URS Archaeology

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URS Archaeology

Addressing today's cultural resource issues requires more than just accurately identifying and evaluating archaeological and historical sites in a timely manner. Strategies to deal with the effects of projects on culturally significant properties must be developed in the early phases of planning. Appropriate historic investigation and preservation procedures must be carefully meshed with state and federal environmental regulations, which now include the public as an integral part of the process

Qualifications

URS' current staff of 35 full-time employees comprises professionally trained prehistoric and historic archaeologists, architectural historians, historians, material culture specialists, and historic preservation planners (all of whom meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Professional Qualifications) field and laboratory technicians, graphics specialists, and production support staff. Senior staff members have an average of 20 years experience in their respective fields. URS' team of archaeologists, architectural historians, and historians have the expertise to respond effectively to the continuously changing challenges involved in documenting and preserving our nation's heritage.

We specialize in developing and implementing extensive public outreach programs in support of planning for transportation improvements, installation of underground utilities, construction of industrial and institutional facilities, and commercial and residential development. These services are provided to increase sensitivity and stewardship in historic preservation. URS' is committed to community involvement, providing broad public outreach products, and is particularly sensitive to the needs of culturally diverse, transitional, and traditional communities. Staff members also have extensive experience dealing directly with state and federal agencies, and several staff members have worked for state historic preservation offices, state departments of transportation, and federal agencies.

Location

The URS archaeological laboratory and office at 437 High Street, Burlington, New Jersey is fully staffed and equipped. The facility has 3,500 square feet of artifact processing and storage space and 5,000 square feet of office and graphics space. The artifact processing space includes areas for washing, drying, labeling, basic conservation, analyzing, and storing artifacts. The lab is set up to process archaeological collections in as expeditious a manner as possible and is also capable of conducting specialized operations, such as flotation, electrolysis, and microscopic analysis. Our archaeological laboratory has analyzed and processed nearly three million artifacts over the last decade and all of the artifacts are presently or will be curated at dozens of eastern state museums and local repositories.

URS Cultural Resource Services

• Consultation and coordination of National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)
• Cemetery Delineation
• Archaeological surveys
• Historic architectural surveys
• Full-service, 3,500 square foot wet and dry laboratory
• National Register eligibility evaluations
• Evaluation and documentation of project effects
• Archaeological data recovery programs
• Development of mitigation alternatives
• Historic American Engineering Record documentation
• Historic American Building Survey documentation
• Development of Memoranda of Agreement and Programmatic Agreements
• Development of historic preservation plans
• Illustration of archaeological collections

Public involvement

• Narrative-Style Documents
• Walking Tour Brochures
• Poster Displays
• Web Site Development
• High School History Unit and Curriculum Development
• Museum Exhibits
• Archaeological Excavation Tours
• Video Production

Projects

Locally, we have completed extensive work for the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Departments of Transportation, the National Park Service, and the City of Philadelphia and surrounding counties, including the relocation of the King of Prussia Inn in Pennsylvania, the Germantown Bridge replacement in Philadelphia, the Betzwood Bridge project in Valley Forge National Historical Park, and as the technical lead firm performing archaeological data recovery at Raritan Landing (an eighteenth-century town within the Route 18 project area in New Brunswick), among others.

Contact

Stephen W. Tull — URS Vice President and Office Manager 609-386-5444