Archaeological Assessment of Project I-675-1(81), Dekalb, Clayton, and Henry Counties

Interstate 65 is a north-south limited access roadway located south of the beltway around Atlanta, Georgia. During work on the EIS it was learned that an archaeologically sensitive area known as Soapstone Ridge was crossed by the preferred alignment. This large area was the site of pre-Columbian bowl manufacture and numerous quarry sites with some partially completed bowl forms still attached to outcrops. Through an intensive archaeological survey, significant sites were identified on the eleven square mile ridge. Design criteria were established for the project in order to protect archaeological sites: 1. There would be no interchange with local access roads on the ridge; and, 2. Design would not physically impact any site. 3. Secondary impacts would be limited. As a result of these criteria, all of the sites in the project area were avoided and no interchanges provided, thus providing protection for sites avoided and no interchanges provided, thus providing protection for sites form secondary private development. One site, 9DA69, is preserved within the project rights-of-way. Two other commitments were made through the EIS process: 1  site 9DA69, located within a media area, would be fenced inside a vegetative screen prior to clearing and grubbing to prevent accidental damage by construction equipment, and to hide this unusual fencing so as not to attract vandals; 2 construction monitoring of the ridge after the clearing and grubbing phase, would determine if the ridge, after the clearing and grubbing phase, would determine if any additional sites had been missed by the intensive survey. At the conclusion of the 106 process, the Advisory council on Historic Preservation issued a special problem news release (attached) commending the Department and FHWA on how this special problem was handled. All commitments were accomplished in 1983: no additional sites were found and site 9DA69 is protected within the right of way. The fencing surrounding the site is only partially visible through dense vegetation and mitigation for all archaeological resources is completed to the satisfaction of all parties.