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-38-1148

Fair

Over: CAW CAW SWAMP

CITY OF ORANGEBURG, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1962 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 1,750

S-45-319

Fair

Over: SOCCEE SWAMP

4.0 MI E HEMINGWAY, Williamsburg, SC

Built 1962 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 650

S-14-111

Fair

Over: BIG BRANCH

4MI NE MANNING, Clarendon, SC

Built 1963 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 300

S-17-50

Fair

Over: SWEAT SWAMP

8 MI NW DILLON, Dillon, SC

Built 1963 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 125

S-36-408

Fair

Over: TRIB TO LAKE MURRAY

12.1 MI SE NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1963 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 325

S-1-61

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

7.0MI NE ABBEVILLE, Abbeville, SC

Built 1964 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 650

S-4-627

Fair

Over: NEALS CREEK

4.6MI SE ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1964 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 1,000

S-19-237

Fair

Over: LITTLE TURKEY CREEK

1.5MI NW JOHNSTON, Edgefield, SC

Built 1965 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 425

S-19-296

Fair

Over: DUNN CREEK

6.0MI NW EDGEFIELD, Edgefield, SC

Built 1965 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 50

S-19-306

Fair

Over: BR OF TURKEY CREEK

9.9MI NW EDGEFIELD, Edgefield, SC

Built 1965 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 25

S-25-42

Fair

Over: DEEP BRANCH

10MI SE VARNVILLE, Hampton, SC

Built 1965 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 100

S-17-423

Fair

Over: OLD MILL CREEK

3MI SW DILLON, Dillon, SC

Built 1966 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 450

S-38-161

Fair

Over: TURKEY BRANCH

4.5MI S NORTH, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1966 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 200

S-2-14

Fair

Over: HOLLOW CREEK

5.0 MI SE PERRY, Aiken, SC

Built 1967 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 375

S-2-1139

Fair

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

2.0 MI SE BEECH ISLAND, Aiken, SC

Built 1967 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 25

S-3-350

Fair

Over: COOSAWHATCHIE RIVER

6MI S ALLENDALE, Allendale, SC

Built 1967 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 125

S-17-429

Fair

Over: MARTIN CREEK

7MI N DILLON, Dillon, SC

Built 1967 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 50

C-23-730

Fair

Over: MOUNTAIN CREEK

12.5 MI SW FOUNTAIN INN, Greenville, SC

Built 1967 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 125

S-25-13

Fair

Over: DEEP BRANCH

5MI N YEMASSEE, Hampton, SC

Built 1967 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 300

S-25-13

Fair

Over: DEEP BRANCH

5MI N YEMASSEE, Hampton, SC

Built 1967 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 300

S-34-307

Fair

Over: TRIB TO MAPLE SWAMP CR

BRITTONS NECK, Marion, SC

Built 1967 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 175

S-38-178

Fair

Over: BUCK BRANCH

1MI NW BOWMAN, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1967 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 200

S-39-355

Fair

Over: MACHINE CREEK

10.0 MI E PICKENS, Pickens, SC

Built 1967 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 3,100

L-45-469

Fair

Over: POPLAR HILL BR

1.0 MI S HEMINGWAY, Williamsburg, SC

Built 2005 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 850

S-4-29

Fair

Over: SHANKLIN CREEK

1.4MI SE PENDLETON, Anderson, SC

Built 1968 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 3,300

S-4-300

Fair

Over: LITTLE GARVIN CREEK

2.8MI NE PENDLETON, Anderson, SC

Built 1968 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 2,000

S-6-62

Fair

Over: STRINGFELLOW CREEK

5 MI SW WILLISTON, Barnwell, SC

Built 1968 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 175

S-6-549

Fair

Over: EMERGENCY POND SPILLWAY

3 MI E OF BLACKVILLE, Barnwell, SC

Built 1968 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 175

S-14-260

Fair

Over: POTATO CREEK

7MI SE SUMMERTON, Clarendon, SC

Built 1968 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 375

S-26-668

Fair

Over: BR OF KINGSTON LAKE

6MI NE HOMEWOOD, Horry, SC

Built 1968 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 750

S-33-24

Fair

Over: CALLABASH BRANCH

6.3 MI NE MCCORMICK, McCormick, SC

Built 1968 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 50

S-41-35

Fair

Over: CLOUDS CREEK

11.5MI SE SALUDA, Saluda, SC

Built 1968 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 150

S-1-352

Fair

Over: BR OFJOHNSON CK.

3.1 MI NE ANTREVILLE, Abbeville, SC

Built 1969 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 125

S-3-336

Fair

Over: TRIB-DUCK CREEK

7 MI SE ALLENDALE, Allendale, SC

Built 1969 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 125

S-5-37

Fair

Over: SYKES BRANCH

3MI NW DENMARK, Bamberg, SC

Built 1969 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 1,500

S-21-46

Fair

Over: TRIB-LYNCHES RIVER

2 MI E COWARD, Florence, SC

Built 1969 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 1,400

S-21-85

Fair

Over: THOMASON BRANCH

2 MI E LAKE CITY, Florence, SC

Built 1969 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 800

S-42-769

Fair

Over: JIMMIES CREEK

CITY OF WOODRUFF, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1969 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 950

S-1-32

Fair

Over: PARKERS CREEK

CITY OF ABBEVILLE, Abbeville, SC

Built 1970 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 650

S-9-58

Fair

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

1 MI SE ST MATHEWS, Calhoun, SC

Built 1970 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 425

S-11-431

Fair

Over: MORGAN CREEK

4.6MI N GAFFNEY, Cherokee, SC

Built 1971 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 375

S-38-64

Fair

Over: COW CASTLE CREEK

8 MI SE ORANGEBURG, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1971 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 125

S-4-480

Fair

Over: BROADWAY CREEK

3.7MI SE ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1972 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 550

S-22-585

Fair

Over: BR-MINGO CREEK

13MI NE ANDREWS, Georgetown, SC

Built 1972 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 125

S-2-1665

Fair

Over: SANDY BRANCH

10.0 MI E AIKEN, Aiken, SC

Built 1973 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 275

S-6-21

Fair

Over: ROSEMARY CREEK

6MI SW WILLISTON, Barnwell, SC

Built 1973 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 550

S-02-111

Fair

Over: GOODLAND CREEK

6MI N SPRINGFIELD, Aiken, SC

Built 1973 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 200

S-41-154

Fair

Over: MOUNTAIN CREEK

10.4MI NW SALUDA, Saluda, SC

Built 1973 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 50

S-45-639

Fair

Over: BIRCH CREEK

2.5 MI N WARSAW, Williamsburg, SC

Built 1973 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 275

S-19-404

Fair

Over: GIN CREEK

7.6MI NW EDGEFIELD, Edgefield, SC

Built 1974 Load: 17.8 t ADT: 50

Showing 1,101-1,150 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.