Cultural Resource Survey of Proposed Road Construction and Imporvement Projects in Lee County

TRC Garrow Associates was contracted by Lee County Planning and Development to survey 19 segments of existing and new right-of-way in various portions of Lee County. There are two new roads proposed for construction, extending a total distance of 7.3 miles. There are also 17 segments of dirt roads scheduled to be paved, which total 22.2 miles of linear survey distance. The total linear distance surveyed was 29.5 miles. The scope of the project includes the documentation of archaeological sites within the rightof-way segments and standing structures within the viewshed of the affected areas. Project impacts were assessed, and those properties that were projected to suffer adverse effects were evaluated for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Recommendations for disposition of these resources are presented, based on project impacts and NRHP status. The archaeological survey resulted in the identification of 19 archaeological sites and 48 isolated finds in the project area. An additional two archaeological sites and two cemeteries were documented outside of the survey tracts. None of the sites located on the road segments scheduled to be paved will suffer adverse effects from the proposed undertaking. The portions of the sites that lie in the right-of-way have already been disturbed through earlier road construction activities. The portions of these sites outside the right-of-way were not documented and not evaluated in terms of NRHP eligibility. Nine sites were located along the East-West Connector. These sites were fully documented beyond the boundaries of the proposed right-of-way, and they were evaluated for NRHP status. None of these sites were deemed to be potentially eligible for the National Register, as they are unlikely to yield additional information beyond that obtained during the present survey. The historic architecture survey, which consisted of pedestrian and vehicular investigation of the project's area of potential effects (APE), was undertaken to locate historic architectural resources. The APE was defined as the area in which the proposed segments of the project would physically or visually affect any historic architectural resources. Eleven historic architectural resources were identified in the APE. One of the resources (HS-1) is recommended eligible for the NRHP in accordance with 36 CFR 60.4. The remaining 10 resources are recommended ineligible for the NRHP due to alterations and/or damage. The former Central of Georgia Railway rail corridor (HS-1) is recommended eligible under Criteria A and C. As proposed, the construction of the East-West Connector will facilitate the construction of an at-grade crossing where it intersects with HS-1. In accordance with the criteria of effect and adverse effect in 36 CFR 800.9, it appears that there will be an adverse effect to HS-1. Proposed mitigation measures of this adverse effect might include photographic recordation and preparation of an existing conditions site plan prior to the construction of the crossing.