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The oldest bridge linking Hilton Head Island to the mainland has exceeded its lifespan and parts of it need repairs or replacement, a county bridge analysis report says. The Karl S. Bowers Bridge, which has carried vehicles traveling eastbound over MacKays Creeek since 1956, is well past its 50-year life span, the report says. Engineers, who looked at the bridge in February, observed several minor cracks in reinforced concrete beams, corrosion to steel girders, missing chunks of concrete and other signs of wear and tear on the bridge.
The other bridges, which were constructed in the early 1980s, are also approaching maturity, but that doesn’t mean the bridges are unsafe or not functional, the report says. Bridges can perform well long after their design life if they are maintained well, the report prepared by Collins Engineers for the county, states. The salt air and water may have caused some of the corrosion, according to the report. Traffic may also have been a factor: the four crossings connecting Hilton Head to the mainland have the highest daily traffic volume in all of Beaufort County. The report recommends repairing the cracking on the Bowers bridge, including removing unsound concrete. All bridges should be monitored and inspected closely in the future to watch for future corrosion.
