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

SC 6

Fair

Over: TWELVEMILE CREEK

TOWN OF LEXINGTON, Lexington, SC

Built 1930 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 22,600

SC 9

Fair

Over: THOMPSON CREEK

CHESTERFIELD CITY LIMITS, Chesterfield, SC

Built 1932 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 9,200

SC 764

Fair

Over: GRIFFIN CREEK

TOWN OF EASTOVER, Richland, SC

Built 1935 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,250

US 21

Fair

Over: OLDFIELD CREEK

3.5 MI SW OF RUFFIN, Colleton, SC

Built 1927 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,500

US 17 BUS

Fair

Over: MIDWAY SWASH

IN MYRTLE BEACH, Horry, SC

Built 1936 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 31,300

US 52

Fair

Over: HIGH HILL CREEK

5.0 MI NW OF FLORENCE, Florence, SC

Built 1924 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 21,700

SC 39

Fair

Over: S. EDISTO RIVER SWAMP

16MI S OF ORANGEBURG, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1940 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,100

US 221

Fair

Over: CSXT RR

4 MI S OF SPARTANBURG, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1945 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 14,000

SC 441

Fair

Over: MCGIRTS CREEK

2MI SW OF MANVILLE, Lee, SC

Built 1947 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,900

US 52 WBL

Fair

Over: LYNCHES RIVER SWAMP

5.0MI N OF COWARD, Florence, SC

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 7,350

US 76 WB

Fair

Over: TOBYS CREEK

0.5 MI E OF PEE DEE, Marion, SC

Built 1950 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 11,300

SC 3

Fair

Over: SOUTH EDISTO RIVER SWAMP

3MI SW OF SPRINGFIELD, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,700

S-23-107

Fair

Over: REEDY RIVER

2.2 MI W MAULDIN, Greenville, SC

Built 1956 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 28,100

US 29

Fair

Over: REEDY RIVER

CITY OF GREENVILLE, Greenville, SC

Built 1959 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 29,000

US 521

Fair

Over: TRIB TO WATEREE RIVER

4MI S OF CAMDEN, Kershaw, SC

Built 1959 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 8,200

C-4-156

Fair

Over: DEEP STEP CR

10.5 MI SE OF ANDERSON, Anderson, SC

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 125

SC 453

Fair

Over: I-26

8MI NE ST GEORGE, Dorchester, SC

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 4,000

I-85

Fair

Over: MUDDY FORD RD (S-580)

7.0 MI E OF GREENVILLE, Greenville, SC

Built 1960 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 130,300

S-38-92

Fair

Over: I-26

4MI NE BOWMAN, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1961 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 225

S-10-1442

Fair

Over: SIMMONS CREEK

8 MI W OF CHAS, Charleston, SC

Built 1967 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5,200

S-14-23

Fair

Over: I-95

3MI NW MANNING, Clarendon, SC

Built 1968 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 2,700

S-42-56

Fair

Over: MEADOW CREEK

4.0 MI SE INMAN, Spartanburg, SC

Built 1971 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 13,000

S-20-30

Fair

Over: LITTLE CEDAR CREEK

7MI S WINNSBORO, Fairfield, SC

Built 1972 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,200

S-13-54

Fair

Over: CANNONS CREEK

7 MI SE PAGELAND, Chesterfield, SC

Built 1974 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 300

S-8-99

Fair

Over: BR OF FRENCH QUARTER CR

4.0 MI N WANDO, Berkeley, SC

Built 1975 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 800

S-27-34

Fair

Over: I-95

2.5MI SW HARDEEVILLE, Jasper, SC

Built 1975 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 125

S-29-20

Fair

Over: CAMP CREEK

9.5MI SW LANCASTER, Lancaster, SC

Built 1975 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 350

S-26-1021

Fair

Over: SWAMP CREEK

5.4MI E AYNOR, Horry, SC

Built 1977 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 300

S-10-20/MAIN RD

Fair

Over: TRIB TO BOHICKET CREEK

10 MI SW CHAS, Charleston, SC

Built 1978 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 16,400

S-16-185

Fair

Over: SWIFT CREEK

IN DARLINGTON-WELL ST, Darlington, SC

Built 1978 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,000

S-23-157

Fair

Over: BEAVERDAM CREEK

4.0MI N GREER, Greenville, SC

Built 1979 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 800

S-11-293

Fair

Over: BR OF THICKETTY CK

5.3MI S GAFFNEY, Cherokee, SC

Built 1980 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 125

S-13-52

Fair

Over: INDIAN CREEK

CITY LIMITS CHESTERFIELD, Chesterfield, SC

Built 1982 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 500

S-46-163

Fair

Over: FISHING CREEK

4.6 MI SW ROCK HILL, York, SC

Built 1985 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 1,100

POMFLANT ACCESS RO

Fair

Over: FOSTER CREEK

1.0 MILES NORTH OF RED BA, Berkeley, SC

Built 1960 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,400

SC 64

Fair

Over: CHESSEY CREEK

6.1 MI S OF WALTBR, Colleton, SC

Built 1921 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 5,300

SC 64

Fair

Over: CHESSEY CREEK

6 MI S OF WALTERBORO, Colleton, SC

Built 1922 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 5,300

US 301

Fair

Over: CATFISH CANAL

1.0MI S E OF LATTA, Dillon, SC

Built 1926 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 3,800

US 78

Fair

Over: GREAT CYPRESS SWAMP #4

6.6 MI NW OF SUMRVL, Dorchester, SC

Built 1919 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 7,400

US 301

Fair

Over: HORSE BRANCH

2MI N OF TURBEVILLE, Clarendon, SC

Built 1930 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 1,700

US 301

Fair

Over: HORSE BRANCH

2MI N OF TURBEVILLE, Clarendon, SC

Built 1930 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 1,700

US 521

Fair

Over: BIG PINE TREE CREEK

1MI S OF CAMDEN, Kershaw, SC

Built 1930 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 15,700

SC 125

Fair

Over: MILLER BRANCH

7MI W OF ALLENDALE, Allendale, SC

Built 1931 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 1,500

SC 410

Fair

Over: BUG SWAMP

9.0MI E OF LORIS, Horry, SC

Built 1931 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 3,000

US 301

Fair

Over: NEWMAN BRANCH

5.0MI SW OF TURBEVILLE, Clarendon, SC

Built 1934 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 1,650

SC 72

Fair

Over: CSX RAIL ROAD

15.8 MI NW OF NEWBERRY, Newberry, SC

Built 1935 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 3,400

US 76

Fair

Over: JEFFRIES CREEK

3MI SW OF FLORENCE, Florence, SC

Built 1937 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 20,400

SC 145

Fair

Over: WALLACE PRONG CREEK

5.5 MI SW OF CHESTERFIELD, Chesterfield, SC

Built 1938 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 1,350

US 76

Fair

Over: SALUDA RIVER

15 1/2MI SW OF FOUNTN INN, Greenville, SC

Built 1939 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 3,200

S-38-191

Fair

Over: ROBERTS SWAMP

4MI E NORWAY, Orangeburg, SC

Built 1939 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 325

Showing 2,351-2,400 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.