The bridge on Hancock’s Windy Row Road is included in the New Hampshire Department of Transportation Municipal Red List of deficient structures, prompting the Select Board to consider closing it to traffic.
Department of Public Works Director Tyler Howe recommended that the board close the bridge to vehicles indefinitely.
In a Feb. 2 email to the board, the NHDOT said its Nov. 19, 2025, inspection found the bridge superstructure in serious condition and the deck in poor condition, with respective safety scores of 3 out of 10 and 4 out of 10. An inspection on Oct. 19, 2024, listed both structures as being in poor condition with scores of 4 out of 10, indicating increased deterioration over the year.
The November inspection identified material deterioration, girder bowing and heavy rust as cause for concern. According to the report, the advanced level of deterioration will likely accelerate. NHDOT recommended that barricades along the bridge’s curbs and enforcement of the “one lane traffic” restriction continue.
Howe told the Select Board on Feb. 17 that he recommends closing Windy Row Bridge for safety reasons. “In the last seven years, the bridge’s condition has just gotten worse,” he said.
He said the town doesn’t have the means to do anything with the bridge. “If something were to come up for funding bridges and transportation, the bridge would qualify, but we don’t know if or when bridge aid will come back,” he said, referencing possible future federal grants for which the bridge may qualify.
Howe noted the bridge could remain open to foot traffic if the town places jersey barriers in the center of its entry points. “If we put the barriers in the center of the bridge, pedestrians, bikes and horses can still get through, but they would keep cars and large trucks from entering.”
Select Board Chair Betsy Villaume asked about managing large commercial trucks. Howe proposed putting signs farther from the bridge, alerting commercial vehicles that the road is closed. He identified the Vatcher Road-Middle Road and Windy Row Road-Sargent Camp Road intersections as possible sign locations.
Hancock resident Dorothy Palanza, who lives near the bridge, discussed issues she has encountered. She noted that the existing signage is too close to the bridge. “We’ve had logging trucks try passing over the bridge,” Palanza said, adding that there isn’t enough room for them to turn around once the trucks reach the signs. “Big trucks end up trying to turn around using our driveway.”
Villaume said the bridge has been a known concern since an inspection in 2022. She said there is no plan to replace or repair it, with no reasonable estimates for replacement.
“An original $3 million quote for bridge repair was provided. However, we haven’t received a reasonable estimate on replacement,” she said, adding that, because the bridge is a hazard, it needs to be closed.
A specific closure date was not given, but the board agreed it should close shortly after the Town Meeting in March.
The Select Board will present the issue at the March 14 Town Meeting.