New South Associates, Inc (New South) conducted an addendum Phase I Archaeological Survey of a proposed roundabout at the intersection of State Route (SR) 9/Dahlonega Highway and SR 369/Bannister Road in Forsyth and Dawson Counties, Georgia. This work was completed for Atkins North America, Inc. (Atkins) on behalf of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) under GDOT PI 0015991. The proposed intersection improvements call for the installation of a single-lane traffic roundabout with pedestrian accommodations. The existing right-of-way (ROW) is a 100-foot-wide corridor along SR 369 and an 80-foot-wide corridor along SR 9; the amount of required ROW is currently undetermined. Therefore, the Phase I Survey took place in an Environmental Survey Boundary (ESB) that was 260-460 feet (80-140 m) wide, and 2,325 feet (709 m) long on SR 9 and 1,125 feet (343 m) on SR 369.
A prior archaeological survey for this project covered an advanced acquisition parcel for the project located at the corner of SR 9 and Bannister Road in Forsyth County. This survey was completed by New South in 2019 and identified Site 9FO604 (Carpenter 2019). The ESB for the current survey encompasses the advanced acquisition parcel and is considered an addendum to the 2019 survey. The current survey was conducted in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (36 CFR 800) and was intended to determine the presence of archaeological resources within the ESB and to evaluate the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)-eligibility of any resources.
New South conducted systematic shovel testing throughout the ESB. One previously recorded site (9FO604) was revisited and reevaluated. No other archaeological resources or cultural properties were identified. Site 9FO604 was initially recommended as having an unknown NRHP eligibility because it was not fully delineated. The evaluated portion, however, did not exhibit significant data potential. After this revisit, New South agrees with the previously eligibility that the portion within the ESB lacks significant data potential. The NRHP eligibility of Site 9FO604 remains unknown because it extends outside the ESB. An Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) should be established to protect the unknown portion of 9FO604 during construction.
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