Bill would provide bridge aid to Gunstock

The Legislature could crown a successful season at Gunstock Mountain Resort by adopting a bill (Senate Bill 516) that would make county-owned bridges in need of replacement or repair eligible for state aid. The one and only county-owned bridge in the entire state is the stone bridge carrying Gunstock Area Road across Poor Farm Brook near the entrance to the resort.

The state contributes 80-percent of the cost of replacing and repairing bridges in towns, cities and unincorporated places, but the statute on bridge aid is silent with respect to county bridges. Greg Goddard, general manager of Gunstock Mountain Resort, said yesterday that since there is no designation for county roads, apparently no provision was made for county bridges.

Goddard said that the bridge, which was built in 1935, is not yet in urgent need of replacement or repair. "But, since it is state policy to share the cost of bridge work," he said, "we thought we should see if our bridge would qualify." The bill, he said, would simply clarify that state policy applies to county-owned bridges just as it does to municipal bridges.

Th New Hampshire Department of Transportation estimates that it would cost $525,000 to replace the bridge, of which the state would contribute $420,000 and the county $105,000 if the bill succeeds.

SB 516, sponsored by Senator Joe Kenney (R-Union), has been referred to the Senate Transportation and Interstate Cooperation Committee, which will hold a public hearing on March 5.