GDOT Archaeological Short Form for Negative Findings: Third Addendum to the Phase I Archaeological Survey of SR 40 from Folkston to Milepost 2.54

The APE for the third project addendum as described in the attachment includes only removal of existing pavement and milling along SR 40, along with existing pavement overlay and new pavement tie-in at the proposed Pinehurst Drive cul-de-sac within existing right-of-way (ROW), where the APE ranges between 40 to 60 feet in width. No additional easements are currently required. The original survey for this project was completed prior to the institution of the expanded survey corridor.

            SR 40 is a major east-west corridor in southeast Georgia, connecting Folkston on the west with

Kingsland, Interstate 95, and St. Marys on the east. SR 40 is designated as a hurricane evacuation route

and has been identified for widening as part of the GRIP. Along P.I. No. 0000821 , the existing rural two-lane section of SR 40 would be widened as the result of the construction of two-additional travel lanes on the north side with a 32-foot median. Specifically, at the SR 40 Connector intersection, SR 40 would be widened from a two-lane to a five-lane rural section and transition to a four-lane divided highway with a 32-foot grassed median at mile post 1.51 . The four lane section would extend eastward to mile post 2.54 (northeast of County Road 82) in Charlton County. Travel lanes would be 12 feet in width. The roadway would contain 10-foot outside shoulders (6.5 feet paved) and 6-foot inside shoulders (2 feet paved). The existing variable 100- to 185-foot ROW would be widened to a variable width of a 105 feet minimum to a 200 feet maximum. The end of this project would tie into the existing four-lane projectSTP00-0141-01(010), P.I. 522350, in Charlton County, which is currently in operation.

            There is one previously recorded site within a !-kilometer radius of the current APE (see Figure 2). Site 9CR14, an unknown precontact artifact scatter located approximately 665 meters west of the APE, was

recorded in 1977 and filed at the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF). Very few details are included

on the site form (GASF n.d.). No existing or eligible National Register resources were recorded during

the previous surveys within the current survey area.

Abstract 10010

In July and December 2010, and July 2011, Environmental Services, Inc. (ESI), on behalf of

Georgia L. Flanders, LLC, performed a cultural resource assessment survey of the Yam Grandy

Wetland and Stream Mitigation Bank located in Emanuel County, Georgia. The goal of the

survey was to locate, identify, delineate, and evaluate all cultural resources within the proposed

areas of impact, including prehistoric and historic archaeological sites and historic structures, to

comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. The

archaeological survey included a pedestrian surface inspection, judgmental and 30-meter shovel

testing of areas of proposed impacts, and systematic shovel testing of the Crooked Creek

relocation channel at 90-meter intervals. As a result of the survey, three historic sites (9EM124,

9EM126, 9EM127) were encountered within the proposed areas of impact. Those sites include a

19th Century grist mill and dam, a 19th Century road bed, an early 20th century tramway. None of

these sites appear to meet the criteria to be eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. The proposed

Yam Grandy Mitigation Bank should be allowed to proceed without further concern regarding

significant cultural resources within the area of proposed impacts.