Mayor Roger Reinert speaks on skywalk system

DULUTH, Minn. — Following the release of a study regarding the skywalk system, the City of Duluth Mayor, Roger Reinert, weighed in.

A six-month study of the skywalk system identified several challenges and outlined three main options: fully reinvesting in the system, removing it entirely, or pursuing a hybrid approach. The study ultimately found that a hybrid approach would work best.

Mayor Reinert agreed and emphasized that with roughly $45 million in deferred maintenance, declining use of the three-mile elevated system, and safety issues, doing nothing is not an option.

The hybrid makes sense to me, but I’m not the only decision maker,” said Mayor Reinert. “I think important for the public to understand is there is an issue we need to think about how skywalk and street level interact with each other, and we’re at the start of a conversation, not at the end of it.”

Mayor Reinert encourages people to watch the presentation as it involves everyone from business owners to everyday skywalk users.