Sc 18 over Thicketty Creek
Cherokee County, South Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Sc 18 over Thicketty Creek in Cherokee County, South Carolina, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1933 and reconstructed in 1969, making it 92 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 2,300 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2023).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 92 of the 200 inventoried bridges in Cherokee County rated fair (46.0%); 18 (9.0%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- Its condition class and component ratings are unchanged from the 2024 inventory.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated November 2023, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- A fair rating means the lowest-rated major component scores 5 or 6 on FHWA's 0-9 scale: some deterioration or minor section loss, but the structure is sound. It is the middle class, not a warning.
View this bridge on a map → (34.94999, -81.63096)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Concrete tee beam |
| Length | about 317 ft |
| Location | 8.0 Mi S of Gaffney |
| NBI structure number | 000000000000627 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | November 2023 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the South Carolina department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Cherokee County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-85 NB over Thicketty Creek | 2002 | 66,900 | Good |
| I-85 NB over Broad River | 2004 | 59,200 | Good |
| I-85 over Buffalo Creek | 2003 | 57,300 | Good |
| I-85 over Southern Railroad | 2019 | 50,700 | Good |
| I-85 SB over Cherokee Creek | 2002 | 31,250 | Good |
| I-85 NB over Cherokee Creek | 2002 | 31,250 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Cherokee County, SC bridge conditions · every bridge in Cherokee County · South Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.