A bridge in Pickens County collapsed Monday afternoon, leading to the swift closure of Crowe Creek Road, as announced by the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT).
The collapse occurred at about 1:30 p.m. with transportation crews immediately blocking the bridge using dirt mounds and barricades on both sides to prevent access.
Emilio Tapia, owner with E&E Landscaping, saw the infrastructure crumble. He was just about to drive over the bridge when he saw it give way.
“The bridge made a loud cracking sound when a concrete truck crossed it, followed by a Blue Ridge truck. Right after the Blue Ridge truck passed, the bridge completely gave way,” Tapia stated.
According to SCDOT the bridge was most recently inspected in April of this year and rated in “fair” condition. The bridge was load restricted, meaning heavy trucks and vehicles were prohibited from crossing.
Tapia, who drives across the bridge daily with a landscaping trailer, said he regularly sees large trucks pass by.
“There’s a lot of concrete trucks, landscaping vehicles, dump trucks, you know, all day long,” he said.
However, officials said it has been strained by the volume and weight of modern traffic — up to 2,000 vehicles daily.
“The bridge was built in 1968 and was already scheduled for replacement, because of its age and the design,” a SCDOT spokesperson said. “At this time, we are assessing the full extent of the damage and making a plan for expedited replacement.”
Officials have not yet confirmed if the structural failure was caused by overweight vehicles, but the investigation is ongoing at this time.
“It is hitting the — nearing the end of its lifespan,” said Justin Powell, Secretary of Transportation with SCDOT. “It also was designed not necessarily to deal with the kind of modern trucks that are going across it today.”
The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office said Crowe Creek Road will remain closed for some time.
“Would a cement truck [be] too heavy to go over a bridge like this? A fully cement-loaded cement truck at the road postings it would be too heavy for this bridge,” Powell said.
SCDOT said the bridge was already scheduled to be replaced by the end of the year. That timeline will now be accelerated, and officials say the replacement is a top priority.
Detour Routes
Traffic heading south on Crowe Creek Road:
Drivers heading south on Crowe Creek Road will take Shady Grove Road to Walhalla Highway (SC-183). Traffic will head left onto Walhalla Highway (SC-183) before turning right onto Allgood Bridge Road. Head south on Allgood Bridge Road to Walhalla Highway (SC-183). Drivers will the turn left onto Walhalla Highway and at after four miles turn right back onto Crowe Creek Road.
Traffic heading north on Crowe Creek Road:
Motorists traveling north on Crowe Creek Road will take Walhalla Highway (SC-183) toward Pickens to Allgood Bridge Road. They will turn right and follow Allgood Bridge Road to the intersection of Walhalla Highway (SC-183), which drivers will then turn back left towards Shady Grove Road. Motorists will continue west on Shady Grove Road until they reach Crowe Creek Road.
Officials said that the detour length is approximately 22.3 miles, and that the bridge closure could last for months.
