The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is in the process of widening U.S. Highway 441 to a four lane-divided highway. As part of the process, cultural resource surveys were conducted in Dodge, Laurens and Wheeler Counties in 1995. The historic Buie turpentine complex was recognized and delineated on U.S. 441 in southern Laurens County, and the GDOT subsequently designed a 5.2 km (3.2 mi) bypass of this eligible National Register District. Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. (SAS) conducted an archeological survey of this particular bypass (Alternate A) in March 2001 and submitted a final report in June 2001. Since that time a second bypass (Alternate B) was proposed by the GDOT. The Alternate B bypass is approximately 5 km (3.1 m) long, but 1.5 km (0.9 mi) runs along the existing route of U.S. 441 on the north end. This 1.5 km (0.9 mi) stretch was surveyed in 1995. SAS returned to conduct an archeological survey of the remaining 3.5 km (2.2 mi) of the proposed Alternate B bypass and its ancillary connecting roads in February of 2002. Our archeological survey recorded one new archeological site, a late nineteenth through early twentieth century house site, and two archeological occurrences. We recommend that this archeological site is ineligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. In conclusion, it is the opinion of the principal investigator that the proposed Alternate B bypass and associated connecting roads will not adversely affect any significant (National Register eligible) archeological resources.
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