Phase 1 Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Lower Roswell Road Sidewalks in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Gold Branch Unit, Cobb County, Georgia

During April and May 2010, Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) conducted a Phase I archaeological survey of the proposed Lower Roswell Sidewalks in the Gold Branch Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA). The purpose of Cobb County Department of Transportation (CCDOT) Project D6140 is to provide safety, operational, and geometric improvements, including a multi-use trail, to Lower Roswell Road from Davidson Road to the Fulton County line (Timber Ridge Road). Although no additional right-of-way (ROW) or transfer of land ownership would be required for construction, through an agreement between the National Park Service (NPS) and Cobb County, access would be granted to 1.45 acres within the boundary of CRNRA Gold Branch Unit for placement of fill, trail construction, and access for maintenance of the trail. The project required archaeological survey of land managed by the NPS under ARPA Permit No. CHAT-2010-002 and SEAC Accession No. 02293. The goal of the survey was to locate and evaluate archaeological sites within the Area of Potential Effect (APE) of the proposed undertaking, so that potential effects to any resources identified could be evaluated in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. A review of the Georgia Archaeological Site Files (GASF) site files at the University of Georgia in Athens showed that 15 sites are located within a 1 kilometer (km) radius of the project area. The proposed project would have no effect on these sites as they are outside the APE of the present undertaking. No archaeological sites or isolated finds were identified during the current survey. Based on the results of the survey, EPEI recommends that no further archaeological work be undertaken unless the project is extended beyond its current boundary and additional archaeological survey would be warranted.