South Dakota Highway 53

Infobox road
state=SD
marker_

highway_name=Highway 53
length_mi=64
established=1926
decommissioned=
direction_a=South
starting_terminus=Nebraska border
direction_b=North
ending_terminus= Vivian
cities=Vivian
previous_type=SD
previous_route=52
next_type=SD
next_route=54

South Dakota Highway 53 is a state route that runs north to south across south central South Dakota. It consists of two separate segments:
* Junction with Interstate 90 and U.S. Highway 83 near Vivian to South Dakota Highway 44 east of Wood. This segment is 33 miles in length.
* U.S. Highway 18 west of Winner to the Nebraska border southeast of Keyapaha. This segment is 31 miles in length.

Total length is 64 miles (103 kilometers).

History

South Dakota 53 in 1926 ran from the North Dakota to Nebraska borders. By 1929, when U.S. Highway 83 was first designated, it replaced the segment of SD 53 from Pierre to the North Dakota border. The southern segment was further east than the present route, running from Presho south to the Nebraska border via Winner.

In the early 1930's, U.S. 83 was extended south into Nebraska, and was placed as dual signage along SD 53. (The original route was on what is now U.S. Highway 183; 83 and 183 were reversed from current alignments when first designated.) By 1935, SD 53 was removed from this alignment and placed on a new route extending south from Vivian, on a previously unnumbered road. The southern terminus was at South Dakota Highway 40 (now 44). Also at this time, the northern terminus was pulled back to Vivian.

In the late 1960's, a second segment of SD 53 was added further south, beginning at U.S. Highway 18 just west of the U.S. 183 junction, and extending south to Clearfield.

In 1996, the southern terminus of SD 53 was extended to the Nebraska border.

List of Counties

South Dakota 53 currently travels through 3 counties:
* Lyman County
* Mellette County
* Tripp County

Legal Definition

The route of SD 53 is defined in South Dakota Codified Laws § 31-4-172. [http://legis.state.sd.us/statutes/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=31-4-172]

External resources

* [http://www.northernplainshighways.org/sdakota/sd31-60.html#SD-53 South Dakota Highways Page: Highways 31-60]