Editing Interstate 59

{{More citations needed|date=October 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2022}}
{{Short description|Interstate Highway in the southeastern US}}
{{redirect|I-59|the Japanese submarine ''I-59''|Japanese submarine I-159}}
{{Infobox road
| country = USA
| type = I
| route = 59
| map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=290|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Interstate 59}}}}
| map_custom = yes
| map_notes = I-59 highlighted in red
| length_mi = 445.23
| length_ref = <ref name="FHWA">{{cite web |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/interstate_highway_system/routefinder/table01.cfm |work = Route Log and Finder List |title = Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as of December 31, 2016 |date = February 22, 2017 |publisher = [[Federal Highway Administration]] |access-date = May 14, 2017 }}</ref>
| established = 1960
| direction_a = South
| terminus_a = {{jct|state=LA|I|10|I|12}} in [[Slidell, Louisiana|Slidell, LA]]
| junction = {{plainlist|1=<!-- Major junctions only; Only 5-8 most major intersections and cities belong here; please read [[WP:USRD/STDS]] for more info -->
*{{jct|state=MS|US|49|US|98}} in [[Hattiesburg, Mississippi|Hattiesburg, MS]]
*{{jct|state=MS|US|84}} in [[Laurel, Mississippi|Laurel, MS]]
*{{jct|state=MS|I|20}} from [[Meridian, Mississippi|Meridian, MS]] to [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham, AL]]
*{{jct|state=AL|Future|85}} near [[Cuba, Alabama|Cuba, AL]]
*{{jct|state=AL|US|82}} in [[Tuscaloosa, Alabama|Tuscaloosa, AL]]
*{{jct|state=AL|I|459}} near [[Bessemer, Alabama|Bessemer, AL]]
*{{jct|state=AL|I|65}} in [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham, AL]]
*{{jct|state=AL|I|459}} at [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham, AL]] and [[Trussville, Alabama|Trussville, AL]] line
*{{jct|state=AL|US|278|US|431}} in [[Gadsden, Alabama|Gadsden, AL]]
}}
| direction_b = North
| terminus_b = {{jct|state=GA|I|24}} near [[Wildwood, Georgia|Wildwood, GA]]
| states = [[Louisiana]], [[Mississippi]], [[Alabama]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
}}
'''Interstate&nbsp;59''' ('''I-59''') is an [[Interstate Highway]] located in the southeastern United States. It is a north–south route that spans {{convert|445.23|mi|km}} from a junction with [[Interstate 10 in Louisiana|I-10]] and [[Interstate 12|I-12]] at [[Slidell, Louisiana]], to a junction with [[Interstate 24|I-24]] near [[Wildwood, Georgia]].

The highway connects the metropolitan areas of [[New Orleans, Louisiana]]; [[Birmingham, Alabama]]; and [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]], running closely parallel to the older [[U.S. Route 11]] (US&nbsp;11) corridor for the entire distance. Approximately one-third of the route, spanning {{convert|153|mi|km}} from [[Meridian, Mississippi]], to [[Birmingham, Alabama]], overlaps that of the east–west [[Interstate 20|I-20]].

I-59 is a four-lane [[freeway]] along its entire route, other than a short stretch from [[Tuscaloosa, Alabama]] to the southern terminus of [[Interstate 459|I-459]] and in Birmingham, where it widens to six lanes or more. Aside from the metropolitan areas it passes through, the I-59 corridor is mainly rural in nature, especially in Georgia.

==Route description==
{{More citations needed|section|date=October 2023}}
{{lengths table|length_ref=<ref name="FHWA"/>}}
|-
|[[Interstate 59 in Louisiana|LA]]
|{{convert|11.48|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[Interstate 59 in Mississippi|MS]]
|{{convert|171.72|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[Interstate 59 in Alabama|AL]]
|{{convert|241.36|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[Interstate 59 in Georgia|GA]]
|{{convert|20.67|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|Total
|{{convert|445.23|mi|km|disp=table}}
|}

===Louisiana===
{{Main article|Interstate 59 in Louisiana}}
I-59 spans {{convert|11.48|mi|km}} in Louisiana, the shortest distance in the four states through which it travels. The route begins at a partial [[cloverleaf interchange]] with [[Interstate 10 in Louisiana|I-10]] (exit&nbsp;267) and I-12 (exit&nbsp;85) at the northeastern corner of [[Slidell, Louisiana|Slidell]], a city in [[St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana|St. Tammany Parish]]. From this interchange, connections are made to [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]] and [[Hammond, Louisiana|Hammond]], as well as [[Bay St. Louis, Mississippi]]. Heading north, I-59 has two exits serving the town of [[Pearl River, Louisiana|Pearl River]], where it begins a concurrency with [[U.S. Route 11 in Louisiana|US&nbsp;11]]. Immediately afterward, the highway crosses the West Pearl River and passes through an interchange with Old US&nbsp;11, a portion of the pre-Interstate alignment serving the [[Pearl River Wildlife Management Area]]. I-59 then travels through the [[Honey Island Swamp]] for {{convert|6|mi|km|spell=in}} before crossing the main branch of the [[Pearl River (Mississippi–Louisiana)|Pearl River]] into Mississippi.<ref name="GMaps">{{google maps |url = https://www.google.com/maps/dir/30.300387,-89.743377/30.4625839,-89.6948921/@30.3838107,-89.7318916,21099m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!4m1!3e0?hl=en |title = Overview Map of I-59 in Louisiana |access-date = May 14, 2017 }}</ref><ref name="P52E 2012">{{cite map |publisher = [[Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development]] |title = St. Tammany Parish (East Section) |url = http://wwwsp.dotd.la.gov/Inside_LaDOTD/Divisions/Multimodal/Data_Collection/Mapping/Parish%20Maps/St_Tammany_East.pdf |author = Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Office of Multimodal Planning |date = February 2012 |access-date = May 14, 2017 }}</ref><ref name="D62 2012">{{cite map |publisher = Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development |title = District 62: Official Control Section Map / Construction and Maintenance |url = http://wwwsp.dotd.la.gov/Inside_LaDOTD/Divisions/Multimodal/Data_Collection/Mapping/District%20Maps/District_62.pdf |author = Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Office of Multimodal Planning |date = February 2012 |access-date = May 14, 2017 }}</ref>

===Mississippi===
{{Main article|Interstate 59 in Mississippi}}
{{see also|Interstate 20 in Mississippi}}
[[File:I-20 East I-59 North - US11 US80 MS19 To US45 - Red Hot Meridian (26953469657).jpg|thumb|left|I-59 cosigned with I-20 in Mississippi; other cosigned routes are listed on the shields of the next sign]]
In Mississippi, I-59 continues to run parallel with US&nbsp;11, traversing mainly rural areas but going through or bypassing the towns of [[Picayune, Mississippi|Picayune]], [[Poplarville, Mississippi|Poplarville]], [[Hattiesburg, Mississippi|Hattiesburg]], [[Moselle, Mississippi|Moselle]], [[Ellisville, Mississippi|Ellisville]], [[Laurel, Mississippi|Laurel]], and [[Meridian, Mississippi|Meridian]].

For its length in Mississippi, I-59 either [[concurrency (road)|runs concurrently]] with, or runs close to, [[U.S. Route 11 in Mississippi|US&nbsp;11]]. Between the towns of Pearl River and Picayune, US&nbsp;11 travels concurrent with I-59. The highway also has concurrencies with [[U.S. Route 98 in Mississippi|US&nbsp;98]] in Hattiesburg; [[Mississippi Highway 42]] (MS&nbsp;42) just north of Hattiesburg; [[U.S. Route 84 in Mississippi|US&nbsp;84]] and [[Mississippi Highway 15|MS&nbsp;15]] in Laurel; and [[U.S. Route 80 in Mississippi|US&nbsp;80]], US&nbsp;11, and [[Mississippi Highway 19|MS&nbsp;19]] in the Meridian area.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

A notoriously sharp [[Reverse curve|S-curve]], at milepost&nbsp;96 in Laurel, was the subject of a large reconstruction project that began in 2006. Those sharp curves were the legacy of an overpass over the [[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railway]] on a town bypass with design dating from before the Interstate Highways, and they featured a {{convert|40|mi/h|km/h|adj=on}} speed limit, one of the lowest anywhere on the Interstate Highway System. This work was completed in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.wdam.com/story/11113804/laurel-s-curve-renamed-reopened/ |title = Laurel S-Curve renamed, reopened |last = Richardson |first = Ontario |publisher = WDAM-TV |date = September 11, 2009 |access-date = September 27, 2020 }}</ref>

Just west of Meridian, I-20 joins I-59 and these two highways continue together for {{convert|153|mi|km}}, across the border with [[Alabama]] to and through Birmingham. The exit numbers are given as those of I-59.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

At 4:00&nbsp;pm on August&nbsp;27, 2005, for the first time in its history, the southbound lanes of I-59 were temporarily redirected northward to accommodate evacuation for [[Hurricane Katrina]]. This was a previously agreed to joint plan by the states of [[Mississippi]] and [[Louisiana]] called [[contraflow lane reversal]]. The program began at the Louisiana–Mississippi state line and continued {{convert|21|mi|km}} north to [[Poplarville, Mississippi|Poplarville]].{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

===Alabama===
{{see also|Interstate 20 in Alabama}}{{Main|Interstate 59 in Alabama}}
{{Unsourced section|date=October 2023}}
[[File:I20I59Birmingham.JPG|right|thumb|I-59/I-20 approaching I-65 in downtown Birmingham]]
I-59 and I-20 travel together for about 40&nbsp;percent of their route through Alabama, passing northeast through Tuscaloosa before finally parting ways in eastern Birmingham.

In Birmingham, many wrecks and accidents occur near the crossover interchange of I-20/I-59 and I-65 (commonly called "Malfunction Junction"). On two occasions, 18-wheelers crashed and burned fiercely enough to melt the support beams of overpasses. Beginning in eastern Birmingham, I-59 continues on its own northeast, passing by [[Gadsden, Alabama|Gadsden]] and [[Fort Payne, Alabama|Fort Payne]] in the foothills of the [[Appalachian Mountains]] before entering [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].

I-59 from Gadsden at milemarker&nbsp;182 to Stephen's Gap at milemarker&nbsp;193 had degraded over the decades since it was opened into a rough concrete highway. Between 2010 and 2014, a construction project called "Project&nbsp;59" took place between Gadsden and Fort Payne. This project consisted of reconstructing the Interstate Highway with unbonded concrete (without any space cracks) as well as modifications to the width and vertical clearance of the bridges and overpasses in the segment.

===Georgia===
{{Main article|Interstate 59 in Georgia}}
I-59 has a short trek through Georgia, with only three exits before ending at I-24 several miles west of [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]], in [[Wildwood, Georgia]]. The entire route of I-59 in Georgia is named '''Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway'''. I-59's southbound location is marked Birmingham instead of Gadsden in Georgia. Gadsden is the next city that I-59 southbound is traveling to right before the route reaches Birmingham. For services, I-59 has no direct access to the Georgia Welcome Center, instead I-59's Georgia Welcome Center is located in [[Trenton, Georgia|Trenton]]. Drivers must take I-59 Trenton exit&nbsp;11 to get access to the Georgia Welcome Center. Within Georgia, it carries unsigned designated as '''State Route&nbsp;406''' ('''SR&nbsp;406''') for internal [[Georgia Department of Transportation]] (GDOT) purposes.<ref>{{cite book |author = Office of Transportation Data |publisher = Georgia Department of Transportation |title = Interstate Mileage Report (438 Report) |year = 2003 |url = http://www.dot.state.ga.us/DOT/plan-prog/transportation_data/400reports/2003/dpp438_2003.pdf |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060218010013/http://www.dot.state.ga.us/DOT/plan-prog/transportation_data/400reports/2003/dpp438_2003.pdf |archive-date = February 18, 2006 }}</ref>

==History==
Interstate 59 was first designated in 1960. Within [[Louisiana]], Interstate 59 was first constructed across the [[Pearl River]] as the replacement route for [[U.S. Route 11|US 11]] at [[St. Rose, Louisiana|St. Rose]] starting in 1958. The stretch southward into [[Slidell, Louisiana|Slidell]] along with [[Interstate 10|I-10]] south to the Twin Bridges opened in 1965-66. Interstate 59 in Mississippi opened initially from the [[Louisiana]] state line toward [[Picayune, Mississippi|Picayune]] and from [[Hattiesburg, Mississippi|Hattiesburg]] to [[Laurel, Mississippi|Laurel]] in 1963. All of the route south of the overlap with I-20 was completed by 1969.<ref>{{cite web |title=Interstate 59 - Interstate-Guide.com |url=https://www.interstate-guide.com/i-059/ |website=Interstate-Guide |access-date=5 September 2023 |language=en-us |date=28 September 2018}}</ref> The stretch of I-59/[[Interstate 20 in Alabama|I-20]] running through downtown Birmingham was completed in 1973. This stretch was reconstructed starting in January 2019 and ending in early-2020.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pillion |first1=Dennis |title=Why did I-20/59 become I-59/20 after 40 years? |url=https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2019/01/why-did-i-2059-become-i-5920-after-40-years.html |access-date=5 September 2023 |work=al |date=9 January 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

==Future==
I-59 will be widened on the north side of [[Birmingham, Alabama]] between [[Interstate 459|I-459]] (exit 137) and Chalkville Mountain Road (exit 141) as announced by Governor [[Kay Ivey]] on August 31, 2023. The project is expected to cost $80 million.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Turner |first1=Alyssa |title=Governor Ivey Announces Widening of I-65, Hoover Interchange Project and Widening of I-59 |url=https://governor.alabama.gov/newsroom/2023/08/governor-ivey-announces-widening-of-i-65-hoover-interchange-project-and-widening-of-i-59/ |work=Office of the Governor of Alabama |date=31 August 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

==Junction list==
;'''Louisiana'''
: {{Jct|I|10|I|12|country=USA}} in [[Slidell, Louisiana|Slidell]]
: {{Jct|US|11|country=USA}} in [[Pearl River, Louisiana|Pearl River]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Nicholson, Mississippi]].
;'''Mississippi'''
: {{Jct|US|98|country=USA}} in [[Hattiesburg, Mississippi|Hattiesburg]]. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: {{Jct|US|11|country=USA}} in Hattiesburg
: {{Jct|US|49|country=USA}} in Hattiesburg
: {{Jct|US|11|country=USA}} three times in [[Laurel, Mississippi|Laurel]]
: {{Jct|US|84|country=USA}} in Laurel. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: {{Jct|I|20|US|80|country=USA}} in [[Meridian, Mississippi|Meridian]]. I-20/I-59 travels concurrently to [[Birmingham, Alabama]]. I-59/US 80 travels concurrently through Meridian.
: {{Jct|US|11|country=USA}} in Meridian. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: {{Jct|US|45|country=USA}} in Meridian
: {{Jct|US|11|US|80|country=USA}} near [[Kewanee, Mississippi|Kewanee]]
;'''Alabama'''
: {{Jct|Future|85|country=USA}} near [[Cuba, Alabama|Cuba]]
: {{Jct|US|11|US|43|country=USA}} in [[Knoxville, Alabama|Knoxville]]
: {{Jct|state=AL|I|359|SR|69|country=USA}} in [[Tuscaloosa, Alabama|Tuscaloosa]]
: {{Jct|US|82|country=USA}} in Tuscaloosa
: {{Jct|US|11|country=USA}} twice in Tuscaloosa
: {{Jct|US|11|country=USA}} near Tuscaloosa. The highways travel concurrently to [[Bessemer, Alabama|Bessemer]].
: {{Jct|I|459|country=USA}} near Bessemer
: {{Jct|US|78|country=USA}} in [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]]
: {{Jct|I|65|country=USA}} in Birmingham
: {{Jct|US|31|US|280|country=USA}} in Birmingham
: {{Jct|US|11|country=USA}} in Birmingham
: {{Jct|I|459|country=USA}} in [[Trussville, Alabama|Trussville]]
: {{Jct|US|231|country=USA}} in [[Ashville, Alabama|Ashville]]
: {{Jct|I|759|country=USA}} in [[Gadsden, Alabama|Gadsden]]
: {{Jct|US|278|US|431|country=USA}} in [[Attalla, Alabama|Attalla]]
: {{Jct|US|11|country=USA}} in [[Fort Payne, Alabama|Fort Payne]]
;'''Georgia'''
: {{Jct|I|24|country=USA}} near [[Wildwood, Georgia|Wildwood]]

==Auxiliary routes==
* [[Interstate 359|I-359]] in [[Tuscaloosa, Alabama]]
* [[Interstate 459|I-459]] in [[Birmingham, Alabama]]
* [[Interstate 759|I-759]] in [[Gadsden, Alabama]]
{{I-59 aux}}

==See also==
*{{Portal-inline|U.S. roads}}
*{{Portal-inline|Mississippi}}
*{{Portal-inline|Georgia (U.S. state)}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{AttachedKML|display=title,inline}}
*{{commons category-inline|Interstate 59}}
{{interstates}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:I059}}
[[Category:Interstate 59| ]]
[[Category:Interstate Highway System|59]]
[[Category:Interstate Highways in Louisiana|59]]
[[Category:Interstate Highways in Mississippi|59]]
[[Category:Interstate Highways in Alabama|59]]
[[Category:Interstate Highways in Georgia (U.S. state)|59]]