20191337 Ver 1_I-5507 No Archaeological Survey Required Form_20191004

Project Tracking No.:
15-10-0041
o4 NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY REQUIRED FORM1
This form only pertains to ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES for this project. It is notes
valid for Historic Architecture and Landscapes. You must consult separately with the 0
:..: .
Historic Architecture and Landscapes Group.
PROJECT INFORMATION
Project No: I-5507
WBS No: 43609.1.1
F.A. No: NHS-0485(30)
Federal Permit Required?
County: Mecklenburg
Document: CE
Funding: ® State ® Federal
❑ Yes ❑ No Permit Type: Not Listed
Project Description: The NCDOT proposes improvements to add one express lane in each direction
along I-485 from I-77 to US 74 (Independence Boulevard) in Mecklenburg County. The project length is
17 miles. The purpose of the project is to provide travel time reliability along I-485. This segment of I-
485 carries between 65,000 and 112,000 vehicles per day and experiences congestion on a regular basis.
The proposed express lanes will, in combination with improvements proposed on Independence
Boulevard, give motorists the option of paying a fee for a reliable trip time on I-485 between I-77 and US
74.
SUMMARY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES REVIEW
Brief description of review activities, results of review, and conclusions:
The State Historic Preservation Office/Office of State Archaeology has previously reviewed the proposed
project (ER 13-2793), and are aware of no historic resources that would be affected by the project.
Therefore, their office had no comment and recommended no further identification work be conducted.
However, if the project were to be revised to include new ROW or additional noise wall, further review
would be required. Thus, a additional map review and site file search was conducted at the Office of
State Archaeology (OSA) on Monday, November 9, 2015. Various archaeological surveys have been
conducted as part of the Charlotte Outer Loop (e.g. TIPs# R-211, U-2510A, and R-2123), and as a result
of those surveys, numerous archaeological sites have been recorded along the interstate corridor and
within one-half (1/2) mile of the proposed project. Digital copies of HPO's maps (Charlotte West, Fort
Mill, Weddington, and Matthews Quadrangles) as well as the HPOWEB GIS Service
(http://gis.ncdcr.gov/hpoweb/) were last reviewed on Thursday, November 19, 2015. Although various
known historic architectural resources are located along the project corridor, intact archaeological
deposits associated with such resources are not anticipated within the footprint of the proposed project. In
addition, topographic maps, historic maps (NCMaps website), USDA soil survey maps, and aerial
photographs were utilized and inspected to gauge environmental factors that may have contributed to
historic or prehistoric settlement within the project limits, and to assess the level of modern, slope,
agricultural, hydrological, and other erosive -type disturbances within and surrounding the archaeological
APE.
`No ARCHAEOLOGYSUR VEY REQUIRED "form for Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 200712015 Programmatic Agreement.
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Project Tracking No.:
15-10-0041
Brief Explanation of why the available information provides a reliable basis for reasonably predicting
that there are no unidentified historic properties in the APE:
Both Federal and State funds will be used as part of this project. The need for a Federal permit was not
known at the time of submittal; however, temporary easements will be necessary. At this time, we are in
compliance with NC GS 121-12a since there are no eligible (i.e. National Register -listed) archaeological
resources located within the project's Study Area that would require our attention. Based on the size of
the Study Area, proposed activities may take place outside the NCDOT's existing ROW in certain
locations along the highway corridor. From an environmental perspective, the Study Area falls within a
highly urbanized area and consists of the gently rolling terrain typical of North Carolina's Southern
Piedmont physiographic region. Numerous soil types are present throughout the Study Area, with most
soil conditions (urban/disturbed, eroded, slopes, and somewhat poorly drained) not favorable for
preserving intact archaeological sites/resources. Preservation of archaeological materials within these soil
type areas is likely to be poor. Many of the sections of the Study Area that fall in areas of favorable
conditions, however, have already been subjected to archaeological investigations either as part of the
original survey for what was then I-77 (TIP# R-211) or for later studies along the interstate (TIP# R-
2123) or adjacent roads (TIP# U-2510A). Any remaining areas that could have been potentially surveyed
were ruled out after reviewing aerials from 1993, 1998, and 2015, which revealed a significant amount of
erosion and development. Other areas may have been previously ruled out by OSA as part of their
environmental review for cell towers and wetland locations. Based on the presence of urban/disturbed/
eroded/sloped/poorly drained soils and the fact that a large portion of the Study Area was previously
surveyed, it is believed that the current Study Area, as depicted, is unlikely to contain intact and
significant archaeological resources. No archaeological survey is required for this project; the No Survey
recommendation stated by NC-HPO in their memo of December 5, 2013 remains valid. If design plans
change or are made available prior to construction, then additional consultation regarding archaeology
will be required. At this time, no further archaeological work is recommended. If archaeological
materials are uncovered during project activities, then such resources will be dealt with according to the
procedures set forth for "unanticipated discoveries," to include notification of NCDOT's Archaeology
Group. Please take note that the Study Area outline bisects the Dinkins Family Cemetery (Site
31MK273**), which has been deemed to possess special significance in terms of Charlotte and
Mecklenburg County history. Thus, the Dinkins Family Cemetery should be avoided; all project
activities should not take place within the vicinity of the cemetery (to include, but not be limited to, the
storage of materials and/or equipment and vehicles).
SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION
See attached: ❑ Map(s) ❑ Previous Survey Info
❑ Photocopy of County Survey Notes
FINDING BY NCDOT ARCHAEOLOGIST
NO ARCHAEOLOGY SUR VEY REQ UIRED
NCDOT ARCHAEOWIST II
❑ Photos ❑Correspondence
Other:
November 19, 2015
Date
`No ARCHAEOLOGYSUR VEY REQUIRED "form for Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 200712015 Programmatic Agreement.
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