ADDENDUM REPORT FOR A PHASE I ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY FOR THE I-285 EASTSIDE EXPRESS LANES, DEKALB COUNTY, GEORGIA, PI No. 0013914, HP-180604-002

This document represents an addendum to the previous report by TerraXplorations, Inc. (TerraX), submitted in November 2019 for a Phase I archaeological survey, for the Interstate (I)-285 Eastside Express Lanes project in DeKalb County, Georgia, PI No. 0013914 under contract with Atkins North America (DeFrancisco et al. 2019). This survey was conducted on behalf of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA [16 USC 470 to 470w-6]). The primary purpose of the Phase I archaeological resources survey was to locate and evaluate the eligibility of any archaeological resources (artifacts or features ≥50 years old) within the survey area for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Four discrete areas were identified where construction limits are anticipated to reach beyond the previously established Extended Survey Corridor (ESC) for PI No. 0013914. These areas are located along the western approach of Henderson Road, the eastern and western approach of Lavista Road, and the western approach of Redan Road along I-285. The addendum survey was performed between January 13–15, 2020, by Shaun E. West, Co-Principal Investigator, with Paul D. Jackson also acting as Co-Principal Investigator. The addenda survey areas include an Area of Potential Effects (APE), which encompasses the existing and proposed right-of-way (ROW) for the extension areas, as well as a 100-foot (ft) ESC. The APE within the proposed addenda survey areas together encompass approximately 6.92 acres (roughly 2.80 hectares [ha]). The proposed addenda ESC areas collectively cover approximately 13.62 acres (roughly 5.51 ha). Total acreage for the four addenda survey areas is approximately 20.54 acres (roughly 8.31 ha).

The Phase I investigation consisted of standard (30-meter [m]) interval shovel testing coupled with visual inspections. This included the placement of 118 standard interval shovel tests. Of the total 118 attempted standard interval shovel tests, none were positive for artifacts, 69 were negative, and 49 were not excavated as they fell atop various obstructions. The Phase I addenda survey did not identify any new archaeological resources within the survey areas, although two previously recorded sites (9DA171 and 9DA343) are located within the survey area along Lavista Road, west of I-285.

Site 9DA171 represents the William Griffin Henderson Family Cemetery, a mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth century family cemetery recorded during the initial PI No. 0013914 survey efforts. The NRHP eligibility of 9DA171 was considered unknown and the site was designated an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) (see DeFrancisco et al. 2019). Since the site was recently surveyed, a revisit of 9DA171 was not considered necessary during the addendum survey reported herein.

Site 9DA343 is a previously recorded archaeological site with unknown temporal or cultural affiliation. Close (15-m) interval shovel testing was performed along the boundaries of 9DA343 within the survey area. Shovel testing and visual inspections in the site vicinity did not produce any cultural materials or identify any archaeological features. Because 9DA343 extends beyond the project limits and was unable to be fully investigated, and because the original 9DA343 site form provides no NRHP recommendation, the NRHP eligibility recommendation for 9DA343 is considered unknown under Criterion D.

In addition to the addendum survey efforts reported herein, fieldwork was also conducted at site 9DA176, the Farmer Family Cemetery, on February 10, 2020. This fieldwork represented a joint effort between TerraX and Edwards-Pitman Environmental personnel associated with GDOT PI Nos. 00013914 and 0017129, respectively, as the newly discovered cemetery is located within the survey areas of both projects. TerraX’s contributions to the February 10, 2020 fieldwork included soil probe testing within the vicinity of the potential cemetery, and these efforts are included in the full report for the Advanced Improvement Project (AIP) PI No. 0017129 (Hinson 2020).

In accordance with the GDOT Environmental Procedures Manual, TerraX recommends that the portions of 9DA343 located outside of the project ESC be designated an ESA and be avoided by any project construction activities. TerraX also recommends that the contractor install orange barrier fencing (OBF) along the ESC bordering 9DA343 in order to clearly demarcate and avoid this resource. TerraX maintains the previous recommendation of full avoidance of site 9DA171, with the legal parcel containing the site designated an ESA and marked with OBF along the existing ROW for the length of the site (see DeFrancisco et al. 2019). The resulting NRHP and ESA recommendations for this addendum survey are summarized in Table I.