The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About20240534 Ver 1_Bridge 560152 Madison tribal consultation_20240411d„ss.5SA7F x STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Roy COOPER GOVERNOR February 11, 2022 Russell Townsend Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) 2077 Governors Island Road Bryson City, NC 28713 Acee Watt Section 106 Coordinator United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians PO Box 746 Tahlequah, OK 74465 Elizabeth Toombs Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Cherokee Nation PO Box 948 Tahlequah, OK 74465 Dr. Wenonah Haire (via mail) Catawba Indian Nation Tribal Historic Preservation Office 1536 Tom Steven Road Rock Hill, SC 29730 LeeAnne Wendt Muscogee (Creek) Nation P.O. Box 580 Okmulgee, OK 74447 Dear Sir/Madam, J. ERIC BOYETTE SECRETARY The NC Department of Transportation is conducting project development, environmental, and engineering studies for six (6) proposed bridge replacement projects in Madison County, NC. Bridges 23, 36, 61, 63, 87, and 152 are proposed for replacement due to structural deficiencies. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the lead federal agency for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). A Permit is Mailing Address: Telephone: (828) 250-3000 Location: NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Fax: (828) 251-6394 55 ORANGE STREET DIVISION THIRTEEN Customer Service: 1-877-368-4968 ASHEVILLE, NC 28801-2340 ORANGE STREET ASHEVILLE, NC 28801-2340 Website: www.nedot.gov anticipated under the Section 404 Process with the USACE. Project vicinity maps for the project are attached within the NCDOT Archaeological Reports. The Coordinates of the projects are approximately 35.845858,-82.456324 for Bridge 23, 35.871995,-82.482617 for Bridge 36, 35.833956,-82.668038 for Bridge 61, 35.842905,-82.672344 for Bridge 63, 35.869422,-82.516787 for Bridge 87, and 35.927710, -82.680091 for Bridge 152. We would appreciate any information you might have that would be helpful in evaluating potential environmental impacts of the projects including recommendation of alternates to be studied. Your comments may be used in the preparation of a National Environmental Documentation. In accordance with Section 106 of the NHPA, we also request that you inform us of any historic properties of traditional religious or cultural importance that you are aware of that may be affected by the proposed project. Be assured that, in accordance with confidentiality and disclosure stipulations in Section 304 of NHPA, we will maintain strict confidentiality about certain types of information regarding historic properties. If you have any comments or questions concerning this project or would like any additional information, please contact me at rdblyan2ncdot.gov or 828-250-3005. Please provide your comments by March I Ith for inclusion in the environmental documentation. Sincerely, DOCUSigned by: leo�c v V . t rr& 33212C738EB8411... Roger D. Bryan NCDOT Division 13 Environmental Supervisor cc: Matt Wilkerson, NCDOT Archaeology Team Leader Lori Beckwith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mailing Address: Telephone: (828) 250-3000 Location: NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Fax: (828) 251-6394 55 ORANGE STREET DIVISION THIRTEEN Customer Service: 1-877-368-4968 ASHEVILLE, NC 28801-2340 ORANGE STREET ASHEVILLE, NC 28801-2340 Wehsite: www.ncdot.gov Project Tracking No. 21-12-0011 AN. V(i�. _. N O ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY REQUIRED FORM �f p This form only pertains to ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES for this 9,.£?.° .4':".. project. It is not valid for Historic Architecture and Landscapes. You must consult separately with the Historic Architecture and Landscapes Team. PROJECT INFORMATION Project No: WBS No: Federal Aid No BP13-RO24 BP 13.R024.1 na Federal Permit Required? ® Yes ❑ No County: Madison Document: State MCC Funding: ® State Permit Type: USACE 3Z� ❑ Federal Project Description: The project calls for the replacement ofBridge No. 152 on SR 1318 (Big Laurel Road) over Spillcorn Creek in Madison County. The archaeological Area of Potential Effects (APE) for the project is defined as a 500- foot (152.40 m) long corridor running 250 feet (76.20 m) north and south along Big Laurel Road from the center of Bridge No. 152. The corridor is approximately I50 feet (45.72 m) wide extending 75 feet (22.86 m) on either side of the road from its present center. Although this project is state funded, federal permits are anticipated. Therefore, this archaeological review was conducted pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's Regulations for Compliance (36 CFR Part 800). SUMMARY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES REVIEW Brief description of review activities, results of review, and conclusions: Bridge No. 152 is located north of Marshall in Madison County, North Carolina, and plotted near the center of the White Rock USGS 7.5' topographic quadrangle (Figure 1). A site file search was conducted using data from the Office of State Archaeology (OSA) on December 29, 2021. No previously recorded archaeological sites are within a mile of the bridge. According to the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) online data base (11POWEB 2021), there are no known historic architectural resources within the APE that may yield intact archaeological deposits. Topographic maps, USDA soil survey maps, aerial photographs (NC One Map), and historic maps (North Carolina maps website) were further examined for information on environmental and cultural variables that may have contributed to precontact or historic settlement within the project limits and to assess the level of ground disturbance. Bridge No. 152 and Big Laurel Road are situated roughly north to south crossing over Spillcorn Creek (Figure 2). The stream flows south and drains into Big Laurel Creek. These waterways are part of the French Broad drainage basin. The project area is located along steep slopes that are found on either side of the creek. The current road has been cut into the hillsides with fill deposited downslope. Aerial images show the APE as forested. The USDA soil survey map for Madison County reports that the hillsides are made up of the Buladean- Chestnut complex (BnF) and the Toecane-Tusquitee complex (TsD) (USDA NRCS 2021) (see Figure 2). Although well drained, slope is reported at 15 to 30 percent for the Toecane-Tusquitee complex and 50 to 95 percent for the Buladean-Chestnut complex. Landforms with a slope of 15 percent or more are not typically tested, since the subsurface along these steep slopes are unlikely to yield evidence of early settlement activities. 2020PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENTARCHAEOLOGYTEAM "NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYREQUIRED"FORM 1 of 6 Project Tracking No. 21-12-0011 A review of the site files identified no sites within a mile of the project. This is due to a lack of previous archaeological investigations. Although further work is needed in the region, the current project area is not likely to produce positive results for significant resources due to the steep terrain and disturbance from the road cut. A historic map review was also carried out. Most early maps provide only general details concerning the region illustrating just major roads and settlements. An approximate location for the project was first identified on the 1901 USGS Asheville topographic map (Figure 3). This map depicts a road following an alignment like Big Laurel Road with a crossing at or near the current bridge. All nearby structures and features including a mine are well away from the project area. The subsequent 1936 Soil Survey Map for Madison County shows a similar picture as do later highway maps ([learn et al. 1936) (Figure 4). It is very unlikely that significant historic deposits are present. Brief Explanation of why the available information provides a reliable basis for reasonably predicting that there are no unidentified historic properties in the APE: The defined archaeological APE for the proposed replacement of Bridge No. 152 is situated along steep mountain slopes. It is unlikely intact and significant archaeological deposits will be present within the project area due to slopes of 15 percent or more and disturbance from the road cut. In addition, the historic maps suggest that no former historic structures and/or features are in the area. As long as impacts to the subsurface occur within the defined APE, no further archaeological work is recommended for the replacement of Bridge No. 152 in Madison County. If construction should affect subsurface areas beyond the defined APE, further archaeological consultation might be necessary. This project falls within a North Carolina County in which the Catawba Indian Nation, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Cherokee Nation, the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, and Muscogee (Creek) Nation have expressed an interest. We recommend that you ensure that this documentation is forwarded to the tribe using the process described in the current NCDOT Tribal Protocol and PA Procedures Manual. SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION See attached: ® Map(s) ❑ Previous Survey Info ❑ Photos ❑Correspondence Other: FINDING BY NCDOT ARCHAEOLOGIST: NO ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED C. Damon Jones NCDOT ARCHAEOLOGIST II December 30, 2021 Date 2020 PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT ARCHAEOLOGY TEAM "NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYREQUIRED " FORM 2of6 Project Tracking No. 21-12-0011 REFERENCES CITED Hearn, Edward, Eugene Goldston, William Davis, C.W. Croom, and Samuel Davidson 1936 Soil Map for Madison County, North Carolina. U.S. Department of Argiculture, Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. On file at North Carolina Collections, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. HPOWEB 2021 North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office GIS Web Service. ha://aisNCDCR.gov/hpoweb/. Accessed December 29, 2021. United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Services (USDA NRCS) 2021 Madison County Soil Survey. Available online at http://webosilsurvey.nres.usda.gov/app/. Accessed December 29, 2021. United States Geological Survey (USGS) 1901 Asheville, North Carolina -Tennessee 30 minute quadrangle map. Reprinted in 1907. 2016 White Rock, North Carolina 7.5 minute quadrangle map. 2020 PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT ARCHAEOLOGY TEAM "NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYREQUIRED " FORM 3 of 6 Project Tracking No. 21-12-0011 Figure 1. Topographic Setting of the Project Area, White Rock (2016), NC USGS T5 Topographic Quadrangle. 2020 PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT ARCHAEOLOGY TEAM "NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYREQUIRED " FORM 4of6 Project Tracking No. 21-12-0011 Figure 3. The 1901 USGS Asheville topographic map showing the location of the project area. y S Hmh _ Project Area S. � nr , wig a SG A Aau el Sep J a= PIV' 4 �� Rs P •. PI A � Hmh 'G ' A` ; m S C��" Hmh' e.a ) SG C H m .;G 4 41 u rr Figure 4. The 1936 Soil Map for Madison County showing the location of the project area. 2020 PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT ARCHAEOLOGY TEAM "NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY REQUIRED" FORM 6of6