Ligon "One Lane" Bridge

Have you ever experienced nostalgia for something strange? Something like a bridge?
Anyone in the Enoree area has probably driven over Ligon Bridge at some point. This rickety old bridge crossed the Enoree River on Beaverdam Church Road, behind James Davis’s service station. As the most direct route out toward the Gray Court and Fountain Inn areas, it was used quite regularly by locals.
I say it “was” used because in 2015, Ligon Bridge was torn down and replaced with a new bridge. Admittedly, it was in terrible disrepair. Per Bridge Hunter, the inspection of Ligon Bridge in October of 2011 yielded some abysmal results. Deck condition was 5/9, superstructure condition was 5/9, substructure condition was 3/9, appraisal was “structurally deficient,” and the sufficiency rating was 13.9 out of 100. It was basically about to collapse. Replacing the bridge was a smart move for safety reasons.
Still, I miss crossing the bridge. Every single time, it was a thrill to drive over. Would this be the time that the bridge collapsed? It certainly felt like it. The entire thing creaked and popped as your vehicle hit each deck board. Being only one lane wide (and consequently being called “one lane” bridge by some), two vehicles couldn’t cross at once. There was even a game of stopping on the bridge, rolling down your windows, and turning off your vehicle. Some rumors circulated that cars wouldn’t start again if they were turned off on the bridge.

I regret not taking a video of crossing Ligon Bridge before they tore it down. Since they built up the banks on either side, the entire thing is just a smooth transition from one side to the other. With the old bridge, it felt like there was a genuine risk that you might die every single time you crossed it. Maybe that isn’t something that should be part of a commute, but that stretch of road just doesn’t seem the same without it.

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