Phase I Archaeological Survey of the Proposed North Decatur Road Improvements Project, Dekalb County, Georgia

The proposed project would consist of a reconstruction of the existing intersection of Oxford Road and North Decatur Road and Dowman Circle into a roundabout and the reduction of North Decatur Road from four through lanes to two with a center turn lane and bike lanes on both sides. The currently intersection has 5 two-way streets radiating outward. The roundabout will reconfigure this intersection to be 4 two-way streets and will convert Dowman Circle to a one-way entrance to Emory University. The northwest leg of Oxford Road will be reconfigured to land at the intersection slightly more to the north and east of its existing right-of-way. The abandoned right-of-way will be converted to a park with plantings and sidewalks. The roundabout itself will occupy the existing intersection site and include portions of Emory's main entrance from Dowman Circle and sections of the tree grove, flowerbeds and lawn, which flank this entrance to the west. All other right-of-way will remain unchanged (see attached location map). In general, the design will include an approximately 40-foot wide center island with grass and low bushes surrounded by an 8-foot curb and apron to accommodate the turning radii of large trucks and emergency vehicles. Sidewalks will be rebuilt on both sides of all streets. The sidewalks on North Decatur Road will extend approximately 600 feet west to Peavine Creek and 1500 feet east to Clifton Road. New sidewalks on Oxford will extend approximately 250 feet to the northwest and 300 feet to the southeast. Additional improvements include concrete curb and gutter and an 8 to 25 foot sidewalk along the pedestrian crosswalks with pedestrian signals and a 3 to 10 foot wide planting strip with sidewalks along all sides of the roundabout. The streetscaping and roundabout is not a traditional corridor project but a new proposed transportation facility that would replace an existing facility and modify the right-of-way slightly. The proposed project is an egg-shaped ellipse approximately 120 feet wide (east to west) and 100 feet wide (north to south) from the outer edges of the roundabout sidewalk and extended up the various connecting streets 250-1500 feet (see attached location map). The existing right-of-way of 60-80 feet will not change except for the segment of new construction along the northwest leg of Oxford Road.