Archaeological Assessment of Project STP-00TS(19), Clarke County

Project STP-OOTS(19) would involve the replacement of existing traffic signals in the city of Athens. This would include 25 intersections along SR 10/Broad Street, Clayton Street, Washington Street, Hancock Street, and Dougherty Street. In conjunction with these traffic signal upgrades, fiber optic cable would be installed along the entire project area utilizing both aerial and subsurface placement. An archaeological survey consistent with the project description was conducted along the entire length of the project corridor on June 2, 1995. The archaeological survey was limited in scope due to the complete urbanization of the project area. Anticipating that potentially eligible archaeological resources might be discovered during the construction of the proposed project, GDOT, with verbal concurrence from the SHPO, added a Special Provision to the construction contract in accordance with 36 CFR 800.11(a) Planning for Discovery. The Special Provision stated: "In accordance with 36 CFR 800.11(a) Planning for Discovery, the Georgia Department of Transportation will ensure that an archaeologist who meets the Secretary of Interior's Guidelines for Professional Qualifications Standards monitor all land disturbing activities including but not limited to excavation and drilling within the proposed project's area of potential environmental effect. The monitoring will include the recovery, recording, and reporting of all subsurface archaeological features or artifact concentrations located. If any such features or concentrations are located during monitoring, land disturbing activity will be halted in the immediate vicinity of the resources to provide no more than five days time for the Department archaeologist, in consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer, to evaluate their significance by applying National Register criteria, and allowing their proper excavation and recovery. The work stoppage will not exceed the minimum time necessary for completion of this work for each occurrence of significant archaeological resources (see Standard Specifications of Road and Bridges, 1993 section 107.13(A), paragraphs 4 and 5)". No existing or eligible National Register archaeological 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".