Phase I Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Signal Upgrades to 20 Intersections , Lumpkin, Towns, Union, and White Counties, Georgia

During July, September, and October 2011, Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) conducted an archaeological survey for the proposed signal upgrades to 20 intersections in Lumpkin, Towns, Union, and White counties, Georgia (Georgia Department of Transportation [GDOT] Project No. CSSTP-0007-00(495), P.I. No. 0007495). This project was conducted under a contract with Wolverton and Associates for the GDOT. The Lumpkin County intersection survey areas include Intersection 1: State Route (SR) 52 at SR 115/Longbranch Road; Intersection 2: SR 60 (S. Chestatee Street) at SR 400/SR 115 (Longbranch Road); Intersection 3: SR 400 at Burnt Stand Road; Intersection 4: SR 9/SR 52 (Morrison Moore Parkway) at West Main Street; Intersection 5: SR 9/SR 52 (Morrison Moore Parkway) at SR 60 (Chestatee Street); Intersection 6: SR 9/SR 52/SR 60 (Morrison Moore Parkway) at East Memorial Drive/Pinetree Way; Intersection 7: SR 9/SR 52/SR 60 at SR 9 Business (Wal-Mart); Intersection 8: SR 9/SR 52/SR 60 (Morrison Moore Parkway) at SR 52; and Intersection 9: SR 9 Business (East Main Street) at SR 9 Business (Grove Street). The Towns County intersection survey areas include Intersection 10: SR 2 at SR 66 (Murphy Street)/College Street; Intersection 11: SR 2/United States (US) 515 at SR 17/US 515; Intersection 12: SR 2/SR 17 at SR 288 (Sunnyside Road); Intersection 13: SR 2/SR 17 (North Main Street) at SR 75 (Bell Creek Road); and Intersection 14: SR 2/SR 17/SR 75 (North Main Street) at River Street. The Union County intersection survey areas include Intersection 15: SR 2/US 515 at SR 11 (Murphy Highway); Intersection 16: SR 2/US 515 at Young Harris Street; Intersection 17: SR 2/US 515 at Industrial Boulevard; and Intersection 18: SR 11 (Murphy Highway) at SR 325 (Nottely Dam Road). The White County intersection survey areas include Intersection 19: SR 11 at Westmoreland Road and Intersection 20: SR 115 (Clarksville Highway) at SR 384 (Duncan Bridge Road). The proposed improvements are as follows: The scope of work varies at each intersection. Most intersections would receive upgrades and improvements that would consist of new span wires, back plates, quadropole or setback loops, overhead street signs, stop bar and crosswalk striping, new strain, pedestrian, or joint use poles, wheelchair ramps, and new cabinet and controller hardware. Improvements vary from intersection to intersection, as well as the location at each intersection. All pedestrian improvements including signal heads, sidewalks, and wheelchair ramps would be constructed in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. All construction is anticipated to occur within existing right-of-way (ROW). However, as detailed plans are developed, small areas of ROW may be required at some intersections. These areas will be examined in a subsequent re-evaluation if necessary. Lumpkin, Towns, Union, and White Counties Intersections Survey II. The goal of the survey was to locate and evaluate archaeological sites within the area of potential effect (APE) and expanded survey corridor (ESC) of the proposed undertaking so that potential effects to identified resources could be evaluated in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. At Intersection 2, SR 400 at SR 60, a small portion of the project area is situated on United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) property. For this reason, EPEI applied for and obtained an Archaeological Resources Protection Act permit in order to conduct survey (Permit No. DACWO1-4-11-0477). A stipulation of this permit required that EPEI staff examine any artifacts recovered in the field and immediately return them to their original location. Research at the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF) in Athens indicated that 45 previously recorded sites are located within a 1-kilometer radius of the intersection survey areas in Lumpkin, Towns, and Union counties. No sites are located within a 1-kilometer radius of the White County intersection survey areas. Two sites are located within two of the intersection survey areas. Site 9LU7 is located in the Intersection 2: SR 60 (S. Chestatee Street) at SR 400/SR 115 (Longbranch Road) survey area in Lumpkin County. Site 9UN41 is located in the Intersection 16: SR 2/US 515 at Young Harris Street survey area in Union County. These two sites were revisited during the current survey. Site 9LU7 is located at the Intersection 2: SR 400 at SR 60 survey area. EPEI's survey extended the site boundaries to the northeast and the site contains a midden deposit. Therefore, EPEI recommends that the portion of the site investigated is potentially contributing to the NRHP. The site is not located in the APE and will not be affected by the proposed project. Site 9UN41 is located at the Intersection 16: SR 2 at Young Harris Street survey area. During EPEI's current survey, the site appears to have been destroyed by road construction and commercial development. No traces of the site were found. EPEI recommends that the portion of the site within the survey area is non-contributing to the NRHP. However, portions of the site may remain outside the survey area. Therefore, the overall NRHP eligibility is unknown. If the project's design changes to include areas not surveyed by the current undertaking, additional fieldwork would be required.