At long last, the stretch of Dorsett Road from Marine Lane to Marine Avenue reopened today, ending a two-month detour that seemed like an eternity to some area residents and Creve Coeur Park goers.

I walked the new six-foot-wide sidewalk on the north side of the road this morning and found it very pleasant.  The sidewalk fixes what had been a big barrier to pedestrian access to the park and I hope it will be well used.

There are bound to be some questions about the guard rails.  I talked with the project manager today and he explained the low highway-style guard rail is required to protect cars from going into the ravine, which is steep enough to roll a car.  Standards also require a pedestrian guard rail over the steepest part.  So, it's an unusual configuration to have both, but they are both required for the safety of cars and people respectively.

The stretch looks a little raw what with all the tree and brush removal that was required, especially compared to the lush growth we're used to.  There are plans to seed grass on the north side and to replant trees, but the latter won't happen until fall. 

In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy my newly-appreciated quick passage down Dorsett Rd. to the center of town.