S-11-304 over Blue Branch
Cherokee County, South Carolina · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- S-11-304 over Blue Branch in Cherokee County, South Carolina, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the substructure, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1964, making it 61 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 325 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 posted for load (NBI item 41).
- Its condition class and component ratings are unchanged from the 2024 inventory.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated October 2024, on a 12-month routine inspection cycle.
- It is coded scour critical (NBI item 113 = 3): scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour.
- 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 → (35.04167, -81.67111)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Concrete slab |
| Length | about 75 ft |
| Location | 3.7MI S Gaffney |
| NBI structure number | 000000000004279 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Posted for load |
| Last inspection (item 90) | October 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 12 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 3: scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour |
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.