RE: Archaeological Records Review for Replacement of Bridges Carrying Indiana Toll Road (IR 80/IR 90) over Indiana Northeastern Railroad and SR 827

Abstract

The Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, Office of Cultural Resource Management (GBL-OCRM), Indiana University has completed an archaeological records review for the replacement of bridges carrying the Indiana Toll Road (IR 80/IR 90) over the Indiana Northeastern Railroad and SR 827. The proposed impact area will involve the replacement of two twin bridges (Structure No. 51-6EB/51-6 WB and 51-7 EB/51-7 WB), which are located southwest of Fremont, Indiana, in Fremont Township. Based upon information provided to us by your office, all work will be conducted within the existing right-of-way which has been previously disturbed by road construction activities, and installation of underground fiber optics, telephone, and electrical lines (letter dated 9/23/03). Topographically, the project area is within the Steuben Morainal Lake physiographic unit. All landforms within this unit are of glacial origin. No streams are located within the proposed project area. The area drains into a marsh located northeast of the Indiana Toll Road. Elevations in the project area are between 1,050 and 1,040 amsl. For the purposes of this records check, the area encompassing the Angola East, Indiana USGS 7.5’ quadrangle was included in addition to the specific project area boundaries. According to information contained in the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA) files, in addition to the GBL state site and survey files, no previous systematic archaeological surveys have been conducted in the proposed project area. However, thirteen cultural resource management surveys have been conducted within the area defined by the Angola East quadrangle between 1978 and 2002, during which fourteen sites were recorded. As of this writing, a total of 210 archaeological sites have been recorded in Steuben County. No previously recorded sites are located within the proposed project area. To the best of our knowledge, the impact area contains no properties listed on the NRHP or IRHSS that could be negatively impacted by the proposed development (Diebold 2003). None of the sites listed in Table 1 lie within the currently proposed project area, and will therefore not be impacted by the proposed development. Due to the disturbed nature of the proposed project area, it is unlikely that it contains any intact cultural resources. Therefore, it is the opinion of the GBL-OCRM that a Phase Ia archaeological survey is not necessary as long as all construction activities remain within the existing right-of-way.