Second Addendum Phase I Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Improvements to SR 9, from Upper Hembree Road to Windward Parkway, Fulton County, Georgia

On June 20 and September 3, 2014, Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) conducted a second addendum Phase I archaeological survey for the proposed State Route (SR) 9 Improvements project in Fulton County, Georgia. This Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) project proposes to construct a combination of multimodal, operational, and capacity improvements to SR 9 from Upper Hembree Road to Windward Parkway. The total project length is approximately 3.67 miles (5.9 kilometers). These proposed improvements to SR 9 will be completed under two separate, but related, GDOT Project Nos., STP00-0114-01(085) and STP00-0114-01(084), P.I. Nos. 721790 and 721780, respectively. EPEI completed fieldwork for the originally proposed project in June 2009 and for the first addendum in September 2012 (Blackwelder 2012; Pietak and Blackwelder 2009). The results of both surveys were reported on GDOT Archaeological Short Forms for Negative Findings, and received GDOT concurrence in November 2009 and October 2012, respectively. The current second addendum report was undertaken to address changes to the project design since the 2012 survey that include additional easements and right-of-way (ROW). The area of potential effect (APE) for the second addendum consists of new areas that have not been previously investigated totaling 6.01 acres. An expanded survey corridor (ESC) was not investigated for this project because the scope of work was drafted prior to the adoption of the ESC for GDOT archaeological surveys.

Project No. STP00-0114-01(085), P.I. No. 721790 extends from Upper Hembree Road to Academy Street. The project would reconstruct SR 9 between Upper Hembree Road and Old Milton Parkway to a continuous four-lane urban roadway (two lanes in each direction) separated by a median. The typical section would consist of four 10.5-foot (3.2-meter) travel lanes (two in each direction), a 12-foot (3.7-meter) median that would be raised or flush and landscaped in some locations, 16-foot (4.9-meter) shoulders with curb and gutter, a variable width landscape strip, and 8-foot (2.4-meter) multi-use trails. The traffic signals at the intersections of SR 9 at Upper Hembree Road/Northmeadow Parkway, Wills Road, Roswell Street/Maxwell Road, Old Milton Parkway, and Academy Street/Milton Avenue would be upgraded. A new traffic signal would be added to the intersection of SR 9 at relocated Roswell Street/Devore Road. Roswell Road would be closed off at its current intersection with SR 9, and a new intersection at Roswell Road and Devore Road would be constructed. A roundabout is being evaluated at this location. The four side roads, Brady Place, Maxwell Street, Roswell Street, and Devore Road, would be reconstructed to SR 9 at 90 degrees. Left-turn lanes would be provided at all major intersections and right-turn lanes would be provided at the intersections with Upper Hembree Road and Old Milton Parkway. The length of the proposed project is 1.70 miles (2.7 kilometers). The City of Alpharetta has requested a project exception from Old Milton Parkway to Milton Avenue/Academy Street. The city has already improved the section from Old Milton Parkway to Marietta Streets. The section from Marietta Street to Academy Street will be constructed by the City of Alpharetta as included in their plan to reconstruct downtown Alpharetta (i.e., Alpharetta’s Envision Main Street Plan).

Project No. STP00-0114-01(084), P.I. No. 721780 extends from Academy Street to Windward Parkway. The project would widen SR 9 to a continuous four-lane urban roadway (two lanes in each direction) separated by a median. The project typical section would consist of four 10.5-foot (3.2-meter) travel lanes (two in each direction), 8-foot (2.4-meter) asphalt shoulders, a 12-foot median (3.7-meter) that would be raised or flush and landscaped in some locations, 19.5-foot (5.9 meter) shoulders with curb and gutter, a 5-foot (1.5 meter) wide grass strip, and 12 foot multi-use trails for bicycles and pedestrians. Parallel parking would be striped where feasible on the 8 foot asphalt shoulder. The 19.5-foot (5.9 meter) shoulders and 5-foot (1.5 meter) grass strip would allow for planting and lighting. The traffic signals at the intersection of SR 9 at Cumming Street, Mayfield Road, Henderson Village Parkway/Cogburn Road, Lowe’s Shopping Center, and Windward Parkway would be upgraded. Where warranted, new signals would be added to any unsignalized intersection. Left-turn lanes would be provided at all major intersections. Right-turn lanes would be provided at Windward Parkway. The length of the proposed project is 1.97 miles (3.2 kilometers).

Prior to the commencement of fieldwork, a review of the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF) and Georgia’s Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information Systems (GNAHRGIS) database was completed. This search revealed that six previously recorded archaeological sites are located within 1 kilometer of the survey area, none of which are located within the survey area of this additional archaeological survey. These six sites are discussed in greater detail in Chapter II of this report.

During EPEI’s additional survey of SR 9, one previously unrecorded site, 9FU599, was discovered. The site consists of the remains of two middle to late twentieth century structure locations. Shovel testing revealed highly eroded soil conditions and recovered no artifacts. Based on data from the Phase I survey, 9FU599 lacks both context and integrity. The site has suffered further disturbance during the last several decades from large-scale dumping of modern trash and its use as an encampment for homeless individuals. The site could not be delineated fully to the northeast or southwest due to limitations of the APE and its overall NRHP eligibility is unknown under Criterion D. However, due to extensive disturbances and lack of context, the portion of 9FU599 within the APE lacks significant data potential and therefore, there will be no adverse effects to the site.