Addendum to the Phase I Archaeological Survey of the SR 32 over the Flint River Bridge Replacement, Lee and Worth Counties

During August 2010, Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) conducted a Phase I archaeological survey for the proposed improvements to the State Route (SR) 32 bridge over the Flint River in Worth and Lee counties. This survey was conducted as an addendum to the original survey performed by Southeastern Archeological Services (SAS) in 2001 (Patton 2001). Approximately 1.17 miles of linear corridor were surveyed by EPEI (Figure 1.1). The project was conducted for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) under a contract with HNTB Corporation.

A search of the Georgia Archaeological Site Files (GASF) housed at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens conducted prior to the survey work showed that four previously recorded sites have been reported within a 1-kilometer radius of the project area. A total of 131 shovel tests were excavated west of the Flint River in Lee County and 100 shovel tests were excavated east of the Flint River in Worth County. Shovel tests were not excavated in wet or disturbed locations or in areas known to have been previously surveyed by SAS. One previously recorded site, 9LE80, is located in the survey corridor and was identified during the original SAS survey (Patton 2001). Information from this previous survey work was later used to assess our findings. No additional previous surveys have been undertaken within the limits of the project corridor. During the current undertaking, one site previously identified by SAS, 9LE80, was revisited; additionally, one previously unidentified site, 9WO50, and two isolated finds, IF1 and IF2, were detected. Based on our findings, 9LE80 and 9WO50 are recommended as of unknown National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility as their boundaries have not been fully defined beyond the study area. However, based on the low likelihood of the investigated areas to yield significant archaeological information, the portions of these sites located within the current area of potential effect (APE) do not contribute to their overall NRHP eligibility. No additional archaeological investigations are recommended for the APE as defined.