Archaeological Monitoring, Treatment and Data Recovery Plan for New York City Hudson River Bulkhead, PIN X759.80.321, Route 9A From Vesey to Murray Streets, Battery Park City Site 26, New York City, New York County, New York

The New York Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) in cooperation with the Federal highway Administration (FHWA) proposes to reconstruct a portion of Rte. 9A between Chambers and West Thames Streets in Lower Manhattan. This area is being considered for reconstruction as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11 , 2001 that destroyed the World Trade Center (WTC) and severely damaged or destroyed nearby structures and transportation infrastructure including portions of Rte. 9A. The proposed project, which is being reviewed under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as a supplement to the 1994 Route 9A Reconstruction Project Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), is one of several federally funded Lower Manhattan recovery projects proposed in response to the devastation of September 11 ,2001.

As part of the reconstruction of Route 9A, NYSDOT requested an archaeological monitoring, treatment and data recovery plan be developed for the portion of Route 9A located adjacent to Site 26 on the west side of the highway between Vesey and Murray Street for excavations in the NYSDOT right of way as per plans provided by NYSDOT Route 9A Group (Figures 2 and 3). The current project impacts consist of the removal of 1.2 to 1.5 m (4 to 5 ft) of fill and replacing it with lighter fill with an additional I to 1.2 m (3 to 4 ft) of fill deposited above the existing ground surface (Figure 3). The archaeological monitoring and data recovery plan is needed since these excavations will occur adjacent to the Hudson River Bulkhead, which is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.