Interstate Highway 59

National Southern Terminus:

At I-10/I-12 near Slidell, LA

National Northern Terminus:

 At I-24 near Wildwood, GA

National Distance:

 444 miles

States Served:

 Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia

Mississippi Southern Terminus:

LA/MS State Line near Nicholson, Lauderdale County

Mississippi Northern Terminus:

 MS/AL State Line near Kewanee, Lauderdale County

Mississippi Distance:

 172.6 miles

Counties Served:

 Pearl River, Lamar, Forrest, Jones, Jasper, Clarke, Lauderdale

Cities/Towns Over 5,000 Population:

 Picayune, Hattiesburg, Laurel, Meridian

Highway Duplexes:

 US 11 (twice), MS 43, US 98, US 84, MS 15, I-20, US 80, MS 19

6+ lane segments:

 None

MDOT's Vision 21 System:

 High Priority from US 98 East to US 49
Low Priority from MS 29 to US 84/MS 15
High Priority from I-59 South to MS 19 South/MS 39
Low Priority from MS 19 South/MS 39 to Toomsuba

Average Annual Daily Traffic Ranges (2004)

Pearl River County:

26,000 (At the Pearl River)
26,000 (N of US 11/MS 607)
23,000 (Along MS 43 duplex)
14,000 (N of MS 43 North)
14,000 (S of MS 53)
12,000 (N of MS 53)
17,000 (N of MS 26)
15,000 (N of Hillsdale Rd)
16,000 (N of MS 13)

Lamar/Forrest
Counties:

 16,000 (S of MS 589)
18,000 (N of MS 589)
33,000 (N of US 98 East)
30,000 (N of US 11)
35,000 (N of US 98 West)
28,000 (N of US 49)
26,000 (N of Eatonville Rd)
25,000 (N of Sis Hobison Rd)

Jones County:

 25,000 (S of Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport)
26,000 (N of Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport)
25,000 (N of Moselle-Seminary Rd)
26,000 (N of MS 590)
31,000 (N of MS 29)
34,000 (N of US 11/Exit 93)
37,000 (N of US 84 West/MS 15 North)
35,000 (N of Beacon St)
36,000 (N of 4th Ave)
16,000 (N of MS 15 South)
16,000 (N of US 84 East)
12,000 (N of US 11/Exit 99)
15,000 (N of Sharon-Sandersville Rd)

Jasper/Clarke
Counties:

 15,000 (S of MS 528)
11,000 (N of MS 528)
10,000 (N of Vossburg/Exit 118)
10,000 (N of MS 18)
11,000 (N of Enterprise/Exit 137)

Lauderdale County:

 11,000 (S of Meehan-Savoy Rd)
16,000 (N of Meehan-Savoy Rd)
35,000 (E of I-20 West)
50,000 (E of US 11 South/MS 19 North)
41,000 (E of 49th Ave)
58,000 (E of 29th Ave)
42,000 (E of MS 145/22nd Ave)
30,000 (E of MS 19 South/MS 39)
24,000 (E of Russell/Exit 160)
21,000 (E of US 11/US 80/Kewanee)

Current/Upcoming Projects Listed in the STIP

Year:

Location: Type of Work: Funding:

2005

 Weigh station east of Kewanee Truck scales $3.91 million

2006

 At US 11 in Hattiesburg PE for interchange reconstruction $100,000

Froggie's Notes:

- Although maligned by some, I-59 serves as an important connector.  It would be my route of choice from New Orleans to the Northeast, utilizing I-75 and I-81, as it allows one to avoid the traffic of Atlanta and along I-95.
- The first sections of I-59 opened in 1963, across the Pearl River and between Hattiesburg and Laurel.  By 1969, I-59 through Mississippi was complete, except for the duplex with I-20 through Meridian which wasn't upgraded until the mid-70s.
- Although not signed as such from the Interstate, the Kewanee exit (Exit 169) is also US 11/80.

Froggie Suggests:

- Widen to 6 lanes from US 98 East to US 49 near Hattiesburg.
- Consider the feasibility of adding an interchange somewhere between US 11 and US 98 West near Hattiesburg.
- Full reconstruction between US 49 and US 11 northeast of Laurel to replace deficient pavement and geometrics, including the 40 MPH "S-curve" in Laurel.
- Add auxiliary lanes between interchanges in Laurel.
- Widen to 6 through lanes plus auxiliary lanes from I-20 West to US 45.
- As an alternative to widening through Meridian, an Interstate-grade southern bypass of Meridian could be built instead, from near Lost Gap east to the existing US 45 South bypass.  I have dubbed such a bypass as I-259.
- Interchange improvements and ramp additions as needed.

Terminus/Other Photographs:

No photographs available

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Last Updated:  May 25, 2005

(C) 2005, Adam Froehlig