Transportation Archaeology on the WIS 57 Project

Transportation Archaeology on the WIS 57 Project. From First Americans to Euroamericans. Historic Preservation and the WIS 57 Project , The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) requires federal agencies to take into account the effect their projects might have on historic properties such as buildings and archaeological sites. Archaeological and historical investigations of the WIS 57 corridor were conducted according to NHPA regulations and procedures. , These procedures, referred to as the Section 106 process, involve the following: , . Identification of historic resources , . Evaluation of affected resources , . Determination of historic significance , . Avoidance through redesign when possible , . Mitigation of significant sites that cannot be avoided, WIS 57 archaeological investigations began in 1992 and continued through 2008. Results included: , . 107 archaeological sites identified , . 78 archaeological sites tested , . 38 sites considered significant , . 30 sites avoided by rerouting the highway , . Mitigation of eight sites that could not be avoided , Phase I: Identification Process , This phase involves a review of records and background material to identify previously recorded historic and prehistoric sites in vicinity of the study area. Fieldwork included pedestrian reconnaissance of the WIS 57 corridor to identify previously reported sites as well as unreported site locations. , Phase II: Evaluating Significance , Identified sites must be evaluated to assess the significance of the site if they are likely to be disturbed by project actions. Both hand and machine-aided excavations may be used in this process. If the investigations suggest that the site is potentially eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the site is considered significant. , Phase III: Data Recovery , Not all significant archaeological sites or buildings can be preserved. When such properties are affected by responsible development, the Section 106 process allows for various means of mitigating or lessening the effect of disturbance. However, because archaeological sites are non-renewable resources, those that cannot be conserved need to be carefully recorded before ground-disturbing activities begin. Mitigation of archaeological sites typically takes the form of large-scale, controlled excavations. These data recovery projects are often complex and time consuming. As a result, unless the affected site is very small, most data recovery plans are designed to sample a site rather than excavate it completely. , Archaeological Monitoring , Archaeological monitoring of the construction process is sometimes conducted in culturally sensitive portions of a project area. During the WIS 57 Project, archaeologists monitored ground disturbing activities to guard against incidental disturbance of human remains. Archaeological monitoring requires close cooperation among WisDOT, contractors, and archaeologists.