"Intensive Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Foster Road Project, S" by Virgina Moore

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Article Title

Intensive Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Foster Road Project, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

Authors

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

On behalf of the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority (Alamo RMA), Pape-Dawson conducted an intensive archaeological survey of a 2.53-kilometer (km) (1.57-mile) segment of North Foster Road in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The proposed project will extend along North Foster Road from Interstate 10 (IH 10) to East Houston Street (Farm-to-Market [FM] Road 1346), and will include expanding the existing twolane road to a four-lane road, consisting of two 3.7-meter (m) (12-foot [ft]) travel lanes, with a 1.8-m (6- ft) shoulder in each direction. The Area of Potential Effects (APE) is defined as the footprint of the existing right-of-way (ROW), proposed new ROW, permanent drainage easements, and temporary construction easements at several driveways. The ROW width varies between 24.4 to 30.5 m (80 to 100 ft) wide, while the new ROW would be a 7- to 10-m- (23- to 33-ft-) wide strip along the eastern side of approximately 0.6 km (1 mile) of the APE. Drainage easement vary between 4 to 70 m (13 to 230 ft) long, centered on the creek crossings, while small temporary construction easements would be used for driveways. Thus, the APE encompasses 11 ha (27.25 acres). The depth of impact has yet to be established, but for road construction, 1.2 to 1.5 m (4 to 5 ft) deep is typical.

As portions of the project are situated within both the city limits and the COSA Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ), compliance with the Historic Preservation and Design Section of the City’s Unified Development Code (UDC) is required. Portions of the proposed APE are owned by COSA and Bexar County, which are both political subdivisions of the State of Texas; therefore, compliance with the Antiquities Code of Texas (ACT) is necessary. In addition, this project requires a Nationwide Permit from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE); thus, compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations Part 800.4 [36 CFR 800.4]) is required. This scope of work includes compliance with all of the above regulations. The project was conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 8188.

Prior to fieldwork, Pape-Dawson archaeologists conducted a background study that assessed the potential for cultural resources to exist within the APE. The background review determined that the APE had not been previously surveyed, no sites were within the APE, and that two sites (41BX770 and 41BX784) were recorded adjacent to the west of the APE. Pape-Dawson conducted the intensive archaeological survey on October 11, 2017. The entirety of the APE was subject to visual inspection supplemented by judgmentally placed shovel tests within the new ROW and drainage easements in order to evaluate the potential for buried cultural resources. This work was conducted under Antiquities Permit No. 8188 with Virginia Moore, M.A.G. serving as Principal Investigator (PI). A total of 20 shovel tests was excavated within the APE, all of which were negative for archaeological material. No evidence of sites 41BX770 and 41BX784 was encountered within the APE.

No archaeological resources were previously recorded within the APE and none was recorded during the course of this survey. In accordance with 36 CFR 800.4, Pape-Dawson has made a reasonable and good faith effort to identify archaeological historic properties within the APE. As no properties were identified that meet the criteria for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) according to 36 CFR 60.4, or for designation as a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL) according to 13 Texas Administrative Code 26.12 (13 TAC 26.12), Pape-Dawson recommends that no further archaeological work is necessary for the proposed undertaking as presently designed and that the project be allowed to proceed within the APE. However, if undiscovered cultural material is encountered during construction, it is recommended that all work in the vicinity should cease and the THC and COSA archaeologists be contacted to ensure compliance with the NHPA, ACT, and UDC. No artifacts were collected, but all project records and photographs will be curated at the Center for Archeological Research at The University of Texas at San Antonio (CAR-UTSA).