The controversial plan, which critics fear will hurt street life, gets the go ahead from the city council.
"Derided by some, it divided many in the community for more than a year. Now, it will bridge both halves of a $1.5 billion mega-development designed to breathe dynamism into a moribund downtown.
The Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday approved a Main Street sky bridge for the LDS Church's City Creek Center. And the margin - 6-1 - was wider than expected.
One councilman choked back tears. Several said they will remember the vote all their lives. And most agreed the move will be a catalyst for the capital to forget "the former fortress" of malls that dominated downtown for 30 years.
New Councilman Luke Garrott was the lone holdout, saying, "I don't think you develop downtown through mega-projects." He also argued that the owner is more interested in private profit, which a skywalk will enhance, than a revitalization of downtown.
"We want it to be invisible and transparent, and on the other hand we want to make it a landmark for the ages," Garrott said about the skywalk. "I don't think it can be both things."
But the rest of the council, including former bridge critics Soren Simonsen and J.T. Martin, disagreed.
"The sky bridge has been criticized as something that will kill our Main Street. Frankly, I don't believe that it will," said Councilman Eric Jergensen. "Rather than being a negative thing for our city, it will be a positive thing, almost iconic." "
FULL STORY: Downtown SLC sky bridge plan wins approval

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie