Bob CollinsIf you’re a veteran of the St. Paul skyway system — scene of a recent dispute over what’s public and what’s private when it comes to sitting down, you may recall — you’ve probably noticed this week that there are great spots to stay warm while waiting for the Green Line or bus to make an appearance.
Metro Transit, willingly or not, encouraged this when it waited until fall to knock down several bus shelters with heat. By the time winter came along, there was no place for people to wait.
This, along with the attraction of the skyway as a place not to freeze, creates a fair amount of tension between people and the private companies that own the buildings.
Colleague Julia Schrenkler noticed this in the Alliance Bank Building (the old Norwest building) that we hadn’t noticed before. We’re among the daily “skyway walkers” (who keep moving).
Welcome to St. Paul, everyone! The most romantic city in America. Now how about moving that carcass of yours along.
Is it a crime to stop moving? Let’s check the skyway ordinance that’s cited on the sign.
Sec. 140.02. – Prohibited acts.
No person shall commit any of the following acts within the pedestrian skyway system or within any pedestrian mall:(1)Sit, kneel, lounge, lie or otherwise recline upon floors or stairs.
(2)Stand upon any radiator, seat or other fixture.
(3)Commit any act which tends to create or incite, or creates or incites, an immediate breach of the peace. Such conduct shall include, without limitation by reason of this specification: fighting; racing; obscene language, noisy or boisterous conduct tending to cause a breach of the peace; personally abusive epithets, or words or language of an offensive, disgusting or insulting nature, which epithets, words or language when addressed to the ordinary citizen are, as a matter of common knowledge, inherently likely to provoke a violent reaction of fear, anger or apprehension; and words, language or statements which by their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace.
(4)Stand, stop or otherwise linger in such a manner as to obstruct or impede or tend to obstruct or impede the free passage of pedestrians through the area. If the impediment or obstruction is caused by the size of a particular group of persons, all persons within the group shall be equally subject to this chapter.
(5) Play a radio or tape player so as to permit the sound from the radio or tape player to be audible to other persons, except that peace officers may play radios tuned to official police frequencies.
(6) Commit any other act otherwise prohibited by local, state or federal law.
(7) Use of skateboards, in-line skates or similar devices.
(Ord. No. 17874, § 1, 10-8-91)
