Ranking the Bridges of the Charleston Area:

1. Ravenel (GOAT)
2. JI Connector (Pretty Boi)
3. IOP Connector (Speedy Boi)
4. Ben Sawyer Bridge (Turny Boi)
5. Waffle House Bridge (Thin Boi)
6. John’s Island Bridge (Plain Boi)
7. West Ashley Bridge (Shaky Boi)
8. Wappoo Cut (Stressy Boi)
9. Don Holt (Stinky Boi)
10. DI (Faily Boi)

#1: The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

This bridge is an obvious choice for number one. Opened in 2005, the Ravenel has become a staple of the Lowcountry with its location allowing for beautiful views of the Charleston harbor. This bridge tops our list as travelers can always rely on its 4 lanes and sturdy cables to ensure a safe and speedy travel. You can even spot the obsessed runner powering his or her way through the strong winds on the running path to the side of the bridge. The true epitome of everything a bridge should be, the Ravenel tops our list as the GOAT of Charleston bridges.

#2: JI Connector:

Known for its stunning views of the downtown area, the JI Connector offers a welcome distraction to the everyday ups and downs of life. The only real negative to this bridge is its unfortunate proximity to Plum Island, a wastewater management facility that emits a rather pungent odor. Nevertheless, if you’re willing to brave the foul stench of Plum Island, the JI Connector is sure to be a relaxing ride.

#3: IOP Connector

The connector personally reminds me of summer. As a former Wild Dunes employee, I spent my summers cruising along the connector on late summer nights. The occasional biker tries to make it up the steep hill, and you could get a nice view of spandex if you are lucky. While beach traffic may clog up the connector, at the right time you can speed right along. No cops camp out on the connector; however, be aware that 12 tends to hide out at the end in Mount Pleasant. The Talon does not condone speeding in anyway, but the Connector is the right place to be a speedy Gonzalez. Sallie Limehouse, an owner of a Mustang, says “This is the best bridge to drive fast on because the faster you go the more it looks like you are driving into the ocean.”

#4 Ben Sawyer Bridge

While the view may be great on the way to Sullivan’s Island, this bridge turns like a fidget spinner whenever there is a sailboat. This bridge ain’t your typical drawbridge, it literally turns on its axis. There is a troll that lives in the house on top of the Ben Sawyer controlling this. So be sure to drive fast or the troll will gobble you up. The only way to get rid of said troll is to be kind to others. However ,with many drivers experiencing road rage, no hero has stepped up to the challenge.

#5: Waffle House Bridge

I know what you’re thinking, there’s a bridge with a Waffle House on it that I didn’t know about? As much as we all wish that this was true, the Waffle House sits at the end of this bridge, a shimmering beacon of hope to tired travelers. This bridge is otherwise defined by its thin traffic lanes and lesser known drawbridge capabilities. I would strictly advise against anyone taking this bridge between the hours of 5pm and 7pm as the traffic is sure to throw a wrench it into your plan.

#6: John’s Island Bridge:

While I’ve had limited experiences with this bridge, I’ve heard mostly positive reviews from John’s Island residents. Although it’s still subject to occasional traffic buildups just like any other bridge, the John’s Island Bridge serves its purpose well. Due to this reason, the John’s Island Bridge comes in at number 6 on our list. It’s a nice bridge, just not a great one.

#7 West Ashley Bridge

Shaky boi is well known for his swaying tendencies. After taking this bridge every day on my way to soccer practice last year, I experienced this phenomenon firsthand. As I approached the top of the bridge, I found it difficult to stay in my lane much to the annoyance of more experienced West Ashley drivers. It is reassuring to know that the cables are secure on this bridge unlike its DI counterpart (whom we will discuss later). Take caution in the future to avoid being blown off Shaky boi.

#8 Wappoo Cut Bridge

This bridge literally has the word poo in its name, so you know it sucks. The lanes are very narrow and traffic pounds this bridge constantly. If you are going towards Folly you must be in the right lane. Getting over to that right lane ages me 30 years at least with all the stress. This bridge is also a drawbridge. So, if you are running a tad late, rev up that engine, and make that jump.

#9 Don Holt Bridge

While the Wappoo Bridge has poo in the name, the Don Holt bridge actually smells like it. The paper mill beside the bridge plagues drivers with a cabbage like smell. The worst part is that you are stuck in traffic all this while. This bridge ranks on the low side because it can’t even hold up a simple tarp. July of last summer, while workers were trying to paint the bridge a new bright blue, a tarp fell in the middle of traffic. If it can’t keep a tarp up, how can we be sure that it can hold all the cars? A mix of poo smell, awful traffic, and insecurity makes the Don Holt mediocre at best. On a personal note, recently my car’s tire popped on the Don Holt. I was forced to sit on the side for almost an hour while my friends would pass me. My little Honda CRV shook whenever an 18 wheeler zoomed by. This bridge is overrun with trucks who have no consideration for reasonably priced mid-size crossovers. Graham Inabnett, a fellow Talon staff member, shares his personal experience on the Don Holt “I have been on this bridge probably two or three times in my life. One time after driving this bridge my boyfriend and I literally broke up. It’s the tortured souls that haunt the Don Holt. #Holtishaunted”. So keep your tires on and your noses plugged whenever you trek across the Don Holt.

#10 DI Bridge

This bridge gave me trust issues. I took the DI bridge everyday last year until it decided to break down. They cable snapped and so did my heart.  Most citizens of Mount Pleasant know how it be. My mother made me leave the house at 6 am in order to get to school on time. I would then sleep in my car until school started. The DI bridge still is not fully fixed with the left truck lane still blocked. Many argue that this bridge has the best views in Charleston; however, I think the possibility that the bridge may snap at any moment outweighs that. Rachel Maile, another Talon staff member, shares her secret about the DI Bridge, “I was in 8th grade. My engineering teacher had the inside scoop on the DI bridge. He told us that there were holes in the base that were big enough to fit a Volkswagen beetle. No one was making an effort to fix these holes. I wait for the release of death each day as someone who lives on DI. As the holes get bigger so does the hole in my heart.” You can’t forget about the strong wind gust on the top of the bridge. There is about a 20% chance you will just blow right off if you have a Prius or a Volt. Most people agree that it is just a very big tall boi.