Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Widening and Reconstruction of I-75, Bibb County, Georgia

In early February 2002, Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. (SAS) conducted an intensive archeological survey of the proposed widening of a 5 km (3.3 mi) length of 1-75 from Pierce Avenue to Arkwright Road in Macon, Georgia. The project will increase the number of lanes on 1-75 from four to six. The width of the proposed right-of-way for most of the project length is approximately 130 m (426 ft), which extends the required right-of-way approximately 31 m (102 ft) east and 70 m (228 ft) west from the respective edges of existing 1-75 pavement. Interchanges at North Pierce Avenue and Arkwright Road and its connecting roads also will be modified. Most of the required right-of-way west of 1- 75 is comprised of Riverside Drive, which runs parallel with 1- 75, leaving only 12 m of right-of-way beyond the Riverside Drive pavement. Nearly half of this portion of the project area on the north end was recently surveyed by SAS (Gresham 2001) and the remaining southern portion has been heavily modified from road construction, maintenance and roadside development. The eastern right-of-way also was very heavily modified from 1-75 construction and adjacent development, but more opportunities existed for archeological inspection. Archival sources indicate that Riverside Drive was built just prior to 1950 and 1-75 was not constructed until the 1960s. Only one potential historic resource (50 year old structure) was identified in archival sources and it has been completely obliterated by modern development. No archeological sites have been previously recorded in the project area. Our survey of the limited, relatively intact project area encountered only one archeological occurrence. It is the opinion of the principal investigator that the proposed widening project will not adversely affect any significant (i.e., eligible to the National Register) archeological resources and should be given clearance to proceed.