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National Park Sites In Missouri Reopen After Govt. Shutdown Ends

The Arch from below
St. Louis Public Radio
The Gateway Arch in downtown St. Louis.

National Parks and other federally-run recreation sites in Missouri are open again, now that the partial government shutdown is over.

Those sites include the Gateway Arch in downtown St. Louis.  Ann Honius with the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial says there are no lingering problems or issues stemming from the 16-day shutdown.

"No, everything is operating as normal," Honius said.  "Due to time and schedule there is some construction along Washington Avenue that's causing some rerouting to the Arch parking garage, but otherwise it's just as you would experience every other day."

Honius says they're expecting larger crowds on Friday as baseball fans return for the Cardinals-Dodgers Game 6 matchup in the National League Championship Series.

There were also no issues with the reopening of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in southern Missouri.  Deputy Park Superintendent Russ Runge says everything is back up and running, but warns that they've already shut off water and electricity to RV campsites for the winter.

"We are right now in the middle of our seasonal closings, which happen every year," Runge said, "but all accesses to the river are open, so there are really no issues there."

In addition, campsites and boat ramps on Army Corps of Engineers land have also reopened.

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter:  @MarshallGReport

Marshal was a political reporter for St. Louis Public Radio until 2018.