Article Title

Short Report On The Intensive Archaeological Survey Of Travis County's Cameron Road Improvements Project Travis County, Texas

Authors

Josh Haefner
Shannon Smith

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

Hicks & Company archaeologists, working on behalf of Travis County, recently conducted an archaeological survey for the proposed Cameron Road Improvements Project from Gregg Lane to State Highway (SH) 130, in Travis County, Texas (Figure 1). According to current design plans, the existing two-lane road is to be expanded to a four-lane arterial road. The existing roadway is an undivided facility with one travel lane in each direction and no shoulders. The proposed project would construct two 3.50 meter (11 feet) wide lanes in each direction, bike lanes, concrete curbs and gutters, and sidewalks on both sides of the road. Other proposed improvements include the addition of new drainage and water quality management infrastructure. Bridge crossings are planned at Gilleland Creek and a tributary of Gilleland Creek. Depth of impacts are expected to be less than a meter for the majority of the alignment; however, support columns at bridge locations would be anchored into consolidated substrate at depths potentially exceeding 7 meters (23 feet). The proposed road improvements project, including realignment of the existing facility at approaches, is approximately 3,428 meters (11,246 feet) in length within a construction corridor that is 33.5 meters (110 feet) in width.

The Cameron Road Improvements Project is being funded by Travis County and, as such, is subject to the Antiquities Code of Texas (ACT). As depicted in Figure 1, in coordination with the Texas Historical Commission (THC), it was determined that only the previously unsurveyed portion of the proposed project would require archaeological survey (see letter Wolfe to Haefner, July 7, 2014 in Appendix A). This requisite survey area begins approximately 40 meters (132 feet) north of the intersection of Cameron Road and Gregg Manor Road and terminates at the intersection of Cameron Road and South Killingsworth Lane, for a total distance of 670 meters (2,198 feet). Investigations were conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit #6960 in accordance with the THC’s and the Council of Texas Archaeologists’ (CTA) guidelines for intensive archaeological survey, with Hicks & Company archaeologists surveying 100 percent of the requisite portion of the proposed project. During the investigations, 19 shovel tests and three backhoe trenches were excavated, with all excavations negative for cultural materials.

Investigations were conducted on August 5 and September 29, 2014, requiring approximately 22 labor hours to complete. Josh Haefner served as Principal Investigator. Josh Haefner, Shannon Smith, and Chris Lamon conducted the survey while, as Geographic Information System (GIS) specialist, Jerod McCleland produced all maps and graphics. This report includes chapters on environmental background, previous surveys and recorded sites, field methodology, and a discussion of the results of the field investigation. These sections are followed by a conclusion containing formal regulatory recommendations. Also included are appendices on regulatory correspondence (Appendix A), locations of shovel tests and backhoe trenches (Appendix B), and shovel test results (Appendix C). As no archaeological sites were documented during the investigations, all project-generated notes, forms, and photographs will be curated at Hicks & Company in Austin, Texas. This report is offered in partial fulfillment of Texas Antiquities Permit #6960.

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