Archaeological Reevaluation of Project EDS-545(3), McDuffie County

Project EDS-545(3), McDuffie County has been surveyed with respect to archaeological resources, especially those on or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The purpose of the survey was to locate, identify and evaluate the significance of any archaeological resources within the proposed project's area of potential environmental effect. The proposed Thompson Bypass would construct a bypass east of Thompson in McDuffie County. This project was originally surveyed in 1992 by Brockington and Associates, Inc. and then reevaluated in 2000 and 2001 by GDOT. This survey was concerned with the addition of sediment basins added throughout the project corridor as well as the addition of right-of-way in various locations along the previously surveyed alignment. An archaeological survey (Level 11) was conducted in accordance with "GDOT/FHWA Cultural Resource Survey Guidelines" developed by the GDOT Staff Archaeologists in consultation with DNR Historic Preservation Division Staff and concurred in by the Federal Highway Administration and State Historic Preservation Officer. These guidelines provide general survey boundaries and methodological approaches to archaeological surveys based on the type/scope of work of proposed highway projects and are followed during the initial identification of archaeological resources. No existing or eligible National Register resources were located within the project's area of potential environmental effect. It is concluded, therefore, that the project will have no effect upon archaeological resources on or eligible for inclusion in the NRHP provided that the project conforms to that described above.