BEAUFORT, Sc. (WSAV) – There are more than 9,000 bridges in the state of South Carolina, 926 of them are currently classified as deficient, meaning in poor condition.

A study by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association looked at the worst of the most traveled and numbers 15 and 16 are here in the Lowcountry: Hilton Head’s Mackay Bridge and Highway 46 over i-95 in Hardeeville.

“Bridges become structurally deficient, they need to be replaced,” said Craig Winn, program manager for the South Carolina Dept. of Transportation, “The service life of the bridge reaches the end of its useful life and it gets replaced.”

Both bridges were built in the 1950’s and 60’s and today, about 27,000 people traveling on them every day.

Winn says they’re not a danger, but they are on the list to be replaced.

In Hardeeville, “we’re looking at a 2022 construction… and it’s about $4.7 million dollars total,” he said.

In Hilton Head, they’re currently working on a study with Beaufort County including the bridges and the Highway 278 widening project. Construction in Hilton Head won’t start for at least another two years, when the study is complete with a price.

Bridge replacements will be funded by SCDOT and the Federal Highway Administration.