U.S. Route 59 in Texas

Also see Interstate 69 in Texas

US Highway 59
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length:	612.169 mi (985.191 km)
Existed:	1935 – present
Major junctions
South end:	I-35 / US 83 in Laredo
	US 281 in George West US 181 in Beeville US 183 in Goliad US 77 / US 87 in Victoria US 90 in Sugar Land I-45 in Houston I-10 in Houston US 190 in Livingston US 287 in Corrigan US 69 in Lufkin US 259 in Nacogdoches US 84 in Timpson US 96 in Tenaha US 79 in Carthage I-20 / US 80 in Marshall US 67 / US 71 / I-30 in Texarkana
North end:	U.S. 59 in Texarkana, AR
Highway system
United States Numbered Highways List Bannered Divided Replaced Highways in Texas Interstate US State Loops Spurs Rec FM Toll ← SH 58 SH 59 →

U.S. Route 59 in Houston, Texas looking east.

U.S. Route 59, connects Texarkana to Laredo. It is also known as the Lloyd M. Bentsen Highway in honor of the late Democratic U.S. senator from Texas, who served from 1971–1992. This sign is located near Freer, the seat of Duval County east of Laredo.

Southwest Freeway in 1972

In the U.S. state of Texas, U.S. 59 is named the Lloyd Bentsen Highway, after Lloyd Bentsen, former U.S. Senator from Texas. In northern Houston, US 59 (co-signed with Interstate 69 in Texas) is the Eastex Freeway (from Downtown to Humble). To the south, it is the Southwest Freeway (from Rosenberg to Downtown Houston), which is one of the busiest sections of freeway in the United States with a vehicle count, as of 2006, over 330,000 vehicles per day just outside the Loop. To make things more confusing, 85 miles to the east, in Beaumont, Texas, U.S. 69, heading north of IH 10, is also officially known as Eastex Freeway, and is an evacuation route, as well.

US 59 (overlapped by US 71) actually straddles the border between Texas and Arkansas north of Interstate 30 near Texarkana, with the east side of the highway in Arkansas and the west side of the highway on the Texas side. In the past, both highways remained on the border past I-30 as State Line Avenue to downtown Texarkana; today, only US 71 does so. Nearly 90% of this route is designated to become part of Interstate 69 in the future. Currently 75 mph is allowed on US 59 in Duval County and portions of northern Polk County.

The total length of the southernmost segment of U.S. Route 59 that passes through Texas and terminates near the Mexican border is some 615 miles.

History

The US 96 designation was originally applied in 1926 from Rosenberg, Texas, near Houston to Pharr in the Rio Grande valley. This diagonal route, south of U.S. 90, did not violate the convention of even numbers for east–west routes. The highway's east–west nature was boosted in 1934 when US 96 was rerouted from Alice to Laredo.

Route description

Laredo to Interstate 37

US 59 begins in Laredo at an intersection with I-35 about 2 miles north of the Mexican border. Traveling in a mostly northeast direction, US 59 intersects Loop 20 just north of Laredo International Airport heads towards Freer. In Duval County, the speed limit on US 59 is 75 miles per hour, the highest speed limit on the highway. US 59 shares a short congruency with SH 44 in and around Freer. From Freer, US 59 passes through the southeastern part of McMullen County, but does not intersect any highways. The highway continues northeast, intersecting US 281 in George West, before intersecting I-37 about 55 miles north of Corpus Christi. Between Laredo and Interstate 37, US 59 passes through many rural areas and ranching sites.

Interstate 37 to Houston

From I-37, US 59 heads northeast passing through Beeville. US 59 bypasses Victoria to the south, and becomes a divided highway, and has a series of interchanges, until it becomes a freeway south of Houston in Rosenberg and resumes the designation of I-69 until reaching I-610 West. Between Houston and Victoria, US 59 passes through Edna, El Campo, and Wharton. US 59 intersects many major Texas highways in Houston, including I-10 (which goes to San Antonio and Beaumont) and I-45 (which goes to Dallas and Galveston).

Future I-69 inside Loop 610 through Downtown Houston has been submitted for designation and is awaiting approval.

Houston to Marshall

Leaving Houston, the Interstate 69 designation begins again at I-610 North. US 59 intersects Beltway 8 again on the northside of town, passing by Bush Intercontinental Airport and heads into Humble. Between Houston and Livingston, most of US 59 is a limited-access freeway but the I-69 designation ends at the Montgomery-Liberty county line. US 59 passes through or bypasses the towns of Cleveland and Livingston. 46 miles north of Livingston, US 59 bypasses Lufkin, where it overlaps US 69. 10 miles north of Lufkin, US 59 bypasses Nacogdoches and heads in an almost entirely east-west direction. Drivers wishing to stay on US 59 must turn left in Tenaha, where the highway intersects US 96 and ends its overlap with US 84. US 59 passes through Carthage before intersecting I-20 south of Marshall.

Marshall to Texarkana

US 59 intersects US 80 in Marshall, where US 59 is known as East End Boulevard (due to the fact the highway runs on the east side of town, near the city limits). US 59 passes through Jefferson, 15 miles east of Caddo Lake. US 59 passes through the towns of Linden and Atlanta before arriving in Bowie County. US 59 intersects SH 93 south of Texarkana, the old highway through the city. Shortly after, US 59 intersects Spur 151, where US 59 becomes a freeway on the westside of the city. US 59 intersects I-30, and overlaps I-30 until exit 223B, at the state line. After leaving I-30, US 59 joins US 71, where both highways run on the state line between Texas and Arkansas, where both highways continue north towards DeQueen, Arkansas.

Junction list

County	Location	# Mile	Junction	Notes
Webb	Laredo		I-35 – San Antonio
			Loop 20 (Bob Bullock Loop)
			FM 2895
			FM 2050
Duval			SH 44 west – Encinal	South end of SH 44 concurrency
	Freer		SH 16 (Norton Avenue) – Hebbronville, Tilden, San Antonio
			SH 44 east – Alice, Corpus Christi	North end of SH 44 concurrency
			FM 2359
McMullen	No major junctions in McMullen County
Live Oak			FM 624
			FM 1359
			FM 3336
	George West		US 281 (Nueces Street) – Alice, San Antonio, McAllen
			US 59 Bus.
			FM 799 north	South end of FM 799 concurrency
			FM 799 south	North end of FM 799 concurrency
			I-37 – San Antonio, Corpus Christi
			FM 1596
Bee			FM 796
			FM 1349
	Beeville		FM 351
			FM 673 (Minnesota Street)
			US 181 Bus. / SH 202 (Washington Street) – Refugio
			US 181 – Sinton, Corpus Christi, Floresville, San Antonio
Goliad	Berclair		FM 883
			FM 1351
			SH 239 – Kenedy	South end of SH 239 concurrency
			FM 1726
	Goliad		US 183 / US 77 Alt. / SH 239 (Jefferson Street) – Refugio, Austwell, Cuero, Austin	North end of SH 239 concurrency
	Fannin		FM 2987 / FM 2506 / PR 27
Victoria			US 59 Bus. north (Moody Street) / Loop 463 (Zac Lentz Parkway)
			FM 446
			US 77 – Hallettsville, Waco, Refugio, Brownsville
			Spur 91
	Victoria		SH 185 – Bloomington, Port O'Connor
			US 87 – Cuero, San Antonio, Port Lavaca
			Loop 463 (Zac Lentz Parkway)
			US 59 Bus. south (Houston Highway)
			FM 1686
			FM 444
Jackson			FM 234
			US 59 Bus. / Loop 521 north
	Edna		FM 822
			SH 111 – Yoakum, Gonzales, Midfield	Interchange
			US 59 Bus. / Loop 521 south
			FM 530 – Hallettsville
			Loop 522
	Ganado		SH 172 / FM 710	Interchange
			Loop 522
Wharton			Loop 523 / FM 647
			FM 1160	Interchange
			Loop 523
			Loop 524 to FM 441
			Loop 525
	El Campo		FM 1163 (Palacios Street)	Interchange
			SH 71 (Mechanic Street) – Columbus, LaGrange, Austin, Blessing	Interchange
			FM 1162 (Blue Creek Road)	Interchange
			Loop 525 / FM 960 – Glen Flora	Interchange
			Loop 526
	Wharton		US 59 Bus. to Loop 183 / FM 961 / SH 60 – Wharton	Interchange
			FM 102 to SH 60 – Eagle Lake, Bay City, Matagorda	Interchange
			US 59 Bus. / SH 60 / Loop 183
			FM 1161 to SH 60	Interchange
			US 59 Bus. to Loop 183 / SH 60 – East Bernard, Wallis
Fort Bend			FM 2919
			Loop 541	Southbound exit and entrance
			FM 360 (Beasley-Needville Road)
			Loop 540	Southbound exit and entrance
	Rosenberg		Spur 10	Interchange
		South end of freeway, South end of I-69 overlap
			Spur 529
			Frontage Road	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
			SH 36 – Rosenberg
			FM 2218 – Richmond
			Reading Road
			FM 762 – Richmond
			Williams Way Boulevard
	Sugar Land		SH 99 (Grand Parkway) / FM 2759 (Crabb River Road)
			Brazos River Turnaround
			University Boulevard
			Sweetwater Boulevard, First Colony Boulevard
			SH 6
			Sugar Lakes Drive, Williams Trace Boulevard
			Dairy Ashford Road, Sugar Creek Boulevard
			US 90 Alt.
	Stafford		Kirkwood Road, West Airport Boulevard
Harris	Houston		FM 1092 (Wilcrest Drive) / West Bellfort Avenue
			Sam Houston Tollway
			Beltway 8 (Frontage Road)	Northbound exit is via the FM 1092 exit
			Bissonnet Street
			South Gessner Road, Beechnut Street
			Fondren Road, Bellaire Boulevard
			Hillcroft Avenue
			Westpark Tollway east	Northbound exit only
			Westpark Tollway west	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
			Westpark Drive	Northbound exit is via the Hillcroft Avenue exit
			Fountainview Drive	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
			Chimney Rock Road
			I-610 (West Loop Freeway)	North end of I-69 overlap
			Newcastle Drive	Northbound exit is via the Weslayan Road exit
			Weslayan Road
			Buffalo Speedway, Edloe Street
			Kirby Drive
			Greenbriar Drive, South Shepherd Drive
			Spur 527 north	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
			Main Street	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
			Fannin Street	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
			SH 288 south (South Freeway) – Lake Jackson, Freeport
			McGowen Avenue, Tuam Avenue	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
			I-45 (Gulf Freeway) – Dallas, Galveston
			Gray Avenue, Pierce Avenue; Downtown Houston	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
			Polk Street – Downtown Houston	Northbound exit only
			Jackson Street – Downtown Houston, George R. Brown Convention Center	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
			I-10 (East Freeway) – San Antonio, Beaumont
			Lyons Avenue, Quitman Street
			Collingsworth Street, Cavalcade Street, Kelley Street
			Cavalcade Street	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
			I-610 (North Loop Freeway)	South end of I-69 overlap
			Crosstimbers Road, Kelley Street, Bennington Road
			Laura Koppe Road	Southbound exit is via the Tidwell Road exit
			Tidwell Road
			Parker Road, Saunders Road, Jensen Drive
			Little York Road
			Hopper Road	Northbound exit is via the Little York Road exit
			East Mount Houston Road
			Aldine Mail Route
			Lauder Road	Northbound exit is via the Aldine Mail Route exit
			Old Humble Road, Lee Road, Homestead Road	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
			FM 525 (Aldine Bender Road)
	Houston		Beltway 8 west (Sam Houston Parkway)
			Beltway 8 (Frontage Road)	Northbound exit is via FM 525 exit
			Greens Road
			Rankin Road
			Will Clayton Parkway – Bush Intercontinental Airport
	Humble		Frontage Road	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
			FM 1960 / FM 1960 Bus. – Humble
			Townsen Boulevard	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
			Loop 494 / Hamblen Road / Sorters-McClellan Road	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
Montgomery			Kingwood Drive
			Northpark Drive
			FM 1314 – Porter, Conroe
			Community Drive
			FM 1485 – New Caney
			Loop 494	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
			Roman Forest Boulevard
	Woodbranch		SH 242
			Local traffic only	Southbound exit only
			Creekwood Lane
	Splendora		FM 2090 – Splendora
			East River Drive
			Fostoria Road
North end of freeway, North end of I-69 overlap
Liberty			Loop 573 (Washington Avenue) – Cleveland	Two exits northbound
	Cleveland		SH 105 – Cleveland, Conroe
			FM 2025 – Coldspring
			Loop 573 (Washington Avenue) – Cleveland
San Jacinto			FM 2914
	Shepherd		Loop 424 (Byrd Avenue) / FM 3460
			SH 150 / FM 223 – Coldspring	Interchange
			Loop 424
			FM 1127
			Loop 393
Polk	Goodrich		FM 2665
			FM 1988
			Loop 393
	Livingston		US 59 Bus. north (Pan American Drive) – Livingston, Woodville	Southbound exit is part of exit 436A
		436A	FM 1988 south – Lake Livingston State Park
		436D	Frontage Road	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		434B	Frontage Road	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
			US 190 – Huntsville, Livingston
		432B	Frontage Road – Pedigo Park	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		434D	US 59 Bus. south (Washington Avenue) to SH 146 south – Downtown Livingston, Pedigo Park
			Loop 116
	Leggett		Loop 116
			FM 942	Short concurrency with FM 942 in Leggett
			FM 62
			Loop 177
			FM 350
			Loop 177
	Corrigan		FM 942
			US 287 (2nd Street)
			FM 352
			FM 1987
Angelina			FM 357 / FM 1987
	Diboll		Loop 210 (Thompson Street) / FM 1818 (Dennis Street)
			Loop 210
			FM 2497 (Ryan Chapel Road)
			FM 2108
			FM 324
	Lufkin		FM 819 (College Drive)
			FM 1877
			US 59 Bus. (1st Street) / Loop 287 (John Redditt Drive)	Interchange, south end of Loop 287 concurrency
			FM 58 (Chestnut Street)	Interchange
			US 69 (Woodville) / US 69 Bus.
			FM 841 (Lufkin Avenue) to FM 325	Northbound exit, southbound entrance
			FM 841 (Ford Chapel Road)	Southbound exit, northbound entrance
			FM 325 (Lufkin Avenue)	Southbound exit, northbound entrance
			SH 103 (Atkinson Drive)	Interchange
			US 69 / US 59 Bus. (Timberland Drive) / Loop 287 (Ellen Trout Drive)	North end of US 69 / Loop 287 concurrency
			FM 3521
			FM 3439
			FM 2021
			FM 843
Nacogdoches	Nacogdoches		US 59 Bus. (South Street) / Loop 224 (Stallings Drive)	Interchange, south end of Loop 224 concurrency
			SH 7 (Fredonia Street)	Interchange
			FM 225 (Durst Street)	Interchange
			SH 21 (Douglass Road)	Interchange
			FM 2609 (Austin Street)
			FM 1638 (Old Tyler Road) to FM 3314 (Lone Star Road)	Interchange
			Loop 224 (Stallings Drive) / Westward Drive	Interchange, north end of Loop 224 concurrency
			FM 342 (Industrial Drive)
			US 259 north / US 59 Bus. south – Henderson, Nacogdoches	Interchange
			FM 2864
	Appleby		FM 941 (Appleby Sand Road)
			FM 2476 (Fitze Road)
	Garrison		FM 95
			FM 138 (Greenwood Street)
			FM 95 (Main Street)
Rusk	No major junctions in Rusk County
Shelby			FM 2667
	Timpson		US 84	South end of US 84 concurrency
			SH 87
			FM 947 (Tennessee Road)
			Spur 470 (Bear Drive)
			FM 1645
	Tenaha		FM 2141
			FM 947 (Main Street)
			Loop 157 (Center Street)
			US 84 east (George Bowers Drive) / US 96 south – Center	Interchange, north end of US 84 concurrency
			Loop 157 (Center Street)
Panola			FM 999
			FM 2517
			US 59 Bus. (Shelby Street) / SH 149 (LaSalle Parkway)	Interchange
	Carthage		FM 699 (Forsythe Street)
			US 79 / US 79 Bus. (Sabine Street)	Interchange, south end of US 79 concurrency
			US 79 (LaSalle Parkway) / US 59 Bus.	Interchange, north end of US 79 concurrency
			FM 124
			FM 2792
			FM 1794
Harrison			FM 1186
			FM 2983
			FM 2625
	Marshall		I-20 – Dallas, Shreveport
			SH 43 (Pinecrest Drive)	South end of SH 43 concurrency
			FM 31 (Travis Street)
			US 80 (Grand Avenue / Victory Drive)
			SH 43 (Karnack Highway)	North end of SH 43 concurrency
			Loop 390 (Ernest F. Smith Parkway)
			FM 1793
	Woodlawn		FM 1997
Marion			FM 2208
	Jefferson		SH 49 (Broadway Street)
			FM 1324
Cass			FM 2683
	Linden		SH 8 / SH 155 / FM 125 (Main Street)
			FM 125 (Kildare Road)
			FM 1841
			FM 1913
			SH 11 (Houston Street)
			FM 1913
			FM 2328
			FM 2328
	Atlanta		SH 77	South end of SH 77 concurrency
			SH 77 (Pine Crest Drive) / FM 249 (Main Street)	North end of SH 77 concurrency
			SH 43 (Louise Street)
			Loop 236 / FM 2791 (Hickory Street)
			FM 96 (Lanark Street)
			FM 2914
			Loop 236
			FM 2327
			FM 2327
			FM 3129
Bowie			FM 2148
			FM 3244
			FM 2516 (Buchanan Loop Road)
			FM 989 (Kings Highway)
	Texarkana		SH 93 (Lake Drive) / Loop 151 (Wallace Parkway)
			South end of freeway
			US 67 (7th Street)
			Westlawn Drive – Wake Village
			US 82 (New Boston Road)
			I-30 west – Dallas	South end of I-30 concurrency
		220B	FM 559 (Richmond Road)
		222	SH 93 / FM 1397 (Summerhill Road)
		223A	I-30 east / US 71 south (State Line Avenue) – Little Rock	Northbound exit ramp enters Arkansas, north end of I-30 concurrency, south end of US 71 concurrency
		North end of freeway. Continues into Arkansas