S-12-143 over Bells Creek
Chester County, South Carolina · rated Poor in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- S-12-143 over Bells Creek in Chester County, South Carolina, is rated in poor condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the substructure, rated 4 (poor condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1978, making it 47 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 125 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2023).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 20 of the 191 inventoried bridges in Chester County rated poor (10.5%); 20 (10.5%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- It was rated fair in the 2024 inventory and is now poor (substructure 6 to 4).
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated January 2025, 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 poor rating means at least one major component - deck, superstructure, or substructure - is rated 4 or lower on FHWA's 0-9 scale. It does not by itself mean the bridge is unsafe; bridges judged unsafe are closed or load-restricted by their owners.
View this bridge on a map → (34.55833, -81.09389)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 4 | Poor condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Concrete slab |
| Length | about 60 ft |
| Location | 12.3MI SE Chester |
| NBI structure number | 000000000007085 |
| Condition class | Poor |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | January 2025 |
| 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 Chester County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-77 NB over Scl Railroad | 1978 | 28,150 | Fair |
| I-77 SB over Scl Railroad | 1978 | 28,150 | Fair |
| I-77 NB over S. Fork Fishing Ck | 1979 | 28,150 | Fair |
| I-77 Nbl over Fishing Creek | 1979 | 28,150 | Fair |
| I-77 SB over S. Fork Fishing Ck | 1979 | 28,150 | Fair |
| I-77 Sbl over Fishing Creek | 1979 | 28,150 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Chester County, SC bridge conditions · every bridge in Chester County · South Carolina bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.