The Richard V. Woods Memorial Bridge is the swing span carrying US-21 Business across the Beaufort River, linking downtown Beaufort to Lady's Island. When it swings open for boat traffic on the Intracoastal Waterway, Carteret Street stops cold — and the backup reaches deep into both sides of town.
Opened in 1971, the Woods Memorial Bridge replaced an earlier crossing of the Beaufort River and remains the main artery between historic downtown Beaufort and the Sea Islands. As a center-pivot swing bridge, the span rotates horizontally to let tall vessels pass along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
| When | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Mon–Fri | Opens on signal, except during posted weekday rush-hour restrictions |
| Weekends & Holidays | Opens on signal for vessel traffic |
| Live status | Shown in real time inside the app — including AI camera monitoring |
Schedules and rush-hour restrictions can change seasonally and by Coast Guard regulation. TheBridge shows the current status and recent opening history in real time — always the most reliable source.
TheBridge app shows the live status of the Woods Memorial Bridge in Beaufort, SC in real time. Open the app to see whether the bridge is currently open to boats or open to road traffic, and turn on push alerts so you're notified the moment it changes.
The Woods Memorial Bridge (swing span) on US-21 Business (Carteret St) opens for vessels on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Exact opening times and any rush-hour restrictions can change seasonally — TheBridge shows the current status and recent opening history so you never rely on a stale schedule.
Enable notifications in TheBridge and you'll get an instant push alert when the Woods Memorial Bridge opens or closes — so you can leave a few minutes early or take another route.
No. TheBridge is free to download on the App Store and Google Play. Track the Woods Memorial Bridge and other South Carolina drawbridges, see live status, and get alerts at no cost.
Download TheBridge free and get an instant alert every time the Woods Memorial Bridge opens.
