Phase I Archaeological Survey in Advance of Proposed Improvements for the SR 3/US 41 from CS 1704/Tech Pkwy to CS 696/Hemphill Ave Project, Fulton County, Georgia

Edwards-Pitman, Inc. (EP) completed a Phase I archaeological survey for the proposed improvements to State Route (SR) 3/United States (US) Highway 41/Northside Drive (SR 3), from City Street (CS) 1704/Tech Parkway (Tech Parkway) to CS 696/Hemphill Avenue (Hemphill Avenue), in Fulton County, Georgia (PI No. 0015288). The survey was conducted in November 2020 and sought to identify archaeological sites in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and in accordance with the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT’s) Environmental Procedures Manual (GDOT 2013) and Georgia Council of Professional Archaeologists (GCPA) standards (GCPA 2019).

The project proposes to reconfigure SR 3 between Tech Parkway and Hemphill Avenue from six lanes to four lanes with a center flush median for a project length of 0.75 mile (mi) (1.2 kilometers [km]). The project would include intersection modifications along the corridor, most notably at the intersection cluster of SR 3, 14th Street, and Hemphill Avenue, which would be simplified to provide additional flexibility for signal timing. The existing right-of-way (ROW) along the SR 3 corridor varies from 85 to 190 feet (ft) (25.9 to 57.9 meters [m]) in width. Design is expected to remain mostly within existing ROW and additional ROW/easement for a potential wall at the end of the project in front of the Georgia Power property should still be less than the maximum 190 ft (57.9 m) since the existing ROW in front of the Georgia Power Company property is approximately 90 ft (27.4 m). The modifications proposed at each intersection along the corridor are listed below:

• SR 3 at 8th Street: The project would update striping and add signage.

• SR 3 at 10th Street: This project would reconfigure 10th Street to allow for dedicated eastbound and westbound left turn lanes while restricting westbound traffic to one through lane at the intersection.

• SR 3 at 11th Street: A restricted crossing U-turn (RCUT) median would be constructed to restrict left turns from 11th Street.

• SR 3 at Ethel Street: A RCUT median would be constructed to restrict left turns from Ethel Street.

• SR 3 at 14th Street: A northbound right turn lane would be constructed on SR 3 and the southbound left turn lane on SR 3 would be extended through the Hemphill Avenue intersection to provide 500 ft (152.4 m) of storage length.

• SR 3 at Hemphill Avenue: A median would be added between SR 3 northbound and southbound traffic rerouting left turns from SR 3 to the 14th Street intersection. Hemphill Avenue would be converted to allow northbound traffic only. The intersection would remain signalized. 

• SR 9/14th Street at Hemphill Avenue: Hemphill Avenue northbound would be restriped to allow two through lanes through the intersection.

The project design team at Alfred Benesch & Company (Benesch) provided the project boundaries, which represent an Environmental Survey Boundary (ESB) that encompasses all areas of currently known and foreseeable ground disturbance. The ESB along SR 3 measures approximately 1.5 km (0.9 mi) in length with widths ranging from 90 to 164 m (295.3 to 538.1 ft). The ESB along 14th Street measures approximately 0.3 km (0.2 mi) in length with widths ranging from 36 to 40 m (118.1 to 131.2 ft). The ESB along Hemphill Avenue measures approximately 0.2 km (0.1 mi) in length with widths ranging from 66 to 72 m (216.5 to 236.2 ft). The ESB along 10th Street measures approximately 0.4 km (0.2 mi) in length, with the width being approximately 45 m (147.6 ft). The total area of the ESB is 18.4 hectares (ha) (45.4 acres [ac]). As this project is in its early development stages, any changes extending outside of this ESB will require additional assessment. When the design is complete, the project Area of Potential Effect (APE) will likely be smaller than the ESB. Hereinafter, the ESB will also be referred to as the survey area.

The Phase I archaeological survey resulted in the identification of one new archaeological site, 9FU818, as well as one Isolated Find (IF1). Site 9FU818 is a former residential structure constructed between 1911 and 1928 and demolished by 1981. The remaining features include a set of concrete stairs, a concrete retaining wall with at least one visible repair episode, and an asphalt drive. Two machine-cut bricks were collected from the surface near the wall repair, while one positive shovel test contained brick fragments, mortar, coal, and a coal clinker. The site is located within the Northside Drive Auto Row District, which was determined ineligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) (VHB 2016). The portion of 9FU818 within the survey area lacks significant data potential in relation to early to mid-twentieth century residential development in Atlanta. However, as only the portion of the site within the survey area was investigated, the site’s overall NRHP eligibility under Criterion D remains unknown. It is recommended that the unknown portions of the site be protected by the establishment of an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) and demarcated with Orange Barrier Fencing (OBF) along the not yet established APE for the length of the site in order to prevent any inadvertent impacts from construction. The Isolated Find (IF) is a single undecorated ironstone sherd recovered from within the NRHP-listed Atlanta Waterworks Hemphill Station and the NRHP-eligible Atlanta Waterworks District boundaries.

Isolated finds are not considered archaeological sites by GCPA (2019) standards and are not considered eligible for listing in the NRHP; therefore, no further work is recommended for IF1.