South Carolina’s infrastructure is showing signs of improvement after years of underinvestment, but engineers say aging roads, bridges and water systems continue to leave the state with work to do.
The American Society of Civil Engineers released its latest South Carolina infrastructure report card Sept. 22, giving the state an overall grade of C-minus, up from a D-plus in 2021.
The report assessed eight categories — aviation, bridges, dams, drinking water, ports, roads, transit and wastewater — and found improvement in several areas following increased state and federal investment. Still, seven of the eight categories remain in the C or D range, with drinking water and bridges declining since the previous report. south-carolina-2026-report-card
Renee Gardner, co-chair of the report, said recent investments have helped systems that had gone decades without adequate funding, but warned the progress remains fragile as federal infrastructure programs expire and workforce shortages continue.
Roads improved from a D in 2021 to a D-plus this year, while bridges slipped from a C to a C-minus. Ports received the state’s highest grade, improving from a B to a B-plus, while drinking water fell from a D-plus to a D.
The report found 45% of South Carolina’s major roads are in fair or poor condition and called for increased preventive maintenance on primary and secondary roads. Engineers also recommended expanding safety improvements on high-risk rural corridors and intersections.
In Clarendon County, SCDOT’s 2026-27 Pavement Improvement Program includes five projects totaling 12.56 miles of road rehabilitation and reconstruction.
The projects include rehabilitation of 2.47 miles of S.C. 260 and reconstruction of 1.99 miles of S.C. 58, also known as Gamble Street/Shiloh Road. The program also includes reconstruction of 5.18 miles of Wash Davis Road and rehabilitation of 2.72 miles of Puddin Swamp Road and 0.2 mile of Spann Drive.
The Clarendon projects are part of 734 additional miles included in SCDOT’s 2026-27 program statewide. SCDOT said projects were selected using objective and quantifiable ranking criteria, with funding distributed by county to ensure each receives pavement improvement funding. SCDOT
The report also points to aging bridges as an increasing concern.
South Carolina had 9,504 public bridges as of 2025, with most owned and maintained by SCDOT. The percentage of bridges rated in good condition fell from 42.2% in 2021 to 34.5% in 2025, while those in poor condition increased from 5.5% to 7.7%. south-carolina-2026-report-card
About 550 bridges statewide are subject to weight restrictions and approximately 70 are closed. Nearly 3,000 bridges are more than 60 years old, according to the report.
Water and wastewater systems also remain among the state’s lowest-rated infrastructure categories, each receiving a D.
The report recorded 317 drinking water violations in 2024, a 70% increase from the previous year, and said sanitary sewer overflows have increased 346% since 2022. Engineers called for accelerated investment in water system rehabilitation, particularly for smaller and underserved systems. south-carolina-2026-report-card
Wastewater systems face similar pressures. The report said many smaller systems are trying to keep rates affordable while maintaining aging infrastructure, even as workforce shortages make it difficult to recruit and retain operators and engineers. It estimates South Carolina faces about $7 billion in wastewater infrastructure needs.
Much of the state’s recent progress has been supported by federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other programs. The report warns, however, that those funding sources are finite and says roads, drinking water and wastewater each face annual funding gaps measured in the hundreds of millions of dollars. south-carolina-2026-report-card
The report also highlighted the SCDOT Modernization Act passed this year, which changes transportation leadership, permitting and project delivery. Because the law was enacted after data collection for the report closed, its effects are not reflected in this year’s grades. south-carolina-2026-report-card
Those needs are expected to grow along with South Carolina’s population. The report projects the state’s population, currently about 5.6 million, will exceed 6.2 million by 2035, placing additional demands on roads, water systems and other infrastructure.
Engineers recommended developing dependable, long-term state revenue streams as federal funding becomes less certain, increasing bridge investment, strengthening the infrastructure workforce and incorporating resilience into future projects.
Calling the state’s C-minus “a floor, not a ceiling,” the report said maintaining the gains made during the past five years will require sustained investment and long-term planning.
