City of Greenville project update

Full Closure of Church Street Bridge Begins May 3

Bridge Closes Until Mid-June; East McBee Avenue Temporarily Impacted

The final stage of South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) construction on the Church Street Bridge (U.S. 29) will begin Sunday, May 3, as the bridge fully closes to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. This final phase of the project is expected to last six weeks, with the bridge permanently reopening sometime in mid-June.

“From a traffic management standpoint this is going to be the most impactful part of the construction project for everyday users of the road,” said Clint Link, director of engineering services with the City of Greenville.

The start of construction will also require the closure of a small section of East McBee Avenue — the area just below the bridge — to vehicles and pedestrians from Monday, May 4, through Friday, May 8. A signed detour will direct travelers around the closure. Access to all commercial and residential properties will be maintained throughout the closure period.

Detour signs will be in place for both northbound and southbound traffic. Detours will vary depending on the type of vehicle and the motorist’s destination:

• Vehicles will be detoured from U.S. 29 (South Church Street) to S.C. 291 (Pleasantburg Drive), utilizing Interstate 85.
• Truck traffic will be directed via a separate signed detour using U.S. 123 (Easley Bridge Road) and U.S. 25 (White Horse Road). Local traffic detour routes will be posted, directing motorists via Church Street to designated alternate routes.
• Sidewalk access on U.S. 29 (South Church Street) will also be closed for the duration of construction. Pedestrians will be detoured via East Washington Street, Mordecai Street and Falls Street, with the help of street-level signage.

Regular commuters are encouraged to use the City of Greenville’s interactive map to plan an alternate route.

Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time through the impacted area and are reminded to follow all posted detour signage. No motorists will be permitted access to the affected portion of U.S. 29 (South Church Street).

Construction on the bridge began in the spring of 2025; however, the construction timeline included briefly reopening the bridge for use during the SEC women’s and the first round of the men’s NCAA basketball tournaments.

Additional information is available on the SCDOT project website