Archeological Reassessment of Project STP-054_1(62), Newton County

The following is being furnished to you for inclusion as written, in the appropriate environmental document: In compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and amendments thereto, project STP-054-1(62), Newton County, has been surveyed with respect to archeological 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 archeological resources within the proposed project's area of potential environmental effect. The original proposed project was surveyed and concurrence received in October of 2000 by GDOT Archaeologist Erica Jeter (Jeter 2000). The original project proposed to reconstruct and realign the intersection of Flat Shoals Road/Steele Road and Henderson Mill Road with SR 36, 3.29 miles south of Covington in Newton County, Georgia. The original project remains the same except for the following: the intersection of Henderson Mill Road with SR 36 has been moved .19 mile south of its current location. Approximately 400' of new alignment and 1.71 acres of required right-of-way is needed for the new alignment of Henderson Mill Road. The total length of this reassessment is 400'. An archeological survey (Level II) was conducted in accordance with GDOT/FHWA Cultural Resource Survey Guidelines developed by the GDOT Staff Archeologists in consultation with DNR Historic Preservation Division Staff and concurred in by the Federal Highway Administration and State Historic Preservation Officer. These guidelines provide general survey boundaries and methodological approaches to archeological surveys based on the type/scope of work of proposed highway projects and are followed during the initial identification of archaeological resources. No existing or eligible National Register resources were located within the project's area of potential environmental effect. It is concluded, therefore, that the project will have no effect upon archeological resources on or eligible for inclusion in the NRHP provided that the project conforms to that described above.