South Carolina fast-tracks emergency funding for bridge replacements after tropical storms

South Carolina is rebuilding critical infrastructure and working to replace bridges ravaged by tropical storms Debby and Helene earlier this year. 

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is unveiling plans to accelerate the emergency replacement of 10 damaged or aging bridges and access roads that provide a vital link to residents and freight operators. These bridges, which have suffered damage beyond repair, span several of the state’s southwestern counties. 

RELATED: DOE allocating $600 million to harden electrical infrastructure in communities affected by hurricanes

As most of these routes are closed, SCDOT will release emergency funding to support the expeditious replacement of these vital connections, executing emergency packages 29, 30 and 31 to encompass all bridge projects. 

While SCDOT is pursuing separate bridge replacement and repair projects around the state, this emergency funding will be used on bridge projects that were not included in the the department’s initial operating budget from earlier this year. 

The counties receiving expedition funding and bridges that are set to be replaced are listed below: 

Greenville County  

• S-115 (Dill Road) over the Middle Tyger River.  

• S-147 (West Washington Street) over the Reedy River.  

• S-80 (South Hudson Street) over the Reedy River.  

• Park access road over the Middle Saluda River in Jones Gap State Park.  

Greenwood County  

• S-230 (Townsend Road) over the Townsend Creek.  

• S-166 (Tillman Territory Road) over the Tributary of Henleys Creek.  

Jasper County  

• US 278 (Grays Highway) over the Beaverdam Creek.  

Oconee County  

• US 76 over the Chauga River.  

Spartanburg County  

• S-52 (New Cut Road) over the Motlow Creek.  

York County  

• S-59 (North Burris Road) over the Little Turkey Creek. 

As most of these bridges provide vital transportation links for drivers, these replacement projects intend not only address current damage but will also contribute to the long-term safety and efficiency of the state’s transportation system. SCDOT anticipates the replacement of these bridges will help reduce the likelihood of closures and traffic disruptions during severe weather events, providing communities with a more reliable transportation network. 

Detours will be available to drivers using the routes or bridges and can be found on SCDOT’s bridge packages webpage. 

SCDOT will work to expidite the construction process, especially as preliminary work and right-of-way acquisitions for some of the project bridges has already begun.  

Estimates for the cost of the bridge replacements are not yet available, however project work on the affected bridges is expected to begin in winter 2025 and is anticipated to take eight months to complete. 

More information, updates and resources on each bridge project and South Carolina’s efforts to modernize, enhance and repair the state’s aging and storm-damaged infrastructure is available on SCDOT’s project website. 

Photo courtesy NCDOTcommunications, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons