Phase I Archaeological Survey of the Proposed I-85 at SR 74/Senoia Road Interchange Reconstruction and Widening Project, Fulton County, Georgia

Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) conducted a Phase I archaeological survey for reconstruction and widening of the interchange of Interstate (I-) 85 at State Route (SR) 74/Senoia Road in Fulton County, Georgia (Georgia Department of Transportation [GDOT] P.I. No. 0007841; HP No. 150310-006) from March 9-13, 2015. The work was completed under a contract with TranSystems through their Atlanta office. The GDOT project includes interchange reconstruction at the existing I-85/SR 74 interchange and widening along SR 74 for approximately 1.4 miles from City Lake Road to Milam Road. The project would modify the SR 74 and I-85 interchange to a partial clover leaf with loop ramps in the southwest and northeast quadrants. The project would also widen SR 74 from 2 to 4 lanes in each direction from the interchange to Harris Road and from 2 to 3 lanes in each direction from Harris Road to Milam Road. Existing right-of-way (ROW) varies from 120 to 140 feet, and proposed required ROW varies from 150 to 200 feet. The project consisted of the area of potential effect (APE) and a 100-foot expanded survey corridor (ESC), hereafter referred to jointly as the survey area. The entire survey area is located in Fulton County and most of the survey area is within the city limits of Fairburn (except for the northeast quadrant of the interchange at I-85). This report presents a record of the Phase I investigation which was conducted in order to locate and evaluate archaeological resources potentially affected by the project.

Prior to fieldwork, background research into the archaeology and history of the project’s environs was conducted in order to establish a context by which site significance could be evaluated. A review of the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF) and Georgia’s Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System (GNAHRGIS) indicated that two previously recorded archaeological sites are within a 1-kilometer radius of the project area, 9FU573 and 9FU574. Subsequent field investigation, which included pedestrian survey, systematic shovel testing, and metal detecting of historic archaeological resources, resulted in the discovery of one new archaeological site, 9FU632, which dates to the Historic period.

The Phase I survey included an evaluation of each site’s information potential and integrity as it relates to eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Archaeological site 9FU632 is recommended not eligible for the NHRP as a result of prior disturbance. Furthermore, 9FU632 does not exhibit integrity or significant information potential. Because no NRHP eligible archaeological sites were identified within the survey area, no adverse effects to NRHP eligible resources are anticipated. No further investigation is presently recommended. However, any modification to the design of the project that extends beyond the current survey area limits may require additional archaeological survey to ensure that any undocumented NRHP eligible resources are not impacted by project development.