GDOT Archaeological Assessment In-House Survey Report GDOT Project: Phase I Archaeological Survey of the Proposed R-Cuts on the US 301/SR 73 Loop at its Intersections with Rocky Ford, Buttermilk, and Bascom Roads in Screven County, Georgia

The proposed project is located at the intersections of SR 73 Loop and Rocky Ford Road, SR 73 Loop and Buttermilk Rd/ Singleton Rd, and SR 73 Loop and Bascom Rd/Habersham Rd in Screven County. The intersections are approximately 2 miles west and northwest of downtown Sylvania. The proposed project would replace left turns from the minor roads onto SR 73 Loop with Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) movements for a total project length of 1.10 mile. The RCUTs accommodate left turn movements from the minor side streets by requiring drivers to turn right onto the main road and then make a U-turn maneuver at a one-way median opening 400 to 1,000 feet after the intersection. Frontage roads will need to be realigned in order to accommodate the RCUT bump out. Existing ROW is 135 feet on SR 73 and 50 feet on the frontage roads; proposed ROW is 160 feet and 75 feet respectively.

                There were no design plans at the time of survey, thus the survey area for the proposed project includes all areas within an Environmental Survey Boundary (ESB) provided to the GDOT Office of Environmental Services by GDOT Design engineers (Figures 2- 3). The ESB measures approximately 2,800 feet in length at Rocky Ford Road, a combined 5,000 feet at Buttermilk/Singleton and Bascom/Habersham Roads, and varies in width from approximately 265 feet to 475 feet. The ESB is designed specifically to encompass all areas of possible and foreseeable ground disturbance as a result of the current project. When design is complete, the project APE will likely be smaller than the ESB that is shown.

                According to GNAHRGJS, there are no previously identified archaeological sites within one kilometer of the current project area. According to GNAHRGIS, there are four previously conducted archaeological surveys that intersect the current project area.