Archaeological Reevaluation of Project EDS-545(14)(17)(18), Toombs/Emanuel Cos.

The proposed project would widen a 13 mile section of US 1/SR4 in Toombs and Emanuel Counties. The project corridor begins at the northern city limits of Lyons and extends north to the intersection of US 1/SR4 and 1-16. Existing right-of-way on US 1/SR4 is 100 feet. An additional 100-400 feet of required right-ofway would be required along the existing roadway. The alignment goes on new location to bypass the downtown portion of the city of Oak Park. The original alignment was surveyed by Brockington and Associates in 1993. The Oak Park Bypass portion was surveyed by GDOT in 1998. This reevaluation does not involve changes to the previous area of potential effect. A landowner informed GDOT of a possible missed archaeological resource on his property. As a result of this information, site 9TS(DOT)3, the remnants of a small turpentine still, was recorded. An archaeological survey (Level II) 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.