Additional Phase I Archaeological Survey for the Proposed SR 17 Widening, Stephens and Franklin Counties, Georgia

On June 7, 2011, Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) conducted additional Phase I archaeological survey of the proposed State Route (SR) 17 Widening in Stephens and Franklin counties, Georgia [Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Project Nos. EDS-545(20) & EDS-545(37), P.L Nos. 122110 and 122260]. The additional survey was conducted in response to changes in the proposed design of SR 17 Widening. The project was conducted under a contract with ARCADIS U.S., Inc. for GDOT. The proposed project consists of widening, reconstruction, and the partial relocation of SR 17 from approximately 3.1 miles northwest of the SR 17/lnterstate (I) 85 interchange in Franklin County to just southeast of the SR 17 /Memorial Drive intersection in the City of Toccoa in Stephens County. As part of the project, the existing two and three lane roadway will be widened to a four-lane roadway with a 44-foot depressed median and will be transitioned to a four-lane roadway with a 20-foot raised median as the project approaches Toccoa. The existing right-of-way (ROW) is 100 feet. The proposed ROW varies from 150 to 250 feet. Total project length is approximately 10 miles. Bridges would be constructed where the proposed SR 17 alignment crosses over the Hartwell Railroad line, Eastanollee Creek, and Oggs Branch Creek. A review of the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF) identified two previously recorded archaeological sites, 9ST39 and 9ST223, within a 1-kilometer radius of the project area. Neither of these sites is in the area surveyed for the current project. Three previous surveys have been conducted within a !-kilometer radius of the project corridor, all of which have portions within or crossing the proposed corridor. Project EDS-IM-545 (19)(20), Franklin/Stephens counties and Project EDS-545(37), Stephens County are the initial studies for the current project. No archaeological sites were recorded during these two previous studies. A survey was conducted for the Gum Log Transmission Line and Substation, Franklin and Stephens Counties, Georgia, which crosses the present corridor just south of the town of Martin.

One new archaeological site, 9FK73, a late nineteenth or early twentieth century earthen well and a historic artifact scatter was found during the current study. The site may extend beyond the boundary of the current study, so the limits of 9FK73 could not be determined. For this reason, 9FK73 is recommended as having unknown eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). However, the portion of the site in the corridor is unlikely to produce additional significant archaeological data with further investigation. No further archaeological work is recommended for 9FK73. Based on the results of the additional survey, EPEI recommends that the SR 17 Widening project be allowed to proceed as currently designed as it will have no effect on archaeological resources eligible for the NRHP.