good

Over: BR BIG PINE TREE CREEK

7 MI E OF CAMDEN, Kershaw, SC

Built 2016 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 325

Showing 6,751-6,800 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.