I-10 Twin Peaks Traffic Interchange, Environmental Assessment

Affected Environment and Environmental Impacts October 2005
studies were conducted at two of those before residential developments were
constructed. Another appears to have been destroyed by erosion before it was
recorded, and a sand and gravel quarry operation destroyed another.
Numerous features were recorded at the seven artifact scatters with features. These
included, rock shelters, bedrock mortars, check dams, rock piles, a canal, hearths,
and roasting pits. One site dated to the Archaic era, and the others were Hohokam.
Two sites were characterized as artifact scatters without features and were
destroyed after they were recorded and another could not be found when a
subsequent survey tried to relocate the site. Eight of the 15 historic-era sites were
habitations or sites with remnants of other types of buildings. Three of these were
homesteads.
Four of the historic sites were related to transportation. These included the Tucson-
Casa Grande Highway (State Route (SR) 84), and its predecessor, the Red Rock
Road. Another was the current UPRR, which was constructed in 1880. The fourth
is the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, which is one of only 19
National Historic Trails designated by Congress. The trail corridor was identified
on the basis of written documents, and no physical evidence of the de Anza
expedition have been found in the record search area.
Of the three sites with both prehistoric and historic components, data recovery was
conducted at one site before it was destroyed by a residential development.
Another had remnants of a historic house with a scatter of prehistoric artifacts. The
third site was a scatter of both prehistoric and historic artifacts.
Archeological Sites – Field Survey
Twelve of the previously recorded archaeological and historical resources
identified by the records search were mapped within the alternatives area, and each
of these was re-evaluated during the field survey. The current surveys located three
additional cultural sites, one historic-age building, and two historic age wells that
were previously unrecorded within the project area. Each of these resources are
described below. The ASM site number follows the site name.
Tucson-Casa Grande Highway (SR 84) AZ AA:2:118(ASM)
Different segments of SR 84 have been recorded and designated with various
numbers in the Arizona State Museum survey system. The segment of the highway
within the alternatives analysis area was converted to the northwest-bound
frontage road of I-10 when I-10 was constructed. The historic highway remains in
use as a frontage road and is well maintained. During the field surveys for this
project, two concrete box culverts were noted along the highway within the
alternatives analysis area. Each has a survey benchmark medallion dated 1930.
Stewart Brickyard Site AZ AA:12:51(ASM)
The Stewart Brickyard site was recorded in 1955 and was described as a scatter of
Hohokam pottery sherds that had been progressively destroyed by construction of
the Southern Pacific Railroad, Casa Grande Highway (SR 84), and the Southern
Interstate 10 Traffic Interchange at
Twin Peaks/Linda Vista
4-68
Project No.: NH-010-D (AIW)
TRACS No.: 10 PM 236 H5838 01D