PHASE I ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY FOR SR 85 IMPROVEMENTS FROM SR 279 TO CR 820 / ROBERTS DRIVE, FAYETTE AND CLAYTON COUNTIES, GEORGIA.

In December 2016 and January 2017, Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) conducted a Phase I archaeological survey for the proposed State Route (SR) 85 Improvements from SR 279 to County Road (CR) 820/Roberts Drive project in Fayette and Clayton counties, Georgia (Georgia Department of Transportation [GDOT] P.I. No. 721290; and HP No. 111122-002). The goal of the survey was to locate and evaluate archaeological resources within the area of potential effect (APE) of the proposed undertaking so that potential effects to identified cultural resources could be evaluated in compliance with the Georgia Environmental Policy Act (GEPA).

The project is located in Fayette and Clayton counties between the cities of Riverdale and Fayetteville. The project limits begin just south of SR 279 in Fayette County and extend to just north of Roberts Drive in Clayton County. The proposed project would add one additional lane in each direction for a continuous three lanes in each direction between Pointe South Parkway and Roberts Drive. From SR 279 to Pointe South Parkway, the proposed project would add sidewalks and curb and gutter. The proposed widening would require the existing SR 85 bridges over Camp Creek to be replaced. The existing ROW is approximately 170 feet wide. The total project length

is approximately 3.9 miles along SR 85. Additional ROW and easements would be required, but limits have not been determined. Since this project is in the early conceptual study phase, proposed ROW widths are not yet known. Because these parameters have not been determined, a survey area was provided by designers that would represent the maximum extent of construction. This area was used as the APE for the current Phase I survey. Since an environmental survey area was used for this project, there is no Expanded Survey Corridor (ESC).

Prior to the commencement of fieldwork, a search of the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF) and Georgia’s Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System (GNAHRGIS) online database was made for previously recorded sites within 1 kilometer (.62 mile) of the survey area. Six previously recorded sites are located within 1 kilometer of the survey area. Seven previous archaeological investigations with completed reports submitted to the GASF have been conducted that have portions within the area surveyed for the project. These sites and projects are further discussed in Chapter II of this report.

One previously undocumented archaeological site, 9CN244, was identified during the Phase I survey. Site 9CN244 is a twentieth century historic artifact scatter. Based on a lack of intact deposits and specifically, temporally diagnostic artifacts, the portion of 9CN244 in the survey area does not have the potential to yield information significant to the historic cultural history of the region. For this reason, the portion of 9CN244 in the survey area lacks significant data potential. However, because the archaeological component at 9CN244 could not be assessed beyond the current survey area boundaries, the overall National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) recommendation under Criterion D is unknown. It is recommended that an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) be established for the length of 9CN244 within the survey area due to the site’s unknown eligibility recommendation to protect potential deposits that may lie outside the survey area boundaries.

The proposed project will have no adverse effect on archaeological resources eligible for the NRHP, and therefore it is recommended that the SR 85 improvements project continue as currently designed. No further archaeological work is recommended for the proposed project. If the project design should change to include areas not covered by the current survey, then additional Phase I archaeological survey would be necessary.