Sayonara Skyways? Eric Dayton Op-Ed Sparks Fierce Debate

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- You may have heard of the movement to do away with the skyway system in Minneapolis.

Eric Dayton, founder of the Skyway Avoidance Society and son of Governor Mark Dayton, wants to brings skyway walkers down to the streets. He pushed the cause in an op-ed published in the Star Tribune a few days ago.

On any given weekday, the 11-mile network connecting the heart of the city is packed with thousands of downtown workers.

So what do people both in the skyway and out on the streets think about the idea of doing away with them?

"Personally, I park out down on the west side of downtown and I have to park a half mile to my office, and that would really suck in the wintertime," skyway user David Allen said.

Many businesses, like the Hyatt hotel downtown, rely on the skyway, too.

"With our guests at our hotel, it's a very well used resource that we have, and it's a good selling point for us to get people to the rest of downtown and the north side of town," Chad Preese of the Hyatt said.

Most folks say convenience is a key part of the system. From corner stores to dry cleaners, you can get a lot done on your lunch break, and the food options seem endless. Skyway users tell us it's not just about a lunch break -- you can even get your hair done. ..."

But the Skyway Avoidance Society argues the skyways rob our streets of the energy and vitality that comes with foot traffic.

"I've worked downtown now for 20 years, and I can't imagine working here without the skyway," Tanya Farber said. "I think that when it's nice outside, people are outside. People use the farmers markets, they use the food trucks and everyone is out when the weather is good."

The anti-skyway group also suggests that skyways are to blame for the departure of Macy's, and Barnes & Noble.

"I think they're closing because of online retail, not because of the skyways," Farber said.

In an interview with WCCO radio, Eric Dayton cited the North Loop as an example of a successful and growing neighborhood that does not have skyways. He is also a co-owner of two businesses in that neighborhood.