Traffic moves along a South Carolina interstate. (File/FOX Carolina)GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) -
Four bridges in the Upstate are among the 20 worst in South Carolina, according to a list released by AAA Carolinas on Friday.
The travel agency said a 54-year-old bridge in Richland County that carries more than a half-million vehicles each week was rated the worst in the state for the 11th time. The I-26 bridge that passes over C.N. and L. Railroad northwest of Columbia has topped the list 11 of the past 12 years.
In Greenville County, two bridges on Highway 29 were rated among the state's worst. They span Mountain Creek and the Enroee River near Greer. Both were built in 1939.
In Spartanburg County, two bridges on Interstate 85 made the list. One crosses over Southern Railroad and the other passes over County Road Two. Both were built in 1953.
AAA Carolinas said that no work is planned for any of the problematic bridges in the Upstate. The agency cited a lack of funding for the lack of repairs, saying the state's gas tax, which has been unchanged since 1987, is the main source of funding for the state Transportation Department.
"It's less expensive to keep bridges in good repair than it is to replace them," said AAA Carolinas President and CEO David Parson. "The state legislature needs to step up and find a way to increase revenue streams South Carolina's bridges and highways clearly need."
State Transportation Secretary Robert St. Onge said all of the state's bridges are safe for use within whatever restrictions are posted.
AAA Carolinas said none of the bridges on the list are in danger of collapsing or pose an immediate threat to motorists.
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