From staff reports
Work is underway by the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) to replace the gates on the Woods Memorial Bridge in Beaufort, according to an SCDOT news release.
The Woods Bridge has been closed to traffic several times over the past month for malfunctions, and according to Rep. Shannon Erickson (R-124), the gates were the cause.
“The safety gates that close off the bridge roadway when it opens for boat traffic are the culprits of the last few malfunction closures,” Erickson wrote on her Facebook page last week. “Since the last maintenance call a couple of weeks ago, SCDOT has assessed the problem and ordered new safety gates. This new equipment must be custom made to fit our historic bridge and will be installed as quickly as they arrive. The special order company understands our traffic dilemma but shared that production can take as long as six months.
“In the meantime, I have asked SCDOT to request emergency approval from U.S. Coast Guard/Boating Regulators for restricted car traffic closures between 7 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.”
Erickson said she, along with Beaufort County, the City of Beaufort and the SCDOT, have been working on improved opening/closing plans for the bridge “with current traffic flow and population date for a periodic review of use and effectiveness.”
“I will share more as I know it, but wanted everyone to know this repair/replacement is in progress and will be corrected with new parts as quickly as we can,” Erickson said. “Thank you for your understanding, patience and appreciation of our beloved historic waterfront!”
In addition to the installation of new gates, the project includes adding traffic monitoring cameras to help improve the flow of traffic across the bridge.
The cameras are being installed this month, and the full project is expected to be complete ahead of the 2024 summer travel season, according to the SCDOT release.
