Bridges in SC Improving

Additional funding has ramped up South Carolina’s efforts to repair and replace deficient bridges in the state, but more work is needed. According to AAA Carolinas, the RichlandCountyBridge, which carries one of the heaviest daily traffic counts in the state, is the #1 substandard bridge. Each year, AAA Carolinas issues its Substandard Bridge Report. CharlestonCounty has the most substandard bridges with 6 on the AAA’s list. More than ½ of South Carolina’s substandard bridges are 5 decades old or more, a reflection of the estimated $1.9 billion the DOT says it would cost to raise all of the state’s bridges to federal standards in one year.                   South Carolina’s gas tax, which is the lowest in the country, is the main funding supply for the SCDOT and has remained unchanged since 1987, but state funds have been shifted to address approximately 25% of the state’s load-restricted bridges over the next two to three years. The SCDOT estimates that approximately 90 bridges that are closed or load restricted will be replaced in the next few years.