20171168 Ver 1_Historic/Prehistoric Information_20170911

I NO SURVEY REQUIRED FORM

PROJECT INFORMATION

Project No : STR#870028 County: Transylvania
WBSNo: 17BP.l4 .R.6 Document: Minimum Criteria Sheet
F.A . No: n/a Funding: rzJ State o Federal
Federal (USACE) Permit Required? rzJ Yes 0 No Permit Typ e: Nationwide
Pr oject D escription.Low impact replacement ofBridge No. 28 on SR1316 (Reid Rd) over Morton Creek
in Transylvania County, North Carolina. The structure will be replaced in-place utilizing an off-site
detour during construction activities. There will be minor ditch-line impacts. The archaeological APE for
th e project measures 75ft . from either side ofthe center-line and 300ft . from each bridge end-point.
SUMMARY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES REVIEW
Bri efdescription ofreview activities, r esults ofreview, and conclusions :
A map review and site file search was conducted at the Office of State Archaeology (OSA) on Tuesday,
September 6, 2011. This work disclosed the location of no previously recorded archaeological sites within
the project APE or directly adjacent to the general project area. A review of National Register of Historic
Places (NRHP) properties/districts was completed which identified no such archaeological listed
properties within or abutting the APE/project area. In addition, topographic maps , archaeological and
historical reference materials, NRCS soil survey maps (Tn), aerial photographs (NCDOT/Google),
historic maps (NC Maps website/NCDOT maintained) and the Google street view map application were
inspected/utilized by the cultural resource specialist to gauge archaeological site potential within the
project area and to assess the level of modem, re sidential , agricultural, and further erosive disturbances
that may have formerly impacted any potential site/resource locations.
The APE is characterized by Toxaway silt loam (Tn), a nearly level soil on stream floodplains. This soil
type is subject to frequent but brief periods of flooding and is typically in pasture or cultivation. While
there are no existing archaeological sites within the immediate APE limits, numerous sites were recorded
nearby by Ruth Wetmore (1993) including 31 TV614 (about a mile to the south) and
31TV485,486,591,592,632 (a few miles to the east near Quebec). 31TV614 consisted of an isolated find
(quartzite chopper) recovered from a deflated/graded area, while the remaining sites contained Middle
and Late Archaic site components chiefly. This data supports numerous Archaic stage
occupations/visitations over long periods of time within this localized intermountain area of Transylvania.
As such , the landforms and flat/well -drained surfaces within and adjacent to the project study area would
certainly hold potential for similar occupations. However, as evidenced through examination of aerial
photographs and the utilization of the Google street view map application , disturbances associated with
the exi sting, maintained right-of-way and ditch -lines , residential landscaping, slope , and past land­
clearing/agricultural events would have likely eradicated and jumbled subsurface archaeological data sets
within the APE as currently defined. Therefore, the potential for significant, undisturbed archaeological
deposits and features is low within the project's APE.
"No Survey Required"f orm f or Min or Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2007 Programmatic Agreement.
N CDOT Archaeology & Histone Archite cture Groups
Brief Explanation ofwhy the available information provides a reliable basis for reasonably predicting
that th ere ar e n o unidentified historic properties in th e APE:
The rather diminutive scope of the proposed replac ement/construction effort (in-place wi an off-site
d etour), along with disturbed ground surfaces within a nd surrounding the currently defined AP E make it
very unl ikely that any significant archaeological resources will be affected by the bridge replac ement
project. No further archaeological investigation is warranted for this diminutive, rural, state-fund ed
construction project.
SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION
See att ached : IZI Map(s) IZI Previous Survey Info o Photos DCorrespondence o Photocopy of County Survey N otes
FINDING BY NCDOT CULTURAL RESOURCES PROFESSIONAL
o SUR VEY REO UIRED
N CDOT Cultural Resources Specialist Date
"No Survey Requ ired "fo rm f or M inor Transpo rtation Projects as Qua lified in the 200 7 Prog rammatic Ag reement .
N CDO T Archaeology & Historic Architecture Groups
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