18 Horry County, SC bridges are in poor condition, Feds say. Here’s where
Of the 479 bridges in Horry County, the Federal Highway Administration considers 18 in poor condition. The agency evaluates factors like culverts and decks to rate bridges as good, fair or poor.
However, a poor rating doesn’t mean a bridge is structurally unsound.
“A bridge rated in poor condition likely needs repair or rehabilitation to restore its original design capacity but that rating is not, in itself, an indication of a safety issue,” said Nancy Singer of the FHWA Office of Public Affairs.
Still, bridges in poor condition deemed safe may require weight limits and more frequent monitoring. In Horry County, 29 bridges have posted weight limits, according to SCDOT media relations manager Hannah Robinson.
“Several of these bridges have been awarded to contractors to begin repairs or replacements. Some are in the planning stages,” Robinson said in an email, without specifying which structures have work planned. “Safety is our number one priority – SCDOT immediately closes any bridge that is unsafe for travel and has a rigorous inspection program.”
The 18 bridges considered in poor condition but safe to travel are scattered across the county, from the North Carolina state line to Garden City. Here’s where to find them.
U.S. Bypass 501 over U.S. Route 701
Located: in Conway
Built in: 1958
Average daily traffic: 54,000
U.S. Bypass 501 over the Waccamaw River
Located: in Conway
Built in: 1958
Average daily traffic: 54,000
U.S. Route 501 over Crabtree Swamp
Located: in Conway
Built: 36,700
Average daily traffic: 1948
U.S. Route 501 over Chinners Swamp
Located: about 10 miles west of Conway, near Aynor
Built: 1948
Average daily traffic: 25,700
U.S. Route 701 over Crabtree Swamp
Located: in Conway
Built: 1920
Average daily traffic: 21,900
U.S. Route 701 over Maple Swamp
Located: in the Adrian area about 8 miles northwest of Conway
Built: 1931
Average daily traffic: 12,900
S.C. Highway 9 over Iron Springs Swamp
Located: At the edge of unincorporated Green Sea
Built: 1981
Average daily traffic: 8,600
Cypress Avenue over Garden City Inlet
Located: in Garden City
Built: 1997
Average daily traffic: 2,500
S.C. Highway 917 over Long Branch Swamp, number 2
Located: outside unincorporated Finklea, roughly 8.5 miles northwest of Loris
Built: 1948
Average daily traffic: 2,100
Good Luck Road over Lousing Swamp
Located: about 6 miles northeast of Aynor, near Poplar Hill
Built: 1975
Average daily traffic: 1,050
Highway 472 over Horsepen Creek
Located: just north of unincorporated Hickory Grove
Built: 1963
Average daily traffic: 1,000
Hendricks Short-Cut Road over Hunting Swamp
Located: about 7 miles west of Conway in the Hendricks Corner area
Built: 1975
Average daily traffic: 950
5th Avenue South over Myrtle Swash
Located: in Myrtle Beach
Built: 1966
Average daily traffic: 750
Located: roughly 4 miles from the North Carolina state line, near unincorporated Green Sea
Built: 1959
Average daily traffic: 600
Barnhill Road over Breakfast Swamp
Located: between S.C. Highway 308 and U.S. Route 19, near unincorporated Ketchuptown
Built: 1959
Average daily traffic: 450
Located: About 5 miles south of Loris
Built: 1974
Average daily traffic: 300
Located: just outside Conway, on the northwest side
Built: 1976
Average daily traffic: 300
S.C. Highway 308 over Prince Mill Swamp
Located: roughly 7 miles northeast of Aynor
Built: 1961
Average daily traffic: 125
This story was originally published May 1, 2025 at 6:00 AM.