OCEAN CITY If not for a sign posted near the dunes at the south end of Central Avenue, Corsons Inlet State Park would be indistinguishable from the municipally owned beaches north of 59th Street.

But unlike the local beaches, for the three days before July 4, Corson's Inlet beach was closed, along with all other state-operated non-essential services, due to failure of the New Jersey Legislature to agree on a budget.

The shutdown ceased late Monday night after legislators came to a deal and the closures sparked a New Jersey senator to introduce a bill to make sure parks are not affected in future shutdowns.

Sen. Nicholas Scutari Tuesday said he would introduce legislation to keep state parks and beaches open for seven days in the event of a government closure, similar to the law that keeps casinos open.

The effect is not only that people cannot go to their favorite beach, watch fireworks or camp at a park, but if these crowds do not show up the ancillary businesses that rely upon them also suffer, he said.

Beachgoers at Corsons Inlet Tuesday were happy that the state-operated beaches were open and many said they had plans to hit the beach even if it wasnt.

We were planning on coming down here either way, said Amy Huddle, 19, of Glenolden, Pennsylvania.

Huddle, who said this was her first time at the free, unguarded beach, had heard about the shutdown, but wasnt concerned.

Neither was Charles Lotka of Marmora, who comes to Corsons Inlet year-round.

Its like a great secret. Not that many people know about it and it seems to be less crowded down here, he said.

Lotka said he wasnt happy that the shutdown affected so many services and could have impacted peoples travel plans.

I thought it was a really big oversight to let this happen on a holiday weekend, he said. People count on this all year.

Lisa Kirth and Julie Phreaner, both of Philadelphia, made a last minute decision to hit the beach Tuesday morning. If Corsons Inlet was closed, they said they would have just gone to one of Ocean Citys beaches.

We probably would have sat on an overcrowded beach and been mad, and been cursing (Gov.) Chris Christie, Phreaner said.

Read more here:

Corson's Inlet, other state-operated beaches reopen Tuesday - Press of Atlantic City