Phase I Archaeological Survey of the Proposed SR 368/Anderson Highway Bridge Replacement Over Pickens Creek, Elbert County, Georgia

In November 2012, Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. (EPEI) conducted a Phase I archaeological survey (P.I. No. 0009863; HP No. 111027-001) for the proposed State Route (SR) 368/Anderson Highway bridge replacement project in Elbert County, Georgia. The proposed project would replace the structurally deficient, existing two-lane bridge along SR 368 over Pickens Creek. The proposed project consists of the bridge replacement that would be 110 feet long with a deck width of 36 feet. The proposed typical section would consist of two 12-foot travel lanes with 6-foot shoulders (2 feet paved, 4 feet grassed). The project area is mostly wooded with some pastureland and is surrounded by farms and rural residences. The total length of the surveyed area of potential effect (APE) and expanded survey corridor (ESC) is approximately .25 mile. The maximum right-of-way (ROW) width is 130 feet. This surveyed area included all existing and proposed ROW, defined as the APE. The ESC is an additional 100-foot width beyond each side of the identified APE for preliminary engineering purposes. A review of the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF) at the University of Georgia (UGA), in Athens, and of Georgia's Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System (GNAHRGIS) showed no previously identified sites have been recorded within a 1-kilometer radius of the project area. The Phase I archaeological survey for the proposed SR 368/Anderson Highway bridge replacement project resulted in the identification of one previously unrecorded site, 9EB776, an historic bridge. The site is oriented northeast by southwest and measures 75 meters by 20 meters, with a fully defined boundary. No clear association with any other structures or other types of activities was evident that would contribute to the site's integrity of location and association. The lack of artifacts and the eroded nature of the soils indicate poor preservation of what appears to have been an earlier bridge crossing for Pickens Creek prior to the construction of the existing 1941 bridge. No further archaeological work is recommended at this location. Archaeological deposits are lacking and the site possesses low potential to yield contextual data sets that could address significant research questions regarding historic life in Elbert County. Based on our findings, the site is recommended as ineligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).