US 501 over Intercoastal Waterway
Horry County, South Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US 501 over Intercoastal Waterway in Horry 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 1963, making it 62 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 63,800 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2023).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 231 of the 480 inventoried bridges in Horry County rated fair (48.1%); 24 (5.0%) 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 2024, 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 → (33.71425, -78.92203)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Superstructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Continuous steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 660 ft |
| Location | 3.0 Mi W of Myrtle Beach |
| NBI structure number | 000000000004147 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | November 2024 |
| 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 Horry County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 501 Byp over U.S.701 | 1958 | 56,800 | Poor |
| US 501 Byp over Waccamaw River | 1958 | 56,800 | Poor |
| S-26-1315 over Grissom Parkway Tunnel | 2002 | 55,000 | Good |
| S-26-1315 over Sc 31 | 2002 | 55,000 | Good |
| S-26-1315 over L-6311 | 2002 | 55,000 | Good |
| S-1315 over Icww | 2002 | 55,000 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Horry County, SC bridge conditions · every bridge in Horry County · South Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.