Beaufort’s iconic Woods Memorial swing bridge keeps breaking down. $500K fix in the works

Getting caught at a closure of the movable Woods Memorial Bridge, which swings open to accommodate marine traffic, is part of driving in Beaufort. But a spate of mechanical-related closures in the past month increased the usual inconvenience and especially frazzled drivers who asked what’s going on with the bridge, which is getting up there in years.

One of just two bridges in the area connecting northern Beaufort County’s population centers, Beaufort and Port Royal, to Lady’s Island and the Sea Islands, Woods Memorial Bridge’s closure affects traffic across the region, including emergency vehicles.

The Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet on Friday asked state and local officials about the status of the bridge.

Here’s what they had to say about the reasons for the recent malfunctions, the historic bridge’s overall condition and how it will be fixed, among other topics.

Recent malfunctions

The swing bridge’s recent closures were caused primarily by electrical issues with the gates that block motorists on U.S. 21 when the bridge opens for boat traffic, said Rob Perry, the South Carolina Department of Transportation’s chief engineer for bridges.

Electricity trips because of the proximity to salt water and its affect on the components.

In one instance, two-by-fours fell off of a pickup truck and blocked the wheels on which the gates roll out onto the highway. An employee in the control center located on the side of the bridge had to run down and pull the boards away from the gate, Perry said.

New gates coming

SCDOT has a project underway now to replace the gates on the Woods Memorial Bridge, Perry said.

The hope is to have the gates replaced by Memorial Day weekend before the busy summer season begins. The cost is $500,000.

It will take up to five months to get the gates and the parts because movable bridges are a thing of the past, and the parts are specialized. At this point, Perry said, it’s too early to say how long the work will take.

SCDOT will try to do the work at night or before peak travel times, he said.

The condition of the bridge

The bridge is one of seven movable bridges in South Carolina that accommodate marine traffic. Built in 1959, it’s getting up there in age, but it was rehabilitated in 2002 and is in good shape besides the gates, which are being replaced, Perry said.

“We have no concerns about the condition of this structure,” Perry said.

It’s inspected every 24 months, with the last inspection in December 2022.

How busy is the bridge

Some 14,000 cars cross the bridge daily.

In 2022, the bridge was opened up for marine traffic 1,669 times. People might think the bridge opens up the most during the summer but the busiest months are April-May and November-December. During those months, the bridge opens on average 200 times to accommodate boat traffic traveling between states in northeast and warmer climates in the south.

By comparison, the Little River Bridge in South Carolina near the border with North Carolina opens up 7,300 times during the year. Closer to home, the Wappoo Creek Bridge connecting Charleston with James Island opens about 1,885 times a year.

The Woods Memorial Bridge has among the lowest number of openings of the state’s seven movable bridges, but it’s not easy to detour around, Perry noted.

Are closure changes coming?

Even before the recent malfunctions that closed the bridge and backed up traffic, the City of Beaufort and Beaufort County partnered on a study comparing Woods Memorial Bridge’s opening schedule with others across the South Carolina coast, said Scott Marshall, Beaufort’s city manager.

The study is aimed at getting up-to-date traffic use of the bridge and doing a cost analysis of delays caused by bridge openings. The city and county could seek modifications in the bridge schedule, Marshall said, but it will have to be based on data, and the U.S. Coast Guard will have the final say.

“Ultimately, the Coast Guard is in charge of opening and closing schedules of those bridges,” Marshall said.

Restrictions change by season, Perry said. Currently, closing vehicle traffic on the bridge is restricted during rush hour from 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. There are exceptions for tug boats pushing barges and certain government boats.

Asking the Coast Guard for changes is not quick process, Perry said, “but there is a process.”

SCDOT has met with local officials about the issue, Perry said. Transportation officials would support a request to make changes to when the bridge can be closed to traffic “if it makes sense.”

“This is something we’ve worked on proactively,” said state Rep. Shannon Erickson of Beaufort, who has been part of the discussions. “We’ve seen lines of traffic growing.”

Erickson said she has asked SCDOT to request an emergency approval from the U.S. Coast Guard to restrict closures.

“We understand the traffic nightmare of having to sit in line,” Erickson added.

Cameras coming

In addition to the installation of new gates, SCDOT is installing traffic-monitoring cameras to help improve traffic flow across the bridge.

That’s part of a statewide plan to provide more cameras in coastal areas to improve traffic management, Perry said.

The cameras also will help people with general travel plans like going to the beach and also during emergency situations like hurricanes.

The cameras are being installed this month.

History of the bridge

The bridge opened in 1959, replacing a swing bridge built in 1927. Originally known as the Lady’s Island Bridge, it was renamed in 1971 in honor of Richard V. Woods, a local S.C. Highway Patrol trooper killed in the line of duty.

In January, the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places at the request of the city and the Historic Beaufort Foundation.

Unlike a drawbridge, which opens vertically, swing-span bridges turn on a central axis to provide clearance for boats and barges.

A 200-foot section of the Lady’s Island Bridge, as the Woods Memorial Bridge is known locally, opens 90 degrees, turning on a track with wheels.