Duluth closes skywalk tunnel between Radisson Hotel and Maurices indefinitely

A key indoor link in downtown Duluth is now closed indefinitely, forcing hotel guests, office workers and downtown visitors out onto street-level routes between the Radisson Hotel Duluth-Harborview and Maurices. The city said the skywalk tunnel segment was shut because of health and safety concerns after months of unwanted behavior in that part of the system.

The closure affects one of the most visible pedestrian connections in the downtown skywalk network, a system that spans about 3.5 miles and ties together destinations from the DECC to Canal Park. For people trying to move between the hotel and Maurices Corporate Headquarters, the loss of that enclosed passage changes how they cross downtown, especially when weather turns harsh or event traffic is heavy.

City officials did not announce a reopening date. That makes the shutdown more than a routine maintenance step: for now, the Radisson-Maurices segment is simply out of service, and anyone using that corridor must rely on the surrounding street grid and the remaining skywalk network.

The move lands in the middle of a broader debate over what Duluth’s skywalk system should be. The network was largely built in the 1970s and 1980s, and in a February 2026 study session consultants said retail spaces along it were 59 percent vacant. They also said the system is difficult to secure and manage, and security costs were estimated at about $350,000 a year.

Mayor Roger Reinert has said the skywalk has outlived its usefulness in some respects and that downtown should put more emphasis on street-level retail. At the same time, many downtown users still depend on the elevated walkways for winter travel and access to venues such as the DECC and Canal Park, making any closure a direct access issue as well as a policy decision.

The city council authorized MIG to assess the skywalk system in resolution 25-0512R, passed June 16, 2025, as officials continue weighing what should be kept, improved or reduced. City materials from 2016 said the Maurices headquarters project included a parking ramp and a new public skywalk, linking eastern downtown with the Radisson Hotel and the Duluth Public Library.

For now, the closed tunnel sits as one more sign that Duluth’s downtown pedestrian network is being reshaped by safety concerns, rising costs and changing patterns of use.