Plan of Chicago Pt. 4

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We’re nearing the end of our exploration of The Plan of Chicago. Over the last few weeks we’ve reimagined what the city could’ve looked like in every category from architecture and parks, to infrastructure, and streets. Burnham envisioned that the city would continue to grow in land and population. He meant to build a city that would be as great as the ancient cities like Rome, Paris, and London. The streets needed to be washed daily to mimic the cleanliness of Berlin. Chicago’s Loop would be a merchant’s dream with multilevel streets to alleviate traffic. It was going to be a city like no other. 

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Burnham wrapped up The Plan with a thorough look into the Heart of the City; the vital arteries designed to keep Chicago moving, breathing, and alive. Halsted to Lake Michigan, the River to 12th street (now Roosevelt), this area was considered the heart. People walking down Michigan Ave wouldn’t see the end of the horizon. Grant Park would connect to Lincoln Park, and all the important civic and cultural landmarks would be in that circuit. 

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“Michigan Avenue is probably destined to carry the heaviest movement of any street in the world. Any boulevard connection in Michigan Avenue which fails to recognize the basic importance of the avenue will be a waste of money and energy. Any impairment of the capacity of this street at any point along its entire front, any weakening of this foundation, is an error of the first magnitude.” - Plan of Chicago 

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With Michigan Ave being at the center of the Heart of Chicago, and the main artery (pun very much intended), it was suggested that it should be widened to 246 feet. Today, the width is about 92 - 100 feet. A large part of this chapter centered around what Michigan Ave should be transformed into. The widening of the street would allow people to explore leisurely and reduce the congestion on such a central street. At this point we know that the freight was meant to move around on the outskirts of the loop, but it was also suggested that it moves below Michigan Ave which is where we got Lower Wacker from, and how we ended up with the stairs on either side of Michigan Ave that lead down to Billy Goat Tavern today!

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In order to make Michigan Ave what they envisioned it to be, a series of bridges were suggested. There were only a couple of styles proposed, and they were meant to replace Rush street bridge, which at this point, had collapsed four times. The Michigan Ave bridge specifically would connect people from 12th street all the way to Lincoln Park. This inspiration came from the streets of Paris. Grant Park was the crown jewel. It was meant to house the Field Museum, the Art Institute, the Crerar Library, and the public Library which today is the cultural center. Grant Park would showcase everything Chicago could offer. Residents and visitors would be able to experience science, literature, art, see civic work being done just down the street. 

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In the end, The Plan of Chicago wasn’t just about wider streets or grander buildings, it was about intention. Burnham imagined a city that functioned as beautifully as it looked, where movement, culture, and daily life were all thoughtfully connected. The Heart of the City wasn’t simply a geographic center; it was a statement about what Chicago could be when design met purpose.

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While not every detail came to life as he envisioned (we’ll touch more on that next week), the echoes of Burnham’s ideas are still everywhere. You’ll notice it while walking down Michigan Avenue, enjoying the magnitude of Grant Park, and any time you’re stuck in the layered infrastructure under the city streets. His vision challenged Chicago to think bigger, to see itself not just as a hub of industry, but as a world-class city defined by accessibility, beauty, and civic pride.The Plan set a standard for Chicagoans, visitors, and urban planners decades later. 

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