(Above) “The Hanging Gardens of Wabash,” an idea by Craig Carter to make the L structure along the avenue “special by concealing it with a diverse array of living greenery.” (Click on image to view larger version.)

December 12, 2013 – Suggestions both serious and silly are coming in about how to improve Wabash Avenue and the Chicago Loop Alliance is looking for more.

Bicycle lanes, food trucks, light shows, re-routing Michigan Avenue busses, and expanding Jewelers’ Row are some of the suggestions fielded by Civic Artworks, a website that helps neighborhood organizations “nurture ideas.”

Ideas possibly not being nurtured include installing cobblestones, adding a bump to the L track to make it more like a roller coaster, installing “pop-up retail spaces in colorful shipping containers,” and turning Wabash Avenue into the “world’s longest speed dating chain.”

“Close Wabash from top to bottom and put in standing-height tables,” recommends a civic-minded thinker who calls himself Hannibal Raspberry. “Change partners every time the Brown Line goes past.”

Not quite satisfied with these ideas, the Chicago Loop Alliance on Wednesday contacted downtown organizations, urging them to spread the word that CLA is open to suggestions.

“Wabash Avenue is a transformational opportunity waiting to happen,” wrote executive director Michael Edwards. “Located between a vibrant State Street and the famous Michigan Avenue, Wabash Avenue has its own unique character that can be enhanced to make it a Loop attraction.”

Existing ideas can be viewed without logging into the site. Adding a suggestion is free but requires a quick account setup that will ask for name, email address, and zip code.

• Web site: Transforming Wabash Avenue
• Related story: Loop emerging from ‘difficult’ times, study finds