County official says Westland Bridge on River Road closed by select board; county seeks state help because nursing home access affected

A county official told Cheshire County commissioners on Feb. 5 that the Westland Bridge on River Road was closed by the town’s select board earlier in the week after the board concluded the structure posed a safety risk. The county official said the shutdown has immediate implications because a nursing home lies on the far side of the bridge and seasonal flooding can isolate parts of the road network.

"I was notified by the select board chair of Westland that they were closing the bridge on River Road ... this is a bridge that has been red flagged for years," the commissioner said during the meeting. The transcript identifies the town’s select-board chair as John Snowden and the county speaker said Snowden notified county officials of the closure.

The county speaker said the county has pressed the state of New Hampshire in prior meetings about the bridge and that state drawings for a replacement are already complete. The official said the cost estimate has risen since earlier planning: the county previously proposed putting $1.6 million toward a fix, and the speaker said current estimates are about $3.2 million; under usual state funding splits the local share could be roughly $800,000. The county speaker said the town has told county officials it cannot raise that share and that the county is arranging a Zoom meeting with the state delegation, Senator Fenton and others to discuss next steps and to ask the governor’s office to prioritize funding because of the nursing home’s location.

The select-board closure appears to be a local action; the county speaker said the town chose to close the road because it decided it was unsafe to plow the bridge in winter and that closure would remain in effect "until we come up with a solution." The county will gather information and convene state and local representatives to discuss options, the speaker said, and asked commissioners to be available for a briefing once the county has a one‑page summary of the town’s work and outstanding issues.

Why it matters: The county official warned that if the bridge remains closed, seasonal flooding on nearby roads could make access to properties on the far side difficult, increasing response times for emergency services and complicating operations at the nursing home. The county speaker asked commissioners to participate in discussions with the state to accelerate design and funding decisions.

What happened next: The county said it will arrange a multi‑party meeting and circulate a one‑page summary of the town’s assessments and the state’s drawings. No formal county vote or directive on the bridge was recorded during the Feb. 5 meeting.