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

S-12-496

Poor

Over: SOUTH FORK CREEK

9.2MI NE CHESTER, Chester, SC

Built 1965 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 100

S-42-651

Poor

Over: BEAVERDAM CREEK

4.0 MI S SPARTANBURG, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1968 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 1,850

US 76

Poor

Over: U.S. 15

TOWN OF SUMTER, Sumter, SC

Built 1957 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 13,900

S-23-316

Poor

Over: GROVE CREEK

7.9MI SW MAULDIN, Greenville, SC

Built 1963 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 2,000

S-39-64

Poor

Over: EIGHTEEN MILE CREEK

2.0 MI SE LIBERTY, Pickens, SC

Built 1978 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 750

US 15 SB

Poor

Over: POCOTALIGO RIVER

2 MI S OF SUMTER, Sumter, SC

Built 1935 Load: 6.8 t ADT: 10,200

S-44-68

Poor

Over: DUTCHMANS CREEK

10.7 MI W UNION, Union, SC

Built 1960 Load: 6.8 t ADT: 175

S-11-320

Poor

Over: DOOLITTLE CREEK

2.4MI S BLACKSBURG, Cherokee, SC

Built 1964 Load: 6.8 t ADT: 350

S-39-277

Poor

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

2.0 MI W NORRIS, Pickens, SC

Built 1964 Load: 6.8 t ADT: 350

S-39-98

Poor

Over: TRIB TO ROCKY BOTTOM CK

11.0 MI N PICKENS, Pickens, SC

Built 1981 Load: 6.8 t ADT: 125

C-36-3601

Poor

Over: BIG BEAVERDAM CREEK

6.3 MI N W OF NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1986 Load: 6.8 t ADT: 225

C-19-645

Poor

Over: SLEEPY CREEK

10.2 MI NW OF EDGEFIELD, Edgefield, SC

Built 1962 Load: 7.1 t ADT: 125

SC 213

Poor

Over: CRIMS CREEK

15.8 MI SE OF NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1968 Load: 7.1 t ADT: 2,100

S-23-102

Poor

Over: ARMSTRONG CREEK

3.5 MI SW TRAVELERS REST, Greenville, SC

Built 1960 Load: 7.5 t ADT: 1,300

C-39-477

Poor

Over: TRIB ROCK BOTTOM CREEK

12.5 MI N OF PICKENS, Pickens, SC

Built 1968 Load: 7.5 t ADT: 200

S FORK DUNCAN CREE

Poor

Over: S FORK DUNCAN CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Laurens, SC

Built 1957 Load: 7.5 t ADT: 50

US 29

Poor

Over: CHEROKEE CREEK

3.8 MI E OF GAFFNEY, Cherokee, SC

Built 1931 Load: 7.8 t ADT: 8,500

SC 49

Poor

Over: FAIRFOREST CREEK

4.3 MI SW OF UNION, Union, SC

Built 1931 Load: 7.8 t ADT: 3,200

S-29-294

Poor

Over: BRANCH

3 MI NE KERSHAW, Lancaster, SC

Built 1940 Load: 7.8 t ADT: 125

S-11-195

Poor

Over: CHEROKEE CREEK

2.6MI N GAFFNEY, Cherokee, SC

Built 1951 Load: 7.8 t ADT: 650

C-42-3787

Poor

Over: NS RR

RIVERSIDE - SPARTANBURG, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1945 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 225

C-36-503

Poor

Over: CANNONS CREEK

4.9MI NE OF NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1971 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 125

C-36-787

Poor

Over: TRIB TO CANNONS CREEK

5.9MI SE OF NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1991 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 125

NICHOLSON CREEK-Br

Poor

Over: CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Berkeley, SC

Built 1966 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 50

SC 9 BUS

Poor

Over: CANE CREEK

LANCASTER CITY LIMITS, Lancaster, SC

Built 1929 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 4,700

S-20-214

Poor

Over: BIG CREEK

13.5MI NW WINNSBORO, Fairfield, SC

Built 1957 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 125

C-30-532

Poor

Over: SOUTH RABON CREEK

9.5MI NW OF LAURENS, Laurens, SC

Built 1971 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 200

SC 421

Poor

Over: LITTLE HORSE CREEK

1 MI E OF CLEARWATER, Aiken, SC

Built 1926 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 8,700

S-23-562

Poor

Over: ENOREE RIVER

6.1 MI W GREER, Greenville, SC

Built 1965 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 1,450

S-23-114

Poor

Over: MIDDLE TYGER RIVER

10.9 MI N GREER, Greenville, SC

Built 1972 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 150

S-46-1104

Poor

Over: CROWDERS CREEK

5.4 MI NE CLOVER, York, SC

Built 1972 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 450

S-37-59

Poor

Over: TRIB TO CANE CREEK

2.5 MI NW WALHALLA, Oconee, SC

Built 1951 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 500

US 176

Poor

Over: NS RR

1.0 MI E OF INMAN, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1954 Load: 9.4 t ADT: 19,200

C-42-787

Poor

Over: CSXT RR

FOREST ST IN SPARTANBURG, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1913 Load: 9.7 t ADT: 3,700

SC 72

Poor

Over: SOUTH FORK CREEK

9.4MI N OF CHESTER, Chester, SC

Built 1929 Load: 9.7 t ADT: 5,900

SC 341

Poor

Over: LITTLE LYNCHES RIVER (2)

3MI S OF BETHUNE, Kershaw, SC

Built 1940 Load: 9.7 t ADT: 2,000

S-36-342

Poor

Over: BUSH RIVER

6.4 MI NW NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1963 Load: 9.7 t ADT: 250

S-10-98

Poor

Over: GUERIN CREEK

15.4 MI E CHAS, Charleston, SC

Built 1974 Load: 9.7 t ADT: 350

C-24-289

Poor

Over: CUFFYTOWN CREEK

13.0 MI SE OF GWD, Greenwood, SC

Built 1975 Load: 9.7 t ADT: 200

C-42-10

Poor

Over: CEDAR SHOALS CR

14.1 MI SE WOODRUFF, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1940 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 225

S-20-54

Poor

Over: MILLS CREEK

6MI SW WINNSBORO, Fairfield, SC

Built 1955 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 250

US 52 EBL

Poor

Over: LYNCHES RIVER

5.5 MI N OF COWARD, Florence, SC

Built 1974 Load: 10.0 t ADT: 7,350

S-23-318

Poor

Over: DAM AT LAKE LANIER

17.5 MI N GREER, Greenville, SC

Built 1925 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 75

US 17 SB

Poor

Over: NORTH SANTEE RIVER

16MI SW GEORGETOWN, Georgetown, SC

Built 1951 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 4,650

S-30-102

Poor

Over: LITTLE RIVER

5.6 MI SE LAURENS, Laurens, SC

Built 1965 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 150

S-42-197

Poor

Over: SOUTH TYGER RIVER

6.0 MI N WOODRUFF, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1969 Load: 10.4 t ADT: 1,200

SC 9 BUS

Poor

Over: CROOKED CREEK

BENNETTSVILLE, Marlboro, SC

Built 1921 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 9,600

S-16-18

Poor

Over: BLACK CREEK

IN HARTSVILLE, Darlington, SC

Built 1969 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 3,400

S-34-32

Poor

Over: REEDY CREEK

TOWN OF RAINS, Marion, SC

Built 1977 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 1,250

S-44-33

Poor

Over: SUGAR CREEK

7.8 MI W OF UNION, Union, SC

Built 1992 Load: 10.7 t ADT: 150

Showing 9,001-9,050 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.