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Commission Approves Pickle Springs Parking Area Expansion Idea

By MARK EVANS

STE. GENEVIEVE HERALD

Parking issues on Dorlac Road near the Pickle Springs Conservation Area may be alleviated in the near future.

Last Thursday the Ste. Genevieve County Commission voted to authorize a  proposed addition to the parking area at the conservation area.

Residents on Dorlac Road have long complained about cars parking along the edge of the road, making it difficult to navigate, and sometimes blocking driveways or turning around on private property.

A year ago the county road and bridge crew had placed no parking signs along the road. The signs, however, were soon removed on one side of the road by unknown individuals.

This led to talks with conservation agent Rob Sulkowski and with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

The commissioners favored enlarging the small parking area so that visitors to the nature area would have no excuses for parking all along the road.

Last week the commission received a proposal from the MDC to expand the lot just as suggested, by  looping an entrance and exit into and out of the parking area on Dorlac Road.

“They actually took our suggestion,” Presiding Commissioner Garry Nelson said.

The vote was unanimous to authorize the project.

SCHMIEDER REPORTS ON ROAD WORK

Road and bridge foreman Scott Schmieder reported that his crew was just finishing work on the gravel employee parking lot at River Rapids Waterpark.

He and the commissioners discussed Cave Road, Kocher Road and Gillespie Road and agreed to take a drive  over to examine the week of June 1.

The concern about Cave Road is a deep dip that has a tendency to fill with water during hard rains. This could pose a real danger to non-residents visiting the wineries in that part of the county.

Nelson stressed that the stretch of Gillespie Road that is going to be paved needs to be done soon. A longer stretch cannot be paved due to fences that need moving.

He said he hoped Schmieder wasn’t waiting for rain to help pack down the rock on the road, since the county has a water truck. Schmieder assured him it will be taken care of.

It was agreed that they will also check out the work that has been done on Saline Creek Road during their trip this week.

Schmieder reported that all of his equipment was running well at the time.