Phase I Archaeological Survey of SR 204/Abercorn Street Extension Improvements from Veterans Parkway (CR 975) to Rio Road (CS 1201), Chatham County, Georgia

The proposed project would improve SR 204fAbercorn Street Extension from east of Veterans Parkway (CR 975) in unincorporated Chatham County to east of Rio Road (CS 1201) in the City of Savannah. The proposed project length is 1.17 miles, with the project beginning 1,300 feet east of Veterans Parkway (Mile Log 13.82) and ending 500 feet east of Rio Road (Mile Log 14.99). SR 204 currently consists of four lanes, a 20-foot median with concrete barrier, and paved shoulders between Veterans Parkway and Rio Road. SR 204 widens to six lanes 200 feet west of Rio Road. East of Rio Road, SR 204 consists of six lanes, a 20-foot raised median and curb and gutter outside shoulders without sidewalks. The proposed project would improve operations of the Rio Road intersection by extending the eastbound auxiliary lane along SR 204 from east of Veterans Parkway to Rio Road, providing a westbound auxiliary lane from the Veterans Parkway exit ramp to Rio Road, adding a second eastbound to northbound left turn lane, extending the eastbound left turn and right turn lanes and providing a westbound acceleration lane, thereby reducing travel delays along SR 204. The proposed project would also improve the operations of the merge and diverge at the Veterans Parkway ramps. The Forest River bridge would not be widened to accommodate the additional auxiliary lane in each direction. A reduction in crash frequency can be expected as a result of reduced queuing, by providing appropriate length turn lanes at the Rio Road intersection and by eliminating the eastbound lane drop before the Forest River bridge. The project termini were established so as to provide for construction of the auxiliary lanes between the Veterans Parkway ramps and Rio Road and to facilitate the construction of the turn lane improvements at Rio Road.