Since the late 1970s, the skywalk system has connected several downtown Duluth buildings, giving pedestrians a climate-controlled alternative to city streets. However, changes to the landscape of downtown have lead to the system to be used less and less.

“I think going through COVID and seeing fewer office workers, seeing people just not congregating as often and as long as they used to in the past in our Skywalk system, leaves it feeling a little bit emptier, leaves it feeling a little less alive.” said Duluth City Councilor Arik Forsman, who says he’s used the skywalk daily for 15 years.

“I want it to be better. It’s not living up to its potential. It was built for a day and age that really doesn’t exist anymore.”

While downtown continues to evolve, many still believe the skywalk system has a place in the city.

“We still need that strong connection to the DECC for our events and our conventions. And also, most importantly, we want to make sure that people feel safe in getting around.” Explained Kristi Stokes, president of Downtown Duluth, an organization that looks to foster development in the area.

Lower foot traffic isn’t the only issue – user safety is often cited as a concern.

“I think more people would be in it if it had a reputation of being safe for everybody,” Forsman said, “If you walk across somebody smoking drugs off a tinfoil in the Skywalk system, which is not uncommon at times in the Skywalk system, that’s uncomfortable and also arguably unsafe.”

For others, skywalk safety means something different – getting people off the sidewalks.

“There really is not a safe and accessible way to get from downtown to Canal Park if you are a pedestrian on street level,” said Kevin Swanberg, another daily user of the Skywalk. “You have to cross multiple busy intersections and multiple lanes of traffic. The safest way to walk from downtown to the deck for a Bulldog game or an event or anything like that, is that Skyway.”

Getting people off the sidewalk, however, is a concern for those street-level business owners, who worry about reduced foot traffic.

“We just want to be real careful about what we do,” Stokes explained, “How do we make sure we activate that street level and allow this to be another level that’s still used for pedestrian traffic? Maybe it’s different types of tenants. Maybe we attract more artists to that area. Those are just things that we really have to think about.”

They’ll have a few months to think about it, as Forsman and his fellow councilors approved a resolution for an evaluation to be made on the skywalk to determine its future on February 24. That resolution calls for city administration to make a report and recommendations within six months.

“The Skywalk system has been due for a good hard look for a while now, and that’s what this is.” Forsman said.