Phase I Archaeological Survey in Advance of a Proposed Roundabout on R 53 at CR 433/New Cut Road and CR 181/Ednaville Road, Jackson County, Georgia

In March and October 2020, Edwards-Pitman, Inc. (EP) conducted a Phase I archaeological survey of the proposed Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) intersection improvement project at State Route (SR) 53 and County Road (CR) 433/New Cut Road and CR 181/Ednaville Road in Jackson County, Georgia. The project is designated as GDOT Pl 0016065 and was completed for GDOT under contract with Arcadis. The purpose of this survey is to identify archaeological sites and evaluate their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) to facilitate cultural resource management decisions.

The proposed project is located at the intersection of SR 53 at CR 433/New Cut Road and CR 181 /Ednaville Road in Jackson County, approximately 2.6 kilometers (km)(} .6 miles [mi]) north of Braselton, Georgia. The proposed project would replace the existing two-way stop with an elliptical roundabout. The existing typical section consists of two 3-3.7-meter (m) (10-12 foot [ft]) lanes (one lane in each direction) along SR 53, CR 433/New Cut Road, and CR 181/Ednaville Road. The existing speed limit is 88.5 kilometers per hour (kph) (55 miles per hour [mph]). The proposed typical section consists of two 3. 7 m (12 ft) lanes (one lane in each direction) and a 1.5 m (5 ft) sidewalk. The elliptical roundabout would consist of a 48.8 m (160 ft) major axis and 39.6 m (130 ft) minor axis, inscribed diameters, one 5.5-6.1 m (18-20 ft) wide circulating lane (one lane in each direction), a 4.6-9.1 m (15-30 ft) wide truck apron, and mountable truck blisters on the north, east, and west quadrants of the roundabouts. Curb and gutter would be installed along the outside of the roundabout with the mountable curb along the inside of the truck apron blisters. The proposed speed limit would be 88.5 kph (55 mph). In October 2020, the design was expanded along CR 181/Ednaville Road to include rumble strips on the approach to the intersection. The proposed project would be 0.5 km (0.3 mi) in length. Existing right-of-way (ROW) ranges measures approximately 24.4 m (80 ft) along SR 53, 19.8-21.9 m (65-72 ft) along CR 181/Ednaville Road, and 30.5 m (100 ft) along CR 433/New Cut Road. Proposed ROW varies 24.4-47 .9 m (80-157 ft) along SR 53, 24.4-43.3 m (80-142 ft) along CR 181/Ednaville Road, and 30.5-34.4 m (100-113 ft) along CR 433/New Cut Road.

EP's Phase I archaeological survey identified three previously unrecorded archaeological sites: 9JK328, 9JK329, and 9JK330. Site 9JK328 is an early to mid-twentieth century historic well/house site. Since delineation could not be completed to the north due to survey limits, its eligibility for the NRHP is unknown under Criterion D. Site 9JK329 is a nineteenth to early twentieth century historic artifact scatter located at the northwest corner of the survey area. The investigated portion of the site lacks integrity and data potential; however, the site could not be fully delineated and its NRHP eligibility is unknown under Criterion D. Site 9JK330 is the historic Braselton Church of God of Prophecy cemetery. As no subsurface investigations were conducted within the cemetery boundary, EP has no basis for evaluating the site under Criterion D; therefore, its NRHP eligibility is unknown under D. For the associated Historic Resources Survey Report (HRSR), EP's historians have also evaluated the cemetery and have recommended it ineligible for the NRHP under Criteria A and C, with no basis for evaluation under Criterion B (EP 2020).