Research Design and Testing Plan for Four Sites Along the Red Mountain Freeway (Loop 202) From Gilbert Road to Higley Road, Mesa, Arizona

This document consists of a research design and work plan for archaeological testing at four cultural resource sites within the proposed Red Mountain Freeway (RMF), Gilbert Road to Higley Road segment in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona. Testing will be conducted to evaluate the eligibility of AZ U:9:226 (ASM), AZ U:10:117 (ASM), AZ U:10:122 (ASM), and AZ U:10:123 (ASM) for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) prior to proposed construction of the RMF. Nine cultural resource sites are intersected by this segment of the proposed RMF corridor. The Gilbert Road to Higley Road segment of the RMF will cross privately owned land, Arizona State Trust land administered by the Arizona State Land Department, and land administered by the Roosevelt Water Control District. Additional new right-of-way (R/W) is being obtained by ADOT from private landowners to complete this project. At the request of the ADOT Historic Preservation Coordinator (HPC), one cultural resource site that is located east of Higley Road, outside the Gilbert Road to Higley Road segment of the RMF, will also be included in the cultural resource investigations under this work plan. This site is located within a land parcel owned by the Maricopa County Flood Control District. For purposes of this work plan, however, the portion of the RMF containing the four cultural resource sites that are to be tested by Entrance is hereafter referred to as the project corridor.