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-29-204

Poor

Over: FLAT CREEK

12.5MI E LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 1939 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 100

S-23-313

Poor

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

5.5MI SW GREER, Greenville, SC

Built 1962 Load: 11.0 t ADT: 4,600

SC 64/BELLS HWY

Poor

Over: BUCKHEAD CREEK TRIB

13.2 MI W OF WALTBR, Colleton, SC

Built 1931 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 2,800

SC 114

Poor

Over: SANDY RUN CREEK

1.0 MI S OF CHEROKEECO LN, Union, SC

Built 1954 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 850

S-1-37

Poor

Over: HOGSKIN CREEK

3.0MI W DUE WEST, Abbeville, SC

Built 1959 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 250

SC 527

Poor

Over: CLAPP SWAMP

6.5 MI NW OF KINGSTREE, Williamsburg, SC

Built 1992 Load: 11.3 t ADT: 2,700

S-42-242

Poor

Over: SOUTH TYGER RIVER

2.0 MI S LYMAN, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1955 Load: 11.7 t ADT: 4,200

C-4-3083

Poor

Over: HURRICANE CR

14.5 MI NE OF ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1966 Load: 11.7 t ADT: 125

S-12-525

Poor

Over: WHITESIDES BRANCH

1MI NE EDGEMOOR, Chester, SC

Built 1967 Load: 11.7 t ADT: 150

C-38-498

Poor

Over: COW CASTLE CREEK

1MI NW BOWMAN (OC-4212), Orangeburg, SC

Built 1939 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 200

SC 413

Poor

Over: ROCKY RIVER

10.3 MI SE OF ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1953 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 1,200

S-44-73

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

3.5 MI NE JONESVILLE, Union, SC

Built 1960 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 650

S-23-97

Poor

Over: MIDDLE SALUDA RIVER

11.2MI NW TRAVELERS REST, Greenville, SC

Built 1961 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 700

S-44-4

Poor

Over: BIG BROWNS CREEK

4.1 MI N UNION, Union, SC

Built 1977 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 1,100

S-36

Poor

Over: BRANCH OF MOUNTAIN CREEK

12 MI N OF EDGEFIELD, Edgefield, SC

Built 1948 Load: 12.0 t ADT: 175

SC 183

Poor

Over: TWELVE MILE CREEK

2 MI W OF PICKENS, Pickens, SC

Built 1931 Load: 12.6 t ADT: 6,100

SC 265

Poor

Over: LYNCHES RIVER

LANCASTER CO LN, Chesterfield, SC

Built 1938 Load: 12.6 t ADT: 1,000

US 1

Poor

Over: S.C.L. RAILROAD

6 MI NE OF MCBEE, Chesterfield, SC

Built 1956 Load: 12.6 t ADT: 1,800

S-37-206

Poor

Over: TRIB TO BEAVER DAM CK

8 MI S SENECA, Oconee, SC

Built 1958 Load: 12.6 t ADT: 275

S-42-317

Poor

Over: FREY CREEK

6.4 MI W. SPARTANBURG, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1925 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 300

C-4-866

Poor

Over: WILSON CR

9.4 MI SW OF ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1956 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 125

US 21

Poor

Over: S.C.L. RAILROAD

1.8MI S OF YORK CO LN, Chester, SC

Built 1956 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 6,000

S-20-15

Poor

Over: SAWNEYS CREEK

14.3MI SE WINNSBORO, Fairfield, SC

Built 1957 Load: 13.0 t ADT: 225

US 15

Poor

Over: SPARROW SWAMP

2MI W OF LYDIA, Darlington, SC

Built 1922 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 5,300

US 276

Poor

Over: NORTH SALUDA RIVER

4.5MI NW OF TRAVELERS RST, Greenville, SC

Built 1940 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 11,700

S-46-181

Poor

Over: LITTLE ALLISON CREEK

5.2 MI E YORK, York, SC

Built 1951 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 475

S-43-55

Poor

Over: SHOT POUCH BRANCH

2 MI NW OF SUMTER, Sumter, SC

Built 1960 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 9,500

S-29-126

Poor

Over: SIX MILE CREEK

7MI N VAN WYCK, Lancaster, SC

Built 1965 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 500

S-11-401

Poor

Over: BR OF BOWEN RIVER

5.2MI NW BLACKSBURG, Cherokee, SC

Built 1968 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 350

S-22-179

Poor

Over: BLACK RIVER

15.0 MI-N-GEORGETOWN, Georgetown, SC

Built 1976 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 1,700

S-11-286

Poor

Over: KINGS CREEK

5.9MI SE BLACKSBURG, Cherokee, SC

Built 1986 Load: 13.3 t ADT: 450

S-38-200

Poor

Over: BUSHY BRANCH

6MI S ELLOREE, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1953 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 325

S-36-351

Poor

Over: SECOND CREEK

11.7 MI NE NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1961 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 50

S-46-103

Poor

Over: TOOLS FORK CREEK

3.0 MI W ROCK HILL, York, SC

Built 1968 Load: 13.6 t ADT: 650

SC 200

Poor

Over: CAMP CREEK

4.1 MI N OF LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 1938 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 6,500

S-37-36

Poor

Over: CONEROSS CREEK

3.5 MI SW WALHALLA, Oconee, SC

Built 1973 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 1,750

US 21 SB

Poor

Over: BEAUFORT RIVER

SOUTHEAST OF BEAUFORT, Beaufort, SC

Built 1979 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 12,000

C-23-3536

Poor

Over: PETERS CREEK

5.6 MI NE SIMPSONVILLE, Greenville, SC

Built 1983 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 150

SC 417

Poor

Over: U S 276 NB

MAULDIN, Greenville, SC

Built 1930 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 14,200

S-42-184

Poor

Over: PACOLET RIVER

3.0 MI SW LANDRUM, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1955 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 500

SC 3

Poor

Over: KING CREEK

14 MI SW OF ALLENDALE, Allendale, SC

Built 1957 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 950

S-29-12

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

SPRINGDALE RD-LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 1970 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 7,300

S-43-528

Poor

Over: CANE SAVANNAH CREEK

5 MI SW OF SUMTER, Sumter, SC

Built 1972 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 2,100

C-11-358

Poor

Over: BR TO THICKETTY CK

11.9 MI SE GAFFNEY, Cherokee, SC

Built 1992 Load: 14.3 t ADT: 200

SC 215

Poor

Over: BIG CEDAR CREEK

12 MI NW OF COLUMBIA, Richland, SC

Built 1928 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 3,200

SC 101

Poor

Over: ENOREE RIVER

13.8 MI NW OF LAURENS, Laurens, SC

Built 1953 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 4,000

US 76

Poor

Over: US 601

9 MI W OF STATEBURG, Richland, SC

Built 1957 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 15,800

S-20-99

Poor

Over: ROCKY CREEK

17MI NW WINNSBORO, Fairfield, SC

Built 1960 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 100

S-43-466

Poor

Over: TURKEY CREEK

2 MI SE OF SUMTER, Sumter, SC

Built 1967 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 2,200

S-29-100

Poor

Over: GILLS CREEK

IN LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 1968 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 900

Showing 9,051-9,100 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.