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-42-268

Poor

Over: TRIB-PACOLET RIV

2.0 MI NW COWPENS, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1964 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 400

S-16-41

Poor

Over: FLAT CREEK

6MI S SOCIETY HILL, Darlington, SC

Built 1965 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 375

S-16-697

Poor

Over: NEWMAN & SPARROW SWAMP

3MI SE LAMAR, Darlington, SC

Built 1966 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 175

S-26-351

Poor

Over: MYRTLE SWASH

5TH AVE MYRTLE BEACH, Horry, SC

Built 1966 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 750

S-12-295

Poor

Over: TRIB TO ROCKY CR

8.8MI SE CHESTER, Chester, SC

Built 1967 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 125

S-23-671

Poor

Over: BAKER CREEK

7.2 MI SW SIMPSONVILLE, Greenville, SC

Built 1967 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,450

S-37-429

Poor

Over: TR. TO CHOESTOEA CREEK

4 MI S WESTMINSTER, Oconee, SC

Built 1967 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 350

S-39-355

Poor

Over: TRIB TO MACHINE CK

9.5 MI E PICKENS, Pickens, SC

Built 1967 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,400

S-42-906

Poor

Over: KELSEY CREEK

4.3 MI SE SPARTANBURG, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1967 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 425

S-28-588

Poor

Over: LITTLE BUFFALO CREEK

9 MI E OF KERSHAW, Kershaw, SC

Built 1968 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 50

S-1632/OLD POND RD

Poor

Over: SIMONS CREEK

8.4 MI W OF CHARLESTON, Charleston, SC

Built 1969 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,450

S-37-168

Poor

Over: TRIB TO CHOESTOEA CK

7.5 MI S WESTMINSTER, Oconee, SC

Built 1969 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 600

S-42-105

Poor

Over: BR OF ISLAND CREEK

3.5 MI NW COWPENS, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1969 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,250

C-42-725

Poor

Over: MAPLE CREEK

1.5 MI SE GREER, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1969 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 225

S-37-168

Poor

Over: LITTLE CHOESTOEA CK

6.5 MI S WESTMINSTER, Oconee, SC

Built 1970 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 600

S-430

Poor

Over: JIMMIES CREEK

6.5 MI SW SPARTANBURG, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1960 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 2,900

S-45-33

Poor

Over: KINGSTREE SWAMP

11.0 MI N KINGSTREE, Williamsburg, SC

Built 1982 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 1,350

S-4-141

Poor

Over: BLUE RIDGE RR

CITY OF ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1938 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 5,600

US 321

Poor

Over: CRANE CREEK

6 MI NE OF COLA, Richland, SC

Built 1927 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 14,300

S-31-311

Poor

Over: TIB STONEY RUN CREEK

1 MI SW OF ELLIOTT, Lee, SC

Built 1957 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 125

S-39-30

Poor

Over: TRIB TO 18 MILE CR

2.5 MI SE CLEMSON, Pickens, SC

Built 1958 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 4,400

S-26-308

Poor

Over: PRINCE MILL SWAMP

7MI NE AYNOR, Horry, SC

Built 1961 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 125

S-46-1102

Poor

Over: BR TO BUCKHORN CREEK

3.8 MI W YORK, York, SC

Built 1971 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 150

S-43-114

Poor

Over: TURKEY CREEK

TOWN OF SUMTER, Sumter, SC

Built 1972 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 1,400

S-45-143

Poor

Over: THORNTREE SWAMP

1.25 MI E OF SALTERS, Williamsburg, SC

Built 1973 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 150

S-26-934

Poor

Over: BR OF HUNTING SWAMP

7MI W CONWAY, Horry, SC

Built 1975 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 950

S-46-1273

Poor

Over: CONRAD CREEK

2.5 MI S MCCONNELLS, York, SC

Built 1976 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 100

US 76

Poor

Over: MIDDLE SWAMP

6MI SW OF FLORENCE, Florence, SC

Built 1937 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 13,500

S-26-142

Poor

Over: HUGGINS SWAMP

3MI N FLOYD, Horry, SC

Built 1959 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 600

SC 135

Poor

Over: TRIB CARPENTER CK (1)

8 MI NE OF PICKENS, Pickens, SC

Built 1959 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 3,300

S-46-888

Poor

Over: BRYSON CREEK

2.2 MI W MCCONNELLS, York, SC

Built 1966 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 50

S-17-429

Poor

Over: LITTLE PEE DEE

8MI N DILLON, Dillon, SC

Built 1967 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 50

S-11-164

Poor

Over: THICKETTY CREEK

4.3MI W GAFFNEY, Cherokee, SC

Built 1974 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 300

S-46-1257

Poor

Over: TURKEY CREEK

1.6 MI W YORK, York, SC

Built 1975 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 325

S-609

Poor

Over: CROOKED CREEK

12.5 MI N OF BENNETTSVILL, Marlboro, SC

Built 1978 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 150

S-23-164

Poor

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

5.5MI S GREER, Greenville, SC

Built 1994 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 9,100

L-40-2391

Poor

Over: GILLS CREEK

4 MI E OF COLUMBIA, Richland, SC

Built 1947 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 225

US 178

Poor

Over: MOORES CREEK

10.0 MI SE OF SALUDA, Saluda, SC

Built 1949 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 4,300

S-26-309

Poor

Over: BREAKFAST SWAMP

6MI NE AYNOR, Horry, SC

Built 1959 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 450

S-42-43

Poor

Over: PACOLET RIVER

4.5 MI SW CHESNEE, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1959 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 5,500

S-12-50

Poor

Over: TRIB TO FISHING CR

7.7MI NW RICHBURG, Chester, SC

Built 1963 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 200

S-13-144

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

5.8 MI SE CHESTERFIELD, Chesterfield, SC

Built 1964 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 225

S-12-609

Poor

Over: BROWNS BRANCH

7MI N RICHBURG, Chester, SC

Built 1968 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 150

S-42-57

Poor

Over: PETERS CREEK

6.0 MI NE SPARTANBURG, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1978 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 450

C-13-143

Poor

Over: N. PRONG CREEK

4.5 MI S CHESTERFIELD, Chesterfield, SC

Built 1985 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 125

C-21-112

Poor

Over: HIGH HILL CREEK

4.5 MI NW FLORENCE, Florence, SC

Built 1986 Load: 17.2 t ADT: 125

S-5-26

Poor

Over: GALL BRANCH

4.0MI SW DENMARK, Bamberg, SC

Built 1953 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 275

S-25-51

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

5MI S HAMPTON, Hampton, SC

Built 1960 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 325

S-5-20

Poor

Over: BRIER BRANCH

3MI NE BAMBERG, Bamberg, SC

Built 1963 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 475

S-26-472

Poor

Over: HORSEPEN CREEK

2MI N HICKORY GROVE, Horry, SC

Built 1963 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 1,000

Showing 9,151-9,200 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.