GETTING ANSWERS: Bridges Road

MAULDIN, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Drivers brought us concerns about Bridges Road’s condition and the structure of its bridge.

This road is in Greenville County. It’s about a mile long from East Butler Road to Bethel Road, not far from Mauldin High School.

Micah Valentine’s business “Pinnacle Wealth Management” neighbors the bridge.

“It’s probably one of the worst road structures I’ve been on, in Greenville County,” Valentine said.

Valentine describes driving to work every day.

“You hear the bumping from the different potholes,” said Valentine, “It’s kind of unavoidable because it’s in all different spots.”

Drivers call it one of the stains of Mauldin. It’s where Teresa Seigler calls home, as she’s lived in Mauldin since she was born. She’s one of the 7,3000 vehicles going over the bridge daily, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

“I’m always over here. And it’s like, ‘Oh, I wish they would just fix this bridge’—you know, the area on the bridge. It’s just so bumpy. And it’s just ridiculous,” Seigler said.

Only one vehicle has filed a damage claim over the last year, the DOT says. Patches cover most of the bridge. Even if you could close your eyes as you drive Bridges Road, you’ll know when you hit the bridge.

“It’s very bumpy. You just drive over it, even at slow speeds,” said Seigler, “And you’re just bouncing and bouncing, and bouncing like you’re on a roller coaster.”

As it is for most roller coasters, the thrill ends before you know it. Once you pass Brookbend Road on one side or Center Pointe Boulevard on the other, the rest of the road is a walk in the park. We noticed potholes here and there near Hallmark Baptist Church, but that’s it. The bridge is the main culprit.

“For the last five years, it’s been very, very painful,” Valentine said, “And it’s gotten progressively worse.

Valentine took it upon himself to speak up.

“I reached out to our representative Gary Smith. And he copied the SCDOT,” said Valentine, “And the response after waiting quite a while was they said they were going to do a resurfacing of the bridge.”

Valentine beat us to it. To provide some more details: The SCDOT confirms the entire deck will be refurbished to look and work as new. The department will invest $2 million to make it happen. Bids open in November, with construction beginning in Spring 2023 for a six to eight-week period.

“It’s patched up, but they just need to repave it—the whole road, the whole bridge,” Seigler said.

The DOT recognizes the deck needs complete rehabilitation, including a new asphalt surfacing. Two potholes have been patched over the past year. The state explains that there haven’t been many updates to the bridge, which is normal, because it’s expected to last 40 years.

“Something’s better than nothing,” said Seigler.

Valentine also expressed concerns about structural issues. The SCDOT says the bridge has no structural issues and has the capacity for overweight loads. It is inspected every two years.

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