Jacks Fork River reopens at Alley Spring

Eminence, Mo. - The temporary emergency closure of the Jacks Fork River at Alley Spring has been lifted. The damaged pedestrian bridge has been completely removed, allowing floaters and river users to once again safely enjoy the Jacks Fork River beneath the Highway 106 vehicle bridge.

The National Park Service (NPS) worked in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on the removal of the old pedestrian bridge, which was originally damaged during the April 2017 flood. Additional flooding in February 2018 caused further structural damage to the bridge, making it unsafe for visitors below and prompting an emergency closure of the river beneath the bridge. The NPS and FHWA are working together on the construction of a new pedestrian bridge at Alley Spring in the future, through the Emergency Relief of Federally Owned (ERFO) program. The timeline for completion of that project is unknown at this time.

The replacement of the North River Road Bridge over the Alley Spring Branch is currently underway and progress is going well. It is expected to be open this summer. The small foot bridge over the Alley Spring Branch near Alley Mill, which was destroyed in the 2017 flood, will also be replaced in the future utilizing the ERFO program.

For more information, contact park headquarters at 573-323-4236, visit the park’s Facebook page, or website at www.nps.gov/ozar.