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-30-91

Poor

Over: LAKE GREENWOOD BAY

19.3 MI SE LAURENS, Laurens, SC

Built 1958 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 125

S-5-385

Poor

Over: SMITH BRANCH

BAMBERG COLLETON CO LN, Bamberg, SC

Built 1959 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 125

S-3-241

Poor

Over: MILLER CREEK

2MI E SYCAMORE, Allendale, SC

Built 1961 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 125

S-36-366

Poor

Over: WELCH CREEK

5.7 MI SW NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1961 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 75

S-44-16

Poor

Over: TYGER RIVER

7.3 MI S UNION, Union, SC

Built 1962 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 175

S-9-226

Poor

Over: TRIB TO LITTLE BEAVER CK

9 MI NW ST MATHEWS, Calhoun, SC

Built 1964 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 50

S-9-257

Poor

Over: TRIB TO BIG BEAVER CR

12 MI NW ST MATHEWS, Calhoun, SC

Built 1967 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 25

S-5-81

Poor

Over: LEMON SWAMP

6MI SE BAMBERG, Bamberg, SC

Built 1969 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 125

S-12-482

Poor

Over: TAN YARD BRANCH

MCFADDEN ST IN CHESTER, Chester, SC

Built 1973 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 850

S-5-81

Poor

Over: LEMON SWAMP

6MI SE BAMBERG, Bamberg, SC

Built 1975 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 125

C-24-485

Poor

Over: LITTLE COWHEAD CK

7.3 MI SW OF GWD, Greenwood, SC

Built 1975 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 200

L-32-3588

Poor

Over: RAWLS CREEK

2 MI SW OF IRMO, Lexington, SC

Built 1975 Load: 18.8 t ADT: 150

SC 88

Poor

Over: THREE & TWENTY CREEK

9.1MI NE OF PENDLETON, Anderson, SC

Built 1949 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 6,800

US 52 WB

Poor

Over: LYNCHES RIVER SWAMP

4.0MI N OF COWARD, Florence, SC

Built 1950 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 7,350

C-4-2096

Poor

Over: WILSONS CR

11.8 MI SE OF ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1964 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 125

S-29-67

Poor

Over: GILLS CREEK

IN LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 1972 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 6,300

S-42-725

Poor

Over: MAPLE CREEK

2.0 MI SE GREER, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1982 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 1,350

C-42-837

Poor

Over: TRIB TO MEADOW CK

3.3 MI NE OF LYMAN, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1984 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 225

US 21

Poor

Over: FISHING CREEK

N. CITY LIMITS -G. FALLS, Chester, SC

Built 1937 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 4,400

C-32-5606

Poor

Over: KOON BRANCH

2MI S OF IRMO, Lexington, SC

Built 1974 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 150

S-44-408

Poor

Over: ROCKY CREEK

3.8 MI S JONESVILLE, Union, SC

Built 1974 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 150

US 276

Poor

Over: P AND N RR.

2 MI N GREENVILLE, Greenville, SC

Built 1934 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 39,300

SC 8

Poor

Over: OOLENOY RIVER

8.9MI NE OF PICKENS, Pickens, SC

Built 1938 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 3,900

SC 290

Poor

Over: SOUTH TYGER RIVER

2.0MI W OF DUNCAN, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1940 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 5,700

S-1-33

Poor

Over: LONG CANE CREEK

7.0MI SE OF ABBEVILLE, Abbeville, SC

Built 1961 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 325

US 521 SB

Poor

Over: RR CSXT

11.5 MI N OF LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 1929 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 10,250

S-43-152

Poor

Over: RR CSXT & DIVINE STREET

TOWN OF SUMTER, Sumter, SC

Built 1940 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 5,200

SC 215

Poor

Over: SANDY RIVER

1.5MI N OF FAIRFIELD CO L, Chester, SC

Built 1948 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 650

SC 412

Poor

Over: TRIB BIG GENEROSTEE CR.

9.9 MI SW OF ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1955 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 300

S-37-99

Poor

Over: BEAVERDAM CREEK

9.8 MI S SENECA, Oconee, SC

Built 1956 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 550

S-37-173

Poor

Over: LITTLE RIVER

8.8 MI NE WALHALLA, Oconee, SC

Built 1956 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 500

S-42-41

Poor

Over: SC 85

5.1 MI NW SPARTANBURG, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1958 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 9,100

S-46-75

Poor

Over: TURKEY CREEK

2.2 MI W YORK, York, SC

Built 1939 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 2,600

S-28-58

Poor

Over: LITTLE FLAT ROCK CREEK

12 MI NW OF CAMDEN, Kershaw, SC

Built 1979 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 1,350

SC 210

Poor

Over: FOUR HOLE SWAMP

8MI E OF BOWMAN, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1927 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 800

S-29-123

Poor

Over: FLAT CREEK

10.5MI NE KERSHAW, Lancaster, SC

Built 1938 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 200

US 29

Poor

Over: MOUNTAIN CREEK

4.5 MI SW OF GREER, Greenville, SC

Built 1939 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 45,000

S-32-72

Poor

Over: SAVANA BRANCH

2 MI NE OF SOUTH CONGAREE, Lexington, SC

Built 1974 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 10,500

S-43-535

Poor

Over: SAMMY SWAMP

3 MI E OF PINEWOOD, Sumter, SC

Built 1980 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 200

C-42-931

Poor

Over: FAWN BR

5.1 MI E INMAN, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1982 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 225

C-42-755

Poor

Over: MIDDLE TYGER RIVER

3.4 MI NE GREER, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1984 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 250

S-37-174

Poor

Over: TRIB TO OCONEE CREEK

5.5 MI N WALHALLA, Oconee, SC

Built 1993 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 425

SC 9

Poor

Over: WILDCAT CREEK

13.4 MI E OF LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 1946 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 4,800

US 76

Poor

Over: ROCKY BLUFF SWAMP (1)

6 MI NE OF SUMTER, Sumter, SC

Built 1951 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 2,100

S-19-52

Poor

Over: HORN CREEK

6.2MI SW EDGEFIELD, Edgefield, SC

Built 1976 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 75

SC 9 BUS

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

LANCASTER CITY LIMITS, Lancaster, SC

Built 1929 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 4,600

SC 557

Poor

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

5.2 MI E OF CLOVER, York, SC

Built 1938 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 9,300

SC 124

Poor

Over: SALUDA RIVER

5 MI W OF GREENVILLE, Greenville, SC

Built 1940 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 11,000

US 501 BYP

Poor

Over: WACCAMAW RIVER

2.0 MI SE OF CONWAY, Horry, SC

Built 1958 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 54,000

S-28-15

Poor

Over: LYNCHES RIVER

5 MI SE OF BETHUNE, Kershaw, SC

Built 1959 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 1,600

Showing 9,251-9,300 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.