The South Carolina Department of Transportation plans to close the Church Street bridge in downtown Greenville for six weeks at the beginning of May.
The closure will allow crews to finish the final stage of rehabilitation work on the 67-year-old bridge. A multi-phase restoration project has been underway since spring 2025 to improve the bridge’s deteriorating deck, structure, storm drainage system and pedestrian safety features.
The Church Street bridge was partially closed while crews completed the project’s initial phases. SCDOT opened all four lanes of traffic on the bridge in early March ahead of the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament and NCAA March Madness hosted in Greenville.
SCDOT Deputy Chief of Staff Kelly Moore said the bridge is scheduled to fully close on May 3, depending on weather conditions.
The last phase of the rehabilitation project consists of resurfacing and repaving the bridge deck. Moore explained that completing these final elements using partial lane closures rather than a full bridge closure would have extended the project’s timeline.
“While we know that it’s not always ideal to do a full closure for folks, we felt like there were enough options around for people to detour around,” Moore said. “By doing that closure, we could expedite and finish the project much more quickly.”
Traffic will be detoured to several alternative routes during the bridge’s six-week closure. One of the detour routes in downtown Greenville will guide drivers around the bridge using Spring Street and Falls Street. The main detour route will avoid Church Street by directing traffic onto Academy Street, Andrews Street, Dunbar Street and Augusta Street.
Drivers who wish to bypass downtown Greenville completely will be instructed to use Pleasantburg Drive and Interstate 85. An additional detour route has also been created for trucks using Academy Street, Easley Bridge Road and White Horse Road.
According to the city of Greenville, the section of East McBee Avenue underneath the Church Street bridge will also be closed to pedestrians and drivers from May 4 through May 8.
“Check conditions on the roads before you go out,” Moore said. “Those signed detour routes will be in place. We’ll be working closely with the city, monitoring those conditions as we get through the process and can adjust as necessary.”
The Church Street bridge is expected to fully reopen on June 13, weather permitting. Moore said there may still be some punch list items remaining, but the majority of the rehabilitation work will be complete at that time.
The renovated Church Street bridge will feature expanded sidewalks, upgraded pedestrian barriers, enhanced lighting, a new stair system to McBee Street and other aesthetic features.
For more information on the Church Street bridge project, visit churchstbridgerehab.com/default.aspx.
Questions?
Drivers are encouraged to call the South Carolina Department of Transportation’s Customer Service Center at 855-467-2368 if they have questions about the bridge closure.
Quotes
“We really appreciate the patience of our community members. I think this is a project that folks want to see completed and are ready to see completed.” – SCDOT Deputy Chief of Staff Kelly Moore
