Second Addendum to a Phase I Archaeological Survey of the Proposed State Route 82 Bridge Replacement, Jackson County, Georgia

According to the 2015 project description, the project consists of the SR 82 bridge over the North Oconee River (Koch 2015). The project length was 2,000 feet. The bridge was to be replaced at its existing location, and an off-cite detour on existing roadway was to be utilized during construction. The existing right-of-way (ROW) of the SR 82 Spur was 100 feet, and the proposed ROW varied from 100 to 130 feet. VHB (then GT Hill Planners) conducted a Phase I archaeological survey for the project in 2015 (Koch 2015). This survey resulted in negative findings.

After the approval of the 2015 archaeological short form report (Koch 2015), the project was lengthened by 350 feet at the northern end along SR 82. Also, the upper end of the proposed ROW range changed from 130 feet to 127 feet. VHB performed an addendum Phase I archaeological survey for the additional 350 feet at the northern end of the project area (Koch 2016). This addendum survey resulted in negative findings.

More project changes occurred after the addendum archaeological short form (Koch 2016) was approved. The beginning point of the project along SR 82 (the southern portion of the project area) was reduced by 600 feet, the project footprint along the Hurricane Shoals Park Road entrance was reduced by more than 300 feet, and the end point of the project along SR 82 (the northern portion of the project area) was reduced by over 100 feet (Renaud 2016). Additionally, the full width of the required ROW and easements between station # 107+50.00 and 188+00.00 had not been included in the archaeological APE in VHB’s previous Phase I archaeological surveys. The first three changes mentioned above represent reductions in the project APE. The latter change effectively represented an expansion of the project APE, but the expansion was covered by the Expanded Survey Corridor of VHB’s previous Phase I survey efforts. VHB reevaluated the project and provided a memorandum (Renaud 2016) to GDOT outlining the project changes and demonstrating that all project changes took place within previously surveyed areas.

Since VHB’s 2016 memorandum (Renaud 2016) to GDOT was approved, AECOM environmental staff realized that 0.1 acres of the ROW required to implement the project belonged to Hurricane Shoals Park. To implement the project, this property must be converted to transportation use. The impacted park property includes a narrow strip along the SR 82 existing ROW in the southeastern quadrant of the project area. This area was investigated for archaeological resources during VHB’s 2015 Phase I archaeological survey. The Park acquired the property using Land and Water Conservation Funds (LWCF, Section 6[f] funds). Therefore, in order to use the 0.1 acres for the project, a replacement parcel (the APE of the subject survey) must be acquired. The area from which the replacement parcel will be acquired is located northeast of the park at 2219 Wheeler Cemetery Road on a lot owned by Mountain Stream Saddle Club, Inc. (Figure 1). The replacement parcel will be converted from passive frontage use along transportation ROW to use as Section 6(f) property as a direct result of GDOT Project PI No. 0007176.

The 0.1-acre portion of Hurricane Shoals Park that would be converted to transportation ROW is currently grassed/wooded frontage along the SR 82 Spur. There are no facilities, active recreation areas, parking, or structures within this portion of Hurricane Shoals Park. The converted ROW at the proposed bridge replacement would be required for drainage pipe outfalls and rip rap.

The purpose of the partial land acquisition at 2219 Wheeler Cemetery Road is to satisfy Section 6(f) requirements by replacing the park property converted to transportation use. The replacement property is proposed to serve as passive use and temporary overflow parking for events held at Hurricane Shoals Park. No land disturbing activities would occur on this land as a direct result of the construction activities associated with the proposed project. In addition, the LWCF application sponsor, Jackson County, supports the conversion of Section 6(f) land as well as a small portion of the identified replacement parcel as a form of mitigation. Hurricane Shoals Park currently uses lands in this vicinity as overflow parking as needed and the acquisition of this property would benefit Hurricane Shoals Park. This second addendum report details the archaeological survey of the area within which the replacement parcel will be acquired.