OKHighways - OK 59

Highway History:
1950: OK 59 only went as far east as OK 99. From OK 99 eastward to Wewoka, present-day OK 59 was signed as OK 99B. Except for a couple of minor reroutings around Payne, Wayne, and Rosedale, it had the same route as it does today. Neither of today's OK 59B's existed yet.

1960: By this time, today's western OK 59B had been built to connect OK 59 to OK 19 in Lindsay. Today's eastern OK 59B had not been built yet. The eastern terminus was still at OK 99, and OK 99B still ran along today's OK 59 from Bowlegs to Wewoka.

1970: The official 1970 Oklahoma highway map does not show OK 24 south of OK 39, so there was no OK 24/OK 59 duplex. By 1970, OK 59 had been extended east along former OK 99B to Wewoka.

1980: OK 24 was back on the map, so the OK 24/OK 59 duplex existed again. Otherwise, same route as today.

Highway Review:
OK 59 is signed east-west but begins its journey at OK 39 heading southbound. Eight miles south of the western terminus the highway heads east at OK 59B takes over the main highway. It then heads through Payne and then joins OK 24 for about a mile. OK 59 then heads east once again and intersects OK 74 and Interstate 35. U.S. 77 intersects OK 59 in Wayne. The highway then continues heading east and goes through Rosedale and Byars. The next major highway intersection is at U.S. 177, and OK 59A heads straight while OK 59 joins U.S. 177 heading northbound.

Just west of Pearson U.S. 177 and OK 59 split. The highway now makes a few curves to the north and east and goes through St. Louis (Oklahoma, not Missouri!) and Maud before intersecting U.S. 377 and OK 99. OK 59 then heads south along U.S. 377/OK 99 until the highways enter Bowlegs, then OK 59 heads off to the east again. It intersects U.S. 270 west of Wewoka, heads through downtown Wewoka, and OK 59 ends its 93 mile journey at OK 56.

Highway Information:
Distance: 93.3 miles
Counties traveled through: McClain, Pottawatomie, Seminole
Cities traveled through: Criner, Payne, Wayne, Rosedale, Byars, Asher, Pearson, St. Louis, Maud, Bowlegs, Wewoka
Highway intersections: OK 39 (Mile 0.0), OK 59B (Mile 7.8), OK 24 (Mile 14.4), OK 24 (Mile 15.4), OK 74 (Mile 18.4), Interstate 35 (Mile 21.3), U.S. 77 (Mile 23.9), OK 133 (Mile 37.6), U.S. 177/OK 59A (Mile 46.2), OK 3W (Mile 51.2), OK 39 (Mile 53.9), U.S. 177/OK 3W (Mile 60.0), OK 9A (Mile 71.1), OK 9A (Mile 72.5), U.S. 377/OK 3E/OK 99 (Mile 80.2), U.S. 377/OK 3E/OK 99 (Mile 82.9), U.S. 270 (Mile 91.2), OK 56 (Mile 93.3)
Highway duplexes: OK 24 (Miles 14.4-15.4, 1.0 mile), U.S. 177 (Miles 46.2-60.0, 13.8 miles), OK 3W (Mile 51.2-60.0, 8.8 miles), OK 9A (Miles 71.1-72.5, 1.4 miles), U.S. 377/OK 3E/99 (Miles 80.2-82.9, 2.7 miles)

Traffic Counts:
Most traveled section: From Interstate 35 to just east of Wayne (2,000-2,200 vpd)
Least traveled section: From OK 59B to OK 24 (260-300 vpd)

	"END OK 59" signage as OK 59 West nears its western terminus. The stop ahead sign for OK 39 is visible in the distance. (Photo taken 9/6/02)
	OK 59 West at OK 39. The road continues north as a county road like many other Oklahoma state highways do at their termini. (Photo taken 9/6/02)
	OK 59 East and Detour OK 24 South assurance shields just south of OK 39. For several months, OK 24 traffic was detoured along parts of OK 39 and OK 59 due to reconstruction of a bridge over Finn Creek. (Photo taken 9/20/05)
	OK 39 East at OK 59 East. OK 59's first eight miles run north-south before turning to the left at OK 59B. (Photo taken 1/31/03)
	OK 39 West approaching OK 59. The westernmost eight miles of OK 59 between OK 39 and OK 59B travel north-south. (Photo taken 9/20/05)
	OK 39 West at OK 59 East and Detour OK 24 South. As of May 2005, the detour is no longer in place, as construction has wrapped up. (Photo taken 9/20/05)

	OK 59 East approaching OK 59B. The western OK 59B connects OK 59 to OK 19 in Lindsay. (Photo taken 9/20/05)
	During the time that OK 24 was detoured on the highway, this sign assembly was in place to inform motorists of the turn to continue on OK 59. Funny thing is, there was no sign in advance of the intersection indicating that OK 59 makes a left turn ahead! (Photo taken 9/20/05)
	OK 59 East at OK 59B South. OK 59B connects OK 19 just east of Lindsay to OK 59. (Top photo taken 1/31/03, bottom photo taken 9/20/05)
	OK 59 West at junction OK 59B. The intersection is located eight miles south of the western terminus. (Photo taken 9/6/02)
	Another view of OK 59 West at OK 59B South, taken almost five months later. (Photo taken 1/31/03)
	OK 59 East assurance shield just east of OK 59B. The highway makes two 90-degree curves before it straightens out. The next highway intersection is at OK 24 in six miles. (Top photo taken 1/31/03, bottom photo taken 9/20/05)
	These two shield assemblies pointed the way to continue on OK 59. Again, OK 24's detour route was signed for the two 90-degree curves that OK 59 makes in Payne, but no signage for OK 59! Apparently, the detour route for another highway was signed better than the highway that actually travels on this pavement! (Photo taken 9/20/05)

	OK 59 East approaching OK 24. OK 59 turns to the north for a one-mile duplex with OK 24. (Photo taken 9/20/05)
	OK 59 East at OK 24. (Photo taken 9/20/05)
	OK 24 South/OK 59 West at their southern split. (Photo taken 9/6/02)
	OK 59 East at OK 133 South. OK 133 connects to OK 19, seven miles to the south, at its other end. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	OK 59 East at U.S. 177 and OK 59A East. OK 59 heads to the north here, and OK 59A begins straight ahead. That highway connects to OK 3W five miles ahead. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	U.S. 177 South/OK 59 West at OK 59 West/OK 59A East. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	OK 59 West assurance shield just west of U.S. 177/OK 59A. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	U.S. 177 North/OK 59 East at OK 3W south of Asher. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	U.S. 177 South/OK 3W East/OK 59 West at U.S. 177 South/OK 59 West. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	U.S. 177 North/OK 3W West/OK 59 East at OK 39 in Asher. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	U.S. 177 South/OK 3W East/OK 59 West at OK 39 West. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	U.S. 177 South/OK 3W East/OK 59 West at OK 39 East. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	OK 59 at U.S. 270. U.S. 270 goes over OK 59; a short road connects the two highways west of the overpass. OK 56 is two miles to the southeast. (Photo taken 5/31/04)

	"END OK 59" sign as OK 59 East nears its end at OK 56 and Business U.S. 270 in Wewoka. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	OK 59 East at OK 56/Business U.S. 270. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	OK 56 North/Business U.S. 270 West at OK 59 West. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	OK 56 South/Business U.S. 270 East at OK 59 West. (Photo taken 5/31/04)