Arkansas Highway 59

Highway 59
Route information
Maintained by AHTD
Length:	93.24 mi[1] (150.06 km)
Existed:	1935 – present
Major junctions
South end:	AR 22, Barling
	I-540 / US 71, Van Buren US 64, Van Buren I-40, Van Buren US 62, Summers US 412, Siloam Springs
North end:	Route 59, Missouri state line
Location
Counties:	Benton, Crawford, Washington
Highway system
Arkansas Highway System Interstate US State Business Spurs Scenic Heritage Trails ← AR 58 AR 60 →

Arkansas Highway 59 is a north–south state highway in Northwest Arkansas. The route runs 93.24 miles (150.06 km) from Arkansas Highway 22 in Barling north to the Missouri state line through Van Buren, the county seat of Crawford County.^[2] Highway 59 parallels US 59 (in Oklahoma) between Siloam Springs and Fort Smith.

Route description

AR 59 continues southbound after the concurrency with US 412 ends in south Siloam Springs.

The route begins in Barling at AR 22.^[3] The route runs north to enter Van Buren, crossing I-540 and briefly concurring with US 64. The concurrency begins near the Joseph Starr Dunham House and before crossing Interstate 40.^[2] The route exits town northbound, intersecting rural highways AR 162 and AR 220 in Cedarville and crossing Lee Creek on the historic Lee Creek Bridge. At this time, AR 59 is running through the Boston Mountains subdivision of The Ozarks. North of Cedarville, AR 59 curves west toward Oklahoma, coming within 0.1 miles (0.16 km) of the border.^[2]

Entering Washington County, the route meets Arkansas Highway 156 in Evansville and AR 244 in Tofu.^[4] The route continues north to Dutch Mills and Summers before entering Siloam Springs.

Upon entering Benton County, AR 59 concurs with US 412 east around the southeast edge of Siloam Springs. The concurrency ends and AR 59 continues north to Gentry. AR 59 passes near Kansas City-Southern Railway cars and Kansas City-Southern Depot in Decatur. The route continues north to AR 72 and the Kansas City Southern Railway Caboose No. 383 in Gravette. The highway runs further north to Wee Pine Knot, the Adar House, and Butler Creek Cemetery in Sulphur Springs. AR 59 meets Missouri Route 59 at the Missouri state line and terminates.^[5]

Major intersections

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
Sebastian	Barling	0.0	0.0	AR 22 – Charleston, Fort Smith
Crawford	Van Buren			Gun Club Road to I-49	Future proposed connection
				I-540 (US 71) to I-40 – Fort Smith, Little Rock	I-540 exit 3
		8.7	14.0	US 64 west / US 71B south – Fort Smith	South end of US 64 / US 71B overlap
		9.1	14.6	US 64 east / US 71B north (Broadway) – Alma	North end of US 64 / US 71B overlap
		11.2	18.0	I-40 to I-540 – Sallisaw, OK, Little Rock, trucks for Van Buren	I-40 exit 5
	Figure Five	15.0	24.1	AR 348 east – Rudy
		17.4	28.0	AR 220 west (Uniontown Highway) – Uniontown	South end of AR 220 overlap
	Cedarville	19.4	31.2	AR 162 east
		21.4	34.4	AR 220 east – Lee Creek	North end of AR 220 overlap
Washington		40.9	65.8	AR 156 west – Stilwell, OK
		41.2	66.3	AR 244 west – Stilwell, OK
		44.5	71.6	AR 45 north – Canehill
		50.6	81.4	US 62 east – Prairie Grove, Fayetteville, Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park	South end of US 62 overlap
	Summers	52.2	84.0	US 62 west – Muskogee, OK	North end of US 62 overlap
		61.4	98.8	AR 244 east
Benton	Siloam Springs	67.4	108.5	US 412 west / AR 264 west – Siloam Springs, Tulsa, OK	Interchange; south end of US 412 overlap
		67.8	109.1	AR 16S
		68.6	110.4	AR 16 east
		69.6	112.0	US 412 east – Springdale	North end of US 412 overlap
		70.1	112.8	AR 980 – Siloam Springs Municipal Airport
		70.6	113.6	AR 43 north (East Cheri Whitlock Drive)
	Gentry	75.5	121.5	AR 59B north (Collins Avenue) – Business District
		75.7	121.8	AR 12 (East Third Street) to AR 43 – Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport
		76.0	122.3	AR 59B south (East Main Street) – Business District
		76.6	123.3	AR 59S south (North Railroad Avenue)
	Decatur	81.5	131.2	AR 102 east (East Roller Avenue) – Centerton	South end of AR 102 overlap
		81.6	131.3	AR 102 west (North Main Street) – Maysville	North end of AR 102 overlap
	Gravette	88.2	141.9	AR 72 east (Atlanta Street East) – Hiwasse	South end of AR 72 overlap
		88.3	142.1	AR 72 west – Maysville	North end of AR 72 overlap
		95.0	152.9	Route 59 north – Joplin	Missouri state line
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Unopened

History

When Arkansas established its first numbered state highway system in 1926, Arkansas Highway 59 was designated for a route that led from Eudora to the Louisiana state line.^[6] The South Arkansas route later became Arkansas Highway 159, and 59 number moved to northwest Arkansas. In 1936, AR 59 ran from Van Buren north to Siloam Springs Siloam Springs. From Highway 72 at Gravette, north to the Missouri State Line, AR 59 is the original alignment of U.S. Highway 71. The road continues north into Missouri as Route 59.

The route was widened by the AHTD in 2007 around Siloam Springs.^[7]

Bannered routes

AR 59 has two bannered routes, both in Gentry.

Gentry business route

AR 59B southern terminus at AR 59 in Gentry

Highway 59B
Location:	Gentry
Length:	0.94 mi[1] (1.51 km)

Arkansas Highway 59 Business is a 0.94-mile (1.51 km) business route in Gentry.

Gentry spur

AR 59S eastern terminus at AR 59 in Gentry

Highway 59S
Location:	Gentry
Length:	0.71 mi[1] (1.14 km)

Arkansas Highway 59 Spur is a 0.71-mile (1.14 km) spur route in Gentry.

References

Route map: Bing / Google

1. "[Arkansas] State Highways 2009 (Database)." April 2010. AHTD: Planning and Research Division. Database. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
2. General Highway Map - Crawford County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (4/27/07 ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
3. General Highway Map - Sebastian County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (10/3/2008 ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
4. General Highway Map - Washington County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (10/3/2008 ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
5. General Highway Map - Benton County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (8/24/2010 ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
6. Map of State of Arkansas showing System of State Highways (Map) (1926 ed.). [Arkansas] State Highway Department. Retrieved April 24, 2011.
7. "Annual Report - 2007". ATHD. Publication. Retrieved on March 2, 2009.