U.S. Route 59 in Oklahoma

Infobox road
state=OK
type=US
route=59
maint=ODOT


length_mi=216.47
length_round=2
length_ref=cite web|author=Oklahoma Department of Transportation|title=State Highway System: Log of U.S. Highway 59|url=http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/memorial/highways/pdfs/logs/us59log.pdf|accessdate=2008-02-25]
direction_a=South
starting_terminus=
direction_b=North
ending_terminus=
previous_type=OK
previous_route=58
next_type=OK
next_route=59

In the U.S. state of Oklahoma, U.S. Highway 59 heads along the eastern portion of the state. US-59's convert|216.47|mi|km route through Oklahoma takes it through the mountainous terrain of the eastern Oklahoma Ouachitas and Ozarks. Route 59 serves several lakes and towns through Oklahoma's Green Country, including Grand Lake, a major recreation center. The route enters the state from Arkansas near Fogel, Arkansas, and ends at the Kansas state line south of Chetopa, Kansas.

Route description

Route 59 enters Oklahoma at the state line in Fogel along with U.S. Highway 270.cite map|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&rlz=1T4ADBF_enUS232US232&q=from:+US-270/US-59+%4034.706690,+-94.455130+to:+US-270/US-59+%4034.864450,+-94.609394+to:Broadway+%4035.065918,+-94.623820+to:US-59+%4035.783860,+-94.625880+to:US-59+%4036.452340,+-94.782320+to:US-59+%4036.998701,+-95.085793&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl|title=Overview map of US-59|publisher=Google Maps|accessdate=2008-03-13] The two routes head westward, passing to the south of Round Top Mountain. The two routes pass through Page and intersect with the terminus of US-259. Routes 59 and 270 curve around to the north and pass through Zoe and Stapp, two small hamlets north of Round Top. With Round Top Mountain behind, Routes 59 and 270 head into Hodgen.

Just north of Hodgen is where Routes 59 and 270 intersect with a short spur of Route 59, 59 Scenic. The scenic route merges in before entering Heavener, where SH-128 parallels and terminates. Just north of the town, Routes 59 and 270 split at a fork. Route 59 parallels a railroad and passes Heavener Memorial Cemetery before intersecting with a former routing. The highway turns to the northwest and intersects with SH-83 in Howe.

Route 59 heads northward, interchanging with US-271 just north of the Choctaw Country Club. Route 271 becomes concurrent with Route 59 just east of Poteau. Routes 59 and 271 intersect with the southern terminus of SH-112. The two concurrent roads head north through several towns, intersecting with SH-31 in Coal Creek. At Sunset corner, Route 59 turns to the west and Route 271 turns to the east, ending the concurrency. Just west of the line, Route 59 crosses a branch of Robert Kerr Reservoir.

Route 59 passes to the north of the reservoir and intersects with SH-141 in Brent. Route 59 continues northward, interchanging with Interstate 40 at Exit 308. In Sallisaw, Route 59 becomes concurrent for a short distance with US-64. Route 59 continues north for a while, passing farmlands and various towns. In Stilwell, Route 59 intersects with SH-100's eastern terminus. SH-51 becomes concurrent soon after, following US-59 until a minor change as the roads leave Stilwell.

Route 59 leaves Stilwell and begins to curve in different directions for the next several miles. About 12 miles north of Stilwell, the highway enters Westville and intersects with US-62. Route 59 heads northward, passing close to the Arkansas border near Lake Francis. Route 59 enters West Siloam Springs and becomes concurrent with US-412. The two roads head westward through West Siloam Springs and intersects with the Cherokee Turnpike several miles later. 59 and 412 split here, however, US-412 Scenic becomes concurrent with 59.

The two highways enter Kansas, Oklahoma and split in different directions. Route 59 heads northward and interchanges with US-412 again. Route 59 intersects with State Highway 116 in Delaware County as it heads northward. The highway crosses Eucha Lake on a bridge and intersects with SH-20, which becomes concurrent. Routes 20 and 59 enter Jay, where SH-127 and SH-20 both intersect or leave US-59. Route 59 leaves Jay and heads northward towards the Kansas state line. Just north of Jay, Route 59 crosses over the Grand Lake o' the Cherokees and enters Grove. There, SH-10 becomes concurrent. Routes 10 and 59 head northward, crossing the lake once again and enters Afton. In Afton, US-60 and US-69 become concurrent. Route 60 quickly turns off at an interchange with Interstate 44. Routes 59 and 69 continue northward, parallelling Interstate 44. Routes 59, 10 and 69 split in Dotyville, with Route 59 continuing alone to the west.

Route 59 makes several different turns and intersects with SH-10 and SH-2 in Welch. Route 59 continues northward along its final stretch, crossing the state line at 216 miles and entering the state of Kansas.

History

Origin

Parts of U.S. Highway 59 originated as: State Highway 5 from Hot Springs to Broken Bow, State Highway 21 from Broken Bow to Panama, State Highway 3 from Panama to Fort Smith,State Highway 1 from Fort Smith to Salisaw, State Highway 17 from Salisaw to Siloam Springs, State Highway 11 from Siloam Springs to Kansas, State Highway 10 from Kansas to Grove, State Highway 25 from Grove to Vinita, and State Highway 6 from Vinita to Kansas line.cite map|publisher=Oklahoma State Highway Department|title=Oklahoma State Highway System|edition=1925|url=http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/hqdiv/p-r-div/maps/state-maps/pdfs/1925route.pdf|accessdate=2008-03-13] By 1932, the U.S. Highway system had come into effect and U.S. Routes 66, 62, 64, 270, 271 now also made up what is now Route 59.cite map|publisher=Oklahoma Department of Highways|title=Map Showing Condition of Improvement of the State Highway System|edition=June 1932|url=http://www.odot.org/hqdiv/p-r-div/maps/state-maps/pdfs/1932.pdf|accessdate=2008-03-22] Route 59 was assigned between 1934, mostly following its current route.cite map|publisher=Oklahoma Department of Highways|title=Map Showing Condition of Improvement of the State Highway System|edition=April 1937|url=http://www.odot.org/hqdiv/p-r-div/maps/state-maps/pdfs/1937.pdf|accessdate=2008-03-22] Route 59 originally went due north through Vinita to Welch, bypassing Ottawa County entirely.cite map|publisher=Oklahoma Department of Highways|title=Map of Oklahoma's State Highway System|edition=1948|url=http://www.odot.org/hqdiv/p-r-div/maps/state-maps/pdfs/1948.pdf|accessdate=2008-03-22] Between October 1950 and January 1951, Route 59 was aligned to concur with U.S. Highway 66/69 beginning northeast of Afton towards Miami.cite web|author=Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Planning & Research Division|url=http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/memorial/legal/us59.htm|title=Memorial Dedication & Revision History - US-59|accessdate=2008-03-22] cite map|url=http://www.odot.org/hqdiv/p-r-div/maps/state-maps/pdfs/1954.pdf|title=Highways of Oklahoma|publisher=Oklahoma Department of Highways|year=1954|accessdate=2008-03-22] The old highway between Vinita and Welch became the northern State Highway 2.

Junction list

jctint|state=OK
county=LeFlore
cspan=10
location=none
mile=0.0
road=
notes=Arkansas state linejctint|state=OK
location=none
mile=8.5
road=
notes=Northern terminus of US-259jctint|state=OK
location=Heavener
lspan=2
mile=23.7
type=mplex
road=jctint|state=OK
mile=28.2
road=
notes=Western terminus of SH-128jctint|state=OK
location=Howe
mile=30.8
road=jctint|state=OK
location=Poteau
mile=34.5
type=mplex
road=jctint|state=OK
location=none
mile=39.4
road=jctint|state=OK
location=none
mile=46.9
road=
notes=Eastern terminus of SH-31jctint|state=OK
location=Stony Point
mile=50.1
type=mplex
road=jctint|state=OK
location=none
mile=55.6
type=mplex
road=jctint|state=OK
county=Sequoyah
cspan=4
location=Sallisaw
lspan=3
mile=70.5
road=jctint|state=OK
mile=71.3
type=mplex
road=jctint|state=OK
mile=72.5
type=mplex
road= US-64jctint|state=OK
location=none
mile=75.8
road=
notes=Western terminus of SH-101jctint|state=OK
county=Adair
cspan=5
location=none
mile=100.0
type=mplex
road=jctint|state=OK
location=none
mile=100.6
type=mplex
road= SH-100jctint|state=OK
location=Stilwell
lspan=2
mile=101.9
type=mplex
road=jctint|state=OK
mile=102.8
type=mplex
road= SH-51jctint|state=OK
location=Westville
mile=114.7
road=jctint|state=OK
county=Delaware
location=West Siloam Springs
cspan=10
mile=128.9
type=mplex
road=jctint|state=OK
location=none
type=mplex
mile=137.3
road=
notes=Eastern terminus of US-412 Scenic and the Cherokee Turnpike, US-412 follows the Cherokee Turnpike while US-59 follows US-412 Scenicjctint|state=OK
location=Kansas
lspan=2
mile=141.3
type=mplex
road=jctint|state=OK
mile=141.9
road= US-412/Cherokee Turnpike
notes=Diamond interchangejctint|state=OK
location=none
mile=145.6
road=jctint|state=OK
location=Jay
lspan=3
mile=158.6
type=mplex
road=jctint|state=OK
mile=160.7
road=
notes=Southern terminus of SH-127jctint|state=OK
mile=160.8
type=mplex
road= SH-20jctint|state=OK
location=none
mile=160.7
road= SH-127
notes=Northern terminus of SH-127jctint|state=OK
location=Grove
mile=172.8
type=mplex
road= SH-10jctint|state=OK
county=Ottawa
cspan=5
location=none
mile=181.1
road=jctint|state=OK
location=Afton
mile=186.6
type=mplex
road=jctint|state=OK
location=none
mile=187.5
type=mplex
road=/US-60
notes=I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike does not concur with US-59jctint|state=OK
location=Narcissa
mile=193.2
road=
notes=Eastern terminus of SH-25jctint|state=OK
location=none
mile=197.5
type=mplex
road= US-69/SH-10jctint|state=OK
county=Craig
cspan=2
location=Welch
mile=209.3
type=mplex
road=/SH-10
notes=Northern terminus of SH-2jctint|state=OK
location=none
mile=216.5
road=
notes=Kansas state line

References