Cycles of the Columbia Tap

Originally a 19th century railroad, the Houston Tap and Brazoria Railway served as a major connection between Houston and the communities southwest of it. After falling out of use, a 4 mile stretch of its remnants was converted into a hike and bike trail that now crosses through East Downtown and Third Ward. This project begins by looking at the cycles of the trail, beginning as a part of the coastal prairie, its transformation into a rail way, its abandonment, and its conversion into a hike and bike trail. Creating a series of proposals along the full length of the trail, this thesis looks to what the next stage in the cycle of the Columbia Tap Trail can be.