Archaeological Assessment of Project STP-OOMS(414) Coffee/Irwin/Mitchell Counties

In compliance with Section I 06 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and amendments thereto, project STP-OOMS (414), Coffee/Irwin/Mitchell Counties has been surveyed with respect to archaeological resources, especially those on or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The purpose of the survey was to locate, identify and evaluate the significance of any archaeological resources within the proposed project's area of potential environmental effect. Project STP-OOMS (414) would replace the structurally deficient timber pile bents and concrete superstructures at sixteen bridge sites in Coffee, Irwin, and Mitchell Counties. The following" bridge locations would be replaced in Coffee County: CR 219 over Twentynine Mile Creek; CR 143 over Roses Creek; CR 277 over Otter Creek; CR 622 over an unnamed lake; CR 48 over the Satilla River; CR I 09 over Seventeen Mile River; CR 167 over Broxton Creek; CR 198 over “Hurricane Creek; and CR 490 over Seventeen Mile River. The following bridge locations would be replaced in Irwin County: CR 1313 over Satilla Creek; CR 6 over Stump Creek; CR 32 over an unnamed tributary; CR 126 over Reedy Creek; CR 200 over Hat Creek; and CR 200 over Sand Creek. The following bridge location at CR 155 over Raccoon Creek would be replaced in Mitchell County. Project construction at fifteen bridge sites will utilize existing roadbeds for construction and no project related impacts will occur outside of existing right-of-way. At these locations, off-site detours will be utilized for traffic control. A temporary runaround detour will be constructed utilizing minor amounts of easement at CR 622/over unnamed lake for residential right-of-entry. An archaeological survey consistent with the proposed project description was conducted for the entire sixteen bridges in the project corridor.