Town officials have gained public support to replace a closed, structurally deficient bridge recognized by the state as a historical landmark by next year.

Selectmen fulfilled a request by the New Hampshire Division of Cultural Resources to publicly present plans to replace the Castle Hill Road bridge and to preserve eight beams of wood – six of which date back to the original construction of the bridge – during last week’s board meeting. The move gave the town the go-ahead to begin the replacement of the bridge.

Micheal Croteau of SEA Consultants – the firm handling the project for both towns – told the board during his presentation that plans to reconstruct the bridge are about 90 percent completed. Once the remaining permits are granted, the town can go to bid, he said.

Town Manager David Sullivan estimates construction of a new 41-foot two-lane bridge is at least a year off.

“We wanted to get it done this year, but because of this process there’s no way we’re going to get it done,” he said. “The completion will not take place until next year at this point.”

While the single lane bridge spanning the Beaver Brook from Windham into Pelham is eligible for both the New Hampshire and national registers of historic places, the historical societies of both municipalities sent letters in supporting the move to replace the structure.

“While it is always difficult to accept the loss of an historic resource, the (Windham Historic District and Heritage Commission) recognizes that, at times, greater consideration must be given to practicality and economics,” wrote Carol Pynn, chairman of the commission.

Each town will receive four of the eight timbers. In Windham, the wood will be used to reconstruct the boardwalk at the historic depot building to its original appearance as well as for the construction of access stairs into the Stickney Cellar foundation, also located in the historic Depot district. Pynn told board members at the public hearing that the origins of the timber would be clearly marked in some form of a plaque.

“I am very pleased to hear that the Castle Hill Road Bridge is finally going to get replaced,” wrote Bill Scanzani, president of the Pelham Historic Society. “I am even more pleased to know that the wooden beams of this historic bridge will not go to waste and can be reused by our trails committee for the purpose of maintaining our many miles of wonderful trails here in Pelham.”

The Pelham Snowmobile club has requested the use of the salvaged timber for existing snowmobile or bike trails within the town.

Originally constructed between 1905 and 1914, the bridge was upgraded in 1971 and then again in 1990 when the structure was re-decked with pressure-treated wood. The bridge was closed in 2006 after flooding damaged the structure.

The state inventory describes the bridge as “an increasingly rare example of a timber stringer bridge with a timber deck.”