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-34-299

Fair

Over: SMITH SWAMP

3MI E MARION, Marion, SC

Built 1960 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 800

S-36-363

Fair

Over: TRIB TO LITTLE RIVER

9.0 MI SW NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1961 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 50

S-18-162

Fair

Over: TRIB TO SCOTTS CREEK

8.5 MI SW SUMRVL, Dorchester, SC

Built 1962 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 125

S-33-38

Fair

Over: BOLD BRANCH

8.2 MI NW MCCORMICK, McCormick, SC

Built 1963 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 25

S-29-274

Fair

Over: GILLS CREEK

CITY OF LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 1966 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 1,400

S-38-58

Fair

Over: BIG BEAVER CREEK

5 MI SW NORTH, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1966 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 125

S-24-387

Fair

Over: BR TO MULBERRY CREEK

4.3MI S WARE SHOALS, Greenwood, SC

Built 1967 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 75

S-24-418

Fair

Over: BR OF NINETY-SIX CK

4.1MI SE NINETY SIX, Greenwood, SC

Built 1967 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 125

S-28-498

Fair

Over: LITTLE FLAT ROCK CRK

16 MI N OF CAMDEN, Kershaw, SC

Built 1967 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 125

S-36-546

Fair

Over: BR TO BIG CREEK

8.8 MI SE NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1968 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 25

S-8-132/RANGER RD

Fair

Over: TRIB TO LAKE MOULTRIE

13 MI SW ST. STEPHEN, Berkeley, SC

Built 1969 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 2,100

S-10-1156

Fair

Over: PLAYGROUND RD CREEK

7.4 MI SW CHAS, Charleston, SC

Built 1969 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 1,800

S-707/FORTVIEW RD

Fair

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

7.5 MI SE JAMESTOWN, Berkeley, SC

Built 1970 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 125

S-36-66

Fair

Over: BR OF BUSH RIVER

1.6 MI SW NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1971 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 225

S-757/EDWARD DR

Fair

Over: UNNAMED STREAM

TOWN MONCKS CORNER, Berkeley, SC

Built 1973 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 1,150

S-25-526

Fair

Over: CAMP BRANCH

5MI SE VARNVILLE, Hampton, SC

Built 1974 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 125

S-8-596/OXFORD RD

Fair

Over: UNNAMED CANAL

4 MI W GOOSE CREEK, Berkeley, SC

Built 1975 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 2,300

S-46-195

Fair

Over: MANCHESTER CREEK

TOWN OF ROCK HILL, York, SC

Built 1975 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 375

S-25-591

Fair

Over: BLACK CREEK

3MI NW ESTILL, Hampton, SC

Built 1976 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 125

S-23-97

Fair

Over: OIL CAMP CREEK

11.8MI NW TRAVELERS REST, Greenville, SC

Built 1978 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 700

S-39-158

Fair

Over: GOLDEN CREEK

2.0 MI NW LIBERTY, Pickens, SC

Built 1980 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 1,050

S-37-66

Fair

Over: CLEVELAND CREEK

11.2 MI S SENECA, Oconee, SC

Built 1982 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 500

S-39-33

Fair

Over: TRIB TWELVE MILE CK

4.0 MI W OF PICKENS, Pickens, SC

Built 1982 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 1,650

S-23-30

Fair

Over: BRUSHY CREEK

3.5 MI S GREENVILLE, Greenville, SC

Built 1984 Load: 19.1 t ADT: 2,200

SC 8

Fair

Over: RICES CREEK

3MI NW OF EASLEY, Pickens, SC

Built 1920 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 12,400

SC 72

Fair

Over: ROCKY CREEK

3.5MI N OF CHESTER, Chester, SC

Built 1929 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 5,800

SC 61/AUGUSTA HWY

Fair

Over: SKULL BRANCH

12 MI NE OF WALTERBORO, Colleton, SC

Built 1930 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 2,600

SC 64/BELLS HWY

Fair

Over: BUCKHEAD CREEK

13.3 MI W OF WALTBR, Colleton, SC

Built 1931 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 2,800

SC 20

Fair

Over: P AND N RR (NO. 2)

4.9 MI N OF BELTON, Anderson, SC

Built 1938 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 7,000

SC 4

Fair

Over: GREAT BRANCH

6MI W OF ORANGEBURG, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1939 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 5,400

US 29 BUS

Fair

Over: C.& NW RR & S-688

CITY OF ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1940 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 16,000

US 321

Fair

Over: LITTLE CEDAR CREEK

5.7 MI S OF WINNSBORO, Fairfield, SC

Built 1940 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 3,100

SC 341

Fair

Over: MERCHANTS MILL CREEK

6 MI NW OF BISHOPVILLE, Lee, SC

Built 1940 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 2,000

US 76

Fair

Over: GREEN SWAMP

4 MI NW OF SUMTER, Sumter, SC

Built 1941 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 29,300

SC 185

Fair

Over: LONG CANE CREEK

7.9 MI OF ABBEIVLLE, Abbeville, SC

Built 1948 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 3,200

SC 265

Fair

Over: BIG BLACK CREEK

5.1 MI NE JEFFERSON, Chesterfield, SC

Built 1948 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 1,400

SC 93

Fair

Over: NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR

TOWN OF LIBERTY, Pickens, SC

Built 1949 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 3,200

S-18-37/GAVINS RD

Fair

Over: INDIAN FIELD SWAMP

3.8 MI NE ST GEORGE, Dorchester, SC

Built 1952 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 125

S-18-37/GAVINS RD

Fair

Over: INDIAN FIELD SWAMP

3.8 MI NE ST GEORGE, Dorchester, SC

Built 1952 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 125

S-39/MALPHRUS RD

Fair

Over: GREAT SWAMP

2.5MI NW RIDGELAND, Jasper, SC

Built 1953 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 1,150

SC 101

Fair

Over: DURBIN CREEK

13.6 MI NW OF LAURENS, Laurens, SC

Built 1953 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 4,000

S-11-31

Fair

Over: IRENE CREEK

CITY OF GAFFNEY, Cherokee, SC

Built 1954 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 3,700

S-15-161

Fair

Over: TRIB TO CHEHAW RIVER

18.5 MI S WALTB, Colleton, SC

Built 1954 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 125

S-37-181

Fair

Over: BEATY CREEK

3 MI N WALHALLA, Oconee, SC

Built 1954 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 1,750

US 76 EBL

Fair

Over: HURRICANE CREEK

5.9 MI NW OF ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1955 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 14,700

S-42-214

Fair

Over: RAINBOW LAKE

6.0 MI NE INMAN, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1955 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 900

SC 171

Fair

Over: WAPPOO CREEK

1 MI S OF US 17 JAMES ISL, Charleston, SC

Built 1956 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 45,200

S-16-269

Fair

Over: SNAKE BRANCH

AT SUNOCO PLANT IN HARTSV, Darlington, SC

Built 1956 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 650

S-23-221

Fair

Over: LAUREL CREEK

2MI W MAULDIN, Greenville, SC

Built 1956 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 6,200

S-38-607

Fair

Over: BATCHELOR BRANCH

4MI NW HOLLY HILL, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1957 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 850

Showing 1,651-1,700 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.