Phase I Archaeological Resource Survey of the Proposed County Road (CR) 101/ Water Works Road Bridge Replacement at CSX 279806B, Hancock County, Georgia

In July 2019, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) conducted a Phase I archaeological resource survey (ARS) of the proposed County Road (CR) 101 /Water Works Road bridge replacement at CSX Rail road 279806B, located approximately 2 miles (mi) (3.21 kilometers [km]) west of the City of Sparta in Hancock County, Georgia (Pl No. 0015602). The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) proposes to replace the existing bridge (Structure ID 141-5023-0) over the CSX Railroad as the existing structure, constructed in 1989, is below current design standards. The existing bridge is 70 feet (ft) (21 meters [ml) long and has two 9-foot (ft) (2.7 m) travel lanes with 1-ft (0.3-m) shoulders. Because the bridge does not meet current design standard, replacement and improvement is recommended. The bridge would be raised 3.5 ft (1 m) above the existing roadway surface to meet the CSX vertical clearance standard of 23 ft (7 m). The existing right-of-way (ROW) width is 80 ft (24 m); the proposed ROW would be approximately 350 ft (106 m) for the length of the project corridor.

As the project is currently in the concept phase of development, an Environmental Survey Boundary (ESB) was considered in lieu of an Area of Potential Effects (APE). The APE for this survey was defined as the total length and width of the ESB. The dimensions of the project ESB were determined prior to fieldwork by the design team and were intended to encompass an area large enough to capture any potential variations in project design work. The width of the project ESB is approximately 400 ft (121.9 m). The total length of the project ESB is approximately 1670 ft (509 m). The project ESB encompasses approximately 15.34 acres (ac) (6.21 hectares [ha]).

Background review did not reveal the location of any previous archaeological sites within the project ESB, and the project ESB has not been the subject of any previous archaeological resource identification survey. During the current investigation, 95 shovel tests were excavated within the project ESB, one of which was positive for historic cultural material. Two shovel tests were not excavated due their locations in a paved residential driveway and were subsequently recorded as no digs. All shovel test locations were subject to visual inspection. As a result of survey efforts, one new archaeological site (9HK258) was identified.

Site 9HK258 consists of a small historic artifact scatter located in the southern portion of the project ESB, west of CR 101/Water Works Road.