Phase IB Cultural Resource Reconnaissance Survey Report, PIN 3287.20.101, BIN 4046860, Rte 370 Over the Seneca River, Towns of Lysander and Salina (MCD# 06709/06715), Onondaga County, NY

In September and October of 2011, a survey crew from the New York State Museum's Cultural Resource Survey Program (NYSM-CRSP) conducted a Phase IB reconnaissance survey of PIN 3287.20.101/BIN 4046860 in the Towns of Lysander and Salina (MCD# 06709/06715), Onondaga County, New York (Figure 1). The survey was conducted for the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) through the New York State Education Department's interagency agreement with NYSDOT. The project entails the rehabilitation of the Rte. 370 bridge over the Seneca River with a need for temporary easement and access areas.
The archaeological field investigations began in September 2011 with an inspection of the project area to identify the nature and location of disturbances and topographical conditions that might have an effect on the testing methodology, and to identify cultural remains that are visible above ground. Heavily disturbed areas, along with natural wetlands and slopes greater than 15%, were recorded on the project map. Both before the survey and while it was running, numerous conversations were held with local landowners.

Initially, 288 shovel test pits (STPs) were dug by hand on both sides of Rte 370 to locate any cultural materials and to examine soil stratigraphy. Each STP was approximately 40cm (16in) in diameter and, when possible, was dug into sterile subsoils at intervals of 7.5m (25ft) and 15m (50ft) through the project area. All of the soil was screened through 1/4in (6.4mm) mesh hardware cloth and all soil profiles were recorded. Upon the discovery of prehistoric cultural material over much of the northern half of the project area an additional 43 STPs were dug in order to better define the horizontal and vertical dimensions of artifact concentrations for a total of 331 STPs. After completion of the STPs, four units were excavated, one on the south side of the project area and three on the north side in order to determine the depth of previous road construction and canal dredging impacts and to rule out the possibility of deeply buried cultural strata on the Seneca flood plain.