SCDOT completes Devils Creek bridge on US 29 in Anderson County, replaces aging bridge

South Carolina Department of Transportation recently completed work on a bridge on US 29 over Devils Fork Creek in Anderson County.

According to SCDOT, the bridge was approved for replacement as it was nearing the end of its useful life and qualified for federal funding.

SCDOT officials said this project cost around $4 million and was funded by state funds.

The original bridge was built in 1932, reconstructed in 1965, and has now been replaced.

The average daily traffic was last reported at 2,600, with 8% truck traffic, according to an SCDOT report in 2023 .

SCDOT officials said the new bridge will replace the aging, substandard, and structurally deficient US 29 bridge over Devils Fork Creek.

The contract was awarded to the South Carolina Department of Transportation Service in October 2021 and substantially completed in February 2024.

The new bridge was built alongside the old one so US 29 could remain open to traffic throughout construction.

SCDOT officials said they opt for a replacement when repairing a bridge becomes more expensive and less practical than replacing it.

The new Devil's Fork Creek bridge is a standard 3-pile with a concrete deck. New bridge replacements are designed for a 70-year lifespan.

This is one of approximately 500 bridges across South Carolina that SCDOT is working to rehabilitate or replace.

Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: SCDOT completes Devils Creek bridge on US 29 in Anderson County, replaces aging bridge