Utah State Route 59

Infobox road
state=UT
type=SR
route=59
section=113
maint=UDOT

---

length_mi=22.206
length_round=3
length_ref=cite web | title=State Route 59 Highway reference | publisher=Utah Department of Transportation | url=http://www.dot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=6991520676215257 ]
established=1914 as a state highway; 1931 as SR-59
direction_a=South
terminus_a=jct|state=AZ|AZ|389 in Hildale/Colorado City, AZ
direction_b=North
terminus_b=jct|state=UT|UT|9 in Hurricane
previous_type=SR
previous_route=58
next_type=SR
next_route=60

State Route 59 (SR-59) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Utah. The highway connects Hurricane to the twin cities of Hildale and Colorado City, Arizona. The highway connects to US-89A through Arizona State Route 389. The route was added to the state highway system in 1914, and has had several designations.

Route description

The route begins at the Arizona border in Hildale (whose Arizona counterpart is Colorado City). These two towns are largely known for their Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or the FLDS), a radical branch of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or the LDS).cite web | title=Utah Highway Pages, 61-80 | publisher=Stober, Dan | url=http://members.aol.com/utahhwys/041-060.htm#rte059 ] The highway proceeds northwest past Hildale (where the street is known as State Street) for nearly fifteen miles before beginning a five-mile descent into Hurricane. A truck escape ramp is located along this descent.cite web | title=Utah Highway Pages, 61-80 | publisher=Stober, Dan | url=http://members.aol.com/utahhwys/041-060.htm#rte059 ] The route enters Hurricane on 100 South and proceeds to turn north on Main Street. The route proceeds for a block before terminating at SR-9 (State Street).cite web | title=Google Maps | publisher=Google | url=http://maps.google.com ]

History

The road from SR-15 (now SR-9 and SR-17) at La Verkin Junction south to Hurricane was added to the state highway system in 1912, and in 1914 it was extended southeast via Big Plain Junction to Arizona.Utah Department of Transportation, [http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/f?p=100:pg:5285268476414239680:::1:T,V:1348, Highway Resolutions] : PDFlink|1= [http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=200609121826331 Route 17] |2=2.96 MB, updated September 2007, accessed May 2008] Utah Department of Transportation, [http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/f?p=100:pg:5285268476414239680:::1:T,V:1348, Highway Resolutions] : PDFlink|1= [http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=200609140958241 Route 59] |2=647 KB, updated November 2007, accessed May 2008] In the 1920s, the entire route was numbered State Route 16. [State Road Commission, [http://www.nps.gov/archive/pisp/adhi/fig23a.jpgUtah State Trunk Lines] , 1923] A connection from SR-15 (now SR-9) in Rockville south to SR-16 at Big Plain Junction became a state highway in 1925. [cite UTSR law|year=1925|quote=(c) From the junction of the Anderson-Arizona road eastwardly via Virgin, Wheeler, Rockville and Springdale, to the Zion National Park, from Rockville southerly to the Utah-Arizona State line.] In 1927, SR-16 was moved to the Rockville-Arizona route, and the roadway between La Verkin and Big Plain Junctions became part of the new SR-17, which also went southwest from Hurricane to SR-1 (US-91, now I-15). [cite UTSR law|year=1927|quote=16. From Rockville southerly via Big Plain Junction to the Utah-Arizona State line, near Short Creek, Arizona. 17. From Harrisburg Bench easterly to Hurricane and La Verkin, and from Hurricane easterly to Big Plain Junction.] The Hurricane-Big Plain Junction branch was split from SR-17 in 1931, becoming a new State Route 59. [cite UTSR law|year=1931|quote=(59) From Hurricane on route 17 southeasterly to Big Plain junction, on route 16.] The entirety of SR-16 was deleted in 1935, permanently removing the Rockville-Big Plain Junction road from the state highway system; [cite UTSR law|year=1935] the highway beyond Big Plain Junction to Arizona was also removed, but was re-added in 1941 as part of SR-59, forming the present extent of that route. [cite UTSR law|year=1941|chapter=34|quote=Route 59. From Hurricane on route 17 southeasterly via Big Plain Junction to the Utah-Arizona state line.] SR-59 was almost completed relocated in 1962, including a new crossing of the state line; it had ended at the west end of Uzona Avenue, which extends west along the border from Colorado City/Hildale, but now crosses within the city limits. The connecting State Route 389 in Arizona was not added to that state's state highway system until 1959. [ [http://www.azhighwaydata.com/resolutions/?syear=&eyear=&crc=&rtnum=389&submit1=Submit Arizona Highway Data: Search Right-of-Way Resolutions] , accessed June 2008]

Major intersections

{|class=wikitable!County!Locationcite web
publisher=Utah Department of Transportation
title=State Highway Map
url=http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/f?p=100:pg:2117854713443240831::::V,T:,346
accessdate=26 June
accessmonth=
accessyear=2008] !Mile!Junction!Notes
-Jctint
state=UT
county=Washington
cspan=2
location=Hildale
lspan=1
mile=0.000
road=Jct|state=AZ|AZ|389|dir1=east|city1=Colorado City|city2=Fredonia
notes=Southern terminusJctint
state=UT
location=Hurricane
lspan=1
mile=22.206
road=jct|state=UT|UT|9|name1=State Street|city1=La Verkin
notes=Northern terminus

References