U.S. Route 59 in Texas

See also: Interstate 69 in Texas, Interstate 69W, Interstate 369 (Texas), and Texas State Highway Loop 20

This article is about the section of U.S. Route 59 in Texas. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 59.

U.S. Highway 59 (US 59) in the U.S. state of Texas 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 (I-69), is the Eastex Freeway (from Downtown Houston to the Liberty County/Montgomery County line). To the south, which is also co-signed with I-69, it is the Southwest Freeway (from Rosenberg to Downtown Houston). The stretch of the Southwest Freeway just west of The Loop was formerly one of the busiest freeways in North America, with a peak AADT of 371,000 in 1998.^[2]

U.S. Highway 59
US 59 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length	622.736 mi^[1] (1,002.196 km)
Existed	1935–present
Major junctions
West end	Mexico–US border in Laredo
Major intersections	I-35 / US 83 in Laredo Future I-69C / US 281 in George West I-37 near George West Future I-69E / Future I-69W / US 77 / US 87 in Victoria US 90 in Sugar Land I-45 in Houston I-10 in Houston Future I-69 / US 84 in Timpson I-20 / US 80 in Marshall I-30 / US 67 / US 71 in Texarkana
North end	US 59 / US 71 in Texarkana, AR
Location
Country	United States
State	Texas
Counties	Webb, Duval, McMullen, Live Oak, Bee, Goliad, Victoria, Jackson, Wharton, Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery, Liberty, San Jacinto, Polk, Angelina, Nacogdoches, Rusk, Shelby, Panola, Harrison, Marion, Cass, Bowie
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided Highways in Texas Interstate US State Toll Loops Spurs FM/RM Park Rec
← SH 58 → SH 59

US 59, co-signed with I-69, in Houston looking east

US 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 to 1992. This sign is located near Freer, the seat of Duval County east of Laredo.

US 59 (overlapped by US 71) actually straddles the border between Texas and Arkansas north of I-30 near Texarkana, with the east side of the highway on the Arkansas side 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 percent of this route is designated to become part of I-69 in the future. Currently 75-mile-per-hour (121 km/h) speed limits are allowed on US 59 in Duval County and portions of northern Polk County.

The total length of the southernmost segment of US 59 that passes through Texas and terminates at the Mexico–US border is 615 miles (990 km).

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.

US 59 was extended into Texas in 1936.^[3]

Route description

Laredo to Interstate 37

US 59 begins at the Mexico–US border with Loop 20 on the World Trade International Bridge over the Rio Grande in Laredo. The portion of US 59 that is co-signed with Loop 20 is also named the Bob Bullock Loop. At under 2 miles, the two highways run together concurrent with I-69W from the Mexico–US border until I-35 in Laredo, where I-69W temporarily ends. US 59 and Loop 20 continue to run together until just south of Lake Casa Blanca, where Loop 20 heads south to Mangana-Hein Road (and potentially into Mexico) and US 59 heads towards Freer; traveling in a mostly northeast direction. 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. A significant portion of US 59 in Texas has a 75 MPH speed limit.

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. Between Houston and Victoria, US 59 passes through Edna, Ganado, 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).

Houston to Marshall

Leaving Houston, 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 temporarily ends at the Montgomery-Liberty county line. US 59 passes through or bypasses the towns of Cleveland, Shepherd before crossing the Trinity River, then US 59 passes through Livingston. 46 miles north of Livingston, US 59 bypasses Lufkin, where it overlaps US 69. After leaving Lufkin, US 59 crosses the Angelina River. 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 west 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, I-369 designation with US 59 when the freeway intersects Spur 151, where US 59 becomes a freeway on the westside of the city. Before US 59 intersects I-30, and overlaps I-30 until exit 223B, at the state line, I-369 designation ends. 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.

Future

Further information: Interstate 69 in Texas § Recent and future improvements, and Interstate 369 (Texas) § Future

Interstate 69W
Location	Laredo–Victoria

Interstate 69
Location	Victoria–Tenaha

Interstate 369
Location	Tenaha–Texarkana

US 59 is in the process of being upgraded between Laredo & Victoria, to become I-69W; Between Victoria & Tenaha, as I-69; and Tenaha & Texarkana, I-369. Segments of I-69 are currently designated: I-69W runs between Mexico and I-35, I-69 runs through the Houston Metro, and a segment of I-369 exists on the west side of Texarkana. The entire I-69 project in Texas does not have a completion date but according to rules from American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), it should be within 25 years of initial signage for each Segment of Independent Utility.

Exit list

County	Location	mi^[1]^[a]	km	Exit^[4]	Destinations	Notes
Webb	Laredo	0.000	0.000	World Trade Bridge over Rio Grande west end of I-69W / Loop 20 overlap
		0.230	0.370	1	FM 1472 (Mines Road) – Laredo Colombia Solidarity Bridge	interchange
		1.353– 1.753^[b]	2.177– 2.821	2	I-35 / US 83 – San Antonio, Laredo     I-69W ends	Interchange; current east end of I-69W overlap; signed as exit 2A (north) and 2B (south) on I-69W side; I-35 exit 8
		620.294– 619.328	998.266– 996.712	–
		619.668– 619.007	997.259– 996.195	–	Sandia Drive / McPherson Road	interchange
		618.691	995.687	–	International Boulevard	interchange; southbound entrance and northbound exit
		617.729	994.138	East end of freeway
		611.18	983.60		Bus. US 59-Z west (Saunders Street) / Loop 20 south (Bob Bullock Loop) to I-35	interchange; east end of Loop 20 overlap
	​	582.913	938.108		FM 2895 south – Aguilares
	​	570.148	917.564		FM 2050 south – Bruni
Duval	​				SH 44 west – Encinal	south end of SH 44 overlap
	Freer				SH 16 – Tilden, Hebbronville, Falfurrias
	​				SH 44 east – San Diego	north end of SH 44 overlap
	​				FM 2359 west to SH 16
McMullen	No major junctions
Live Oak	​				FM 624 to SH 16 – Orange Grove, Cotulla
	​				FM 1359 south – Clegg
	​				FM 3336 west
	George West				US 281 / Bus. US 59-X north – Three Rivers, Alice
					Bus. US 59-X south – George West	Future I-69C South
	​				FM 799 east – Beeville	south end of FM 799 overlap
	​				FM 799 west	north end of FM 799 overlap
	​				I-37 – San Antonio, Corpus Christi	I-37 exit 56
	​				FM 1596 north
Bee	​				FM 796 south – Tynan
	​				FM 1349 south
	Blue Berry Hill				FM 351 (truck route)
	Beeville				FM 673 north (Minnesota Street)
					Bus. US 181 / SH 202 east (Washington Street)
					US 181 (truck route) – Kenedy, Karnes City, Skidmore	interchange
Goliad	Berclair				FM 883 west – Goliad County Airport
	​				FM 1351 west – Goliad County Airport
	​				SH 239 west – Charco, Kenedy	south end of SH 239 overlap
	​				FM 1726 north
	Goliad				US 77 Alt. / US 183 / SH 239 east – Cuero, Refugio, Goliad State Historical Park, Presidio Labahia, General Zaragoza Birthplace	north end of SH 239 overlap
	Fannin				FM 2987 – Fannin	interchange
Victoria	Victoria			3	US 77 north / Bus. US 59-T north – Cuero, Hallettsville	interchange; north end of US 77 overlap
				4	FM 446
				6	US 77 south / Bus. US 77 north – Refugio, Corpus Christi	interchange; south end of US 77 overlap
				7	US 77 south (via Spur 91) – Refugio, Corpus Christi	interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance; future I-69E South; future I-69W West; future southern end of I-69
				11	SH 185 – Victoria, Seadrift	interchange
				12	US 87 – Victoria, Port Lavaca	interchange
				15	Loop 463 / Burroughsville Road – Hallettsville, Cuero	interchange
	Telferner			19	Bus. US 59-T / FM 1686 south – Victoria, Telferner	interchange
	Inez			26	FM 444 – Inez	interchange
Jackson	​			30	FM 234 north	interchange
	El Toro			32	FM 234 – El Toro, Vanderbilt	interchange
	Edna			34	Loop 521 – Edna	interchange
				36	SH 111 / FM 822 – Edna, Yoakum, Bay City	interchange
				38	Loop 521 – Edna	interchange
	​			40	FM 530 – Cordele, Hallettsville	interchange
	Ganado			44	Loop 522 – Ganado	interchange
				46	SH 172 / FM 710 – Ganado, La Ward	interchange
				47	Loop 522 – Ganado	interchange
Wharton	Louise			51	Loop 523 / FM 647 – Louise	interchange; no northbound entrance
				52	County Road 319	interchange
				54	Loop 523 / FM 1160 – Louise	interchange
	Hillje			57	Loop 524 / FM 441 – Hillje	interchange
	El Campo			59	Bus. US 59-S – El Campo	interchange
				60	FM 1163	interchange
				61	SH 71 – Columbus, Palacios	interchange
				62	FM 1162	interchange
				64	Bus. US 59-S / FM 960 south – El Campo	interchange
	Pierce			66	Loop 526 – Pierce
	Wharton			70	Bus. US 59-R / FM 961 north / SH 60 – Wharton, Bay City	interchange
				72	FM 102 – Wharton, Eagle Lake	interchange
	​			75	Bus. US 59-R / SH 60 – Wharton, Bay City, Hungerford, Sealy	interchange
	Hungerford			77	FM 1161 – Spanish Camp	interchange
				79	Bus. US 59-R – Hungerford	southbound access only; to be converted into full interchange
	​			82	County Road 212	interchange under construction
Fort Bend	Kendleton			83	FM 2919 – Kendleton	interchange; no northbound entrance
				84	Loop 541 – Kendleton	Closed; was southbound exit only; replaced by exit 86
	​			86	Loop 541 (Doris Road) – Kendleton	interchange
	Beasley			89	FM 360 / Loop 540 – Needville	interchange; southbound entrance and northbound exit
				90	Isleib Road	interchange
				92	Loop 540 – Beasley	No southbound exit
	Rosenberg			93	Spur 10 (Patton Road / Hartledge Road)	interchange
				94	Spur 529 north / Cottonwood Church Road     I-69 begins	at-grade intersection; no northbound entrance nor access to Cottonwood Church southbound; Current south end of freeway; current south end of I-69 overlap
See Interstate 69 for concurrency
Liberty	​			169A	I-69 south / US 59 south Mandell Road / Fostoria Road     I-69 ends	Montgomery and Liberty County line and signed at exit 169); former north end of Freeway; former north end of I-69 overlap
	​			169	County Route 381 / County Route 383	Exit opened in March 2023; signed as exit 170 southbound with County Route 377.
	Cleveland			171	SH 105 – Conroe, Beaumont	US 59 northbound exit is a feeder road with a U-turn southbound exit; Drivers must remain on northbound feeder & U-turn to take the southbound exit
				172A	Loop 573 (Washington Avenue)	Interchange; former south end of freeway.
				172	Bus. SH 105 – Cleveland, Conroe	Exit opened in February 2023; former alignment of SH 105.
				173	FM 2025 – Coldspring
				174	Loop 573 (Washington Avenue)	interchange; north end of freeway
San Jacinto	​			177	FM 2914 east to FM 3460
	Shepherd			453A 453B	Loop 424 / FM 3460 – Shepherd	interchange; signed as exits 453A southbound and 453B northbound
				451C	Frontage Road	Southbound exit only
				451B	SH 150 / FM 223 – Rye, Shepherd, Coldspring	interchange; signed as exit 451B northbound; not signed southbound
					Loop 424	no left turn northbound
	​				FM 1127 east
Trinity River				US 59 Trinity River Bridge
Polk	Goodrich				Loop 393 north
					FM 1988 to FM 2665	interchange
					Loop 393 south – Goodrich
	Livingston			436A 436B	Bus. US 59-J / FM 1988 north – Livingston, Woodville, Lake Livingston State Park	interchange; south end of freeway; signed as exits 436A southbound and 436B northbound to I-69 Bus./US 59 Bus.; no exit number signed for US 59 north to FM 1988
				436D 434B	Frontage Road	signed as exits 434B southbound and 436D northbound
					US 190 – Huntsville, Livingston, Jasper
				434D 432B	Frontage Road – Pedigo Park	signed as exits 432B (on US 59 south) and 434D (on US 59 north), access to Memorial Medical Center
					SH 146 south / Bus. US 59-J – Downtown Livingston, Liberty	interchange; north end of freeway; no direct northbound exit (signed at exit 434D)
	​				Loop 116 north
	Leggett				Loop 116 south
					FM 942 north – Camden, Corrigan	south end of FM 942 overlap
					FM 942 south	north end of FM 942 overlap
	Moscow				FM 62 east – Camden
					Loop 177
					FM 350 south – Livingston
	Corrigan				FM 942 south – Camden, Leggett
					US 287 – Groveton, Woodville
					FM 352 east (Stryker Road)
					FM 1987 north – Damascus
	​				FM 357 north / FM 1987 south – Wakefield, Damascus
Angelina	Diboll				Loop 210 (Thompson Street) / FM 1818 east (Dennis Street) – Zavalla
					Loop 210 (North Hines Street)
					FM 2497 north
	Burke				FM 2108 east
	​				FM 324 north
	Lufkin				FM 819 (College Drive) – Angelina College	Future interchange^[5]
				391	FM 3482 (Whitehouse Drive)	interchange; south end of freeway
					Bus. US 59-G north (South First Street) / Loop 287 west	south end of Loop 287 overlap; US 59 north follows exit 390; access to FM 1877, access to Woodland Heights Medical Center
					Tulane Drive	no direct northbound exit
					FM 58 (Chestnut Street)	interchange; north end of freeway
					US 69 south (US 69 Bus. north) – Huntington, Woodville, Beaumont	interchange; south end of US 69 overlap
					FM 841 (Ford Chapel Road)	interchange
					FM 325 (Lufkin Avenue)	interchange; no direct northbound exit (signed at FM 841)
					SH 103 (Atkinson Drive) – Etoile, Milam	interchange
					US 69 north / Loop 287 west / Bus. US 59-G south – Tyler, Dallas, Crockett	interchange; north end of US Bus. 69 / Loop 287 overlap; access to FM 2021 west and FM 3521 east; US 59 north follows exit 386B
	​				FM 3439
	Redland				FM 2021 – Pollok
	​				FM 843 west
Angelina River				Angelina River Bridge
Nacogdoches	​				FM 2782 north
	Nacogdoches				Bus. US 59-F north (South Street)	Future interchange
					Bus. US 59-F north (South Street) / SH 7 / SH 21 west / Loop 224 east – San Augustine, Center	interchange; south end of SH 7/SH 21/Loop 224 overlap; US 59 south follows exit
					SH 7 / SH 21 west / Loop 224 east	Future interchange. Access to SH 7/SH 21 east and Loop 224 west will be via the interchange with Future Bus US 59-F north (currently US 59).
					SH 7 west / Bus. SH 7-N east (Fredonia Street) – Pollok, Crockett, Airport	interchange; north end of SH 7 overlap
					FM 225 (Durst Street) – Douglass, Cushing	interchange
					SH 21 west / Bus. SH 21-P east (Douglass Road) – Alto, Crockett, Elkhart	interchange; north end of SH 21 overlap
					FM 2609 north (Austin Street)	northbound access only
					FM 1638 (Old Tyler Road) / FM 3314 (Lone Star Road)	interchange
					Loop 224 west (Stallings Drive) / Westward Drive	interchange; north end of Loop 224 overlap
	​				FM 343 (Industrial Boulevard) – Cushing	interchange
	Redfield				US 259 north / Bus. US 59-F – Henderson, Longview, Nacogdoches, SFASU	interchange
	​				FM 2864 north
	Appleby				FM 941 south
	​				FM 2435 north
	​				FM 2476 south
	Garrison				FM 95 south – Chireno	south end of FM 95 overlap
					FM 138 east – Center
					FM 95 north – Concord	north end of FM 95 overlap
Rusk	No major junctions
Shelby	​				FM 2667 south – Blair
	Timpson				US 84 west – Rusk, Palestine	south end of US 84 overlap
					SH 87 south – Center, Hemphill
					FM 947 east – Tenaha
					Spur 470 south
	​				FM 1645 south
	Tenaha				FM 2141 south
					FM 947 west (West Drive) – Timpson	south end of FM 947 overlap
					FM 947 east (Main Street)	north end of FM 947 overlap
					Loop 157 (Center Street) – Center, Marshall
					US 84 east / US 96 south / I-69 north – Logansport, Mansfield, Center, Jasper	interchange; north end of US 84 overlap; future south end of I-369 overlap; US 84 to the east will be upgraded to I-69 in future
					Loop 157 south (North Center Street) – Center
Panola	​				FM 999 west – Gary, Lake Murvaul
	​				FM 2517 – Deadwood
	Carthage				Bus. US 59-G north / Loop 436 north to SH 149 – Mount Enterprise, Henderson, Longview	interchange
					FM 699 / Forsythe Street – Paxton, Center
					US 79 north / Bus. US 79 south / Shelby Street – Greenwood, Shreveport	interchange; south end of US 79 overlap
					US 79 south / Bus. US 59-G south – Henderson, Tatum, Panola College	interchange; north end of US 79 overlap
	​				FM 124 west – Beckville
	Grand Bluff				FM 2792 north
					FM 1794 – Tatum, De Berry	To be converted into an interchange by May 2025^[6]^[7]
Harrison	​				FM 1186 south
	​				FM 2983 north
	​				FM 2625 – Darco, Crossroads, Waskom
	Marshall				I-20 – Longview, Dallas, Shreveport	I-20 exit 617
					SH 43 south (East Pinecrest Drive) – Henderson, Tatum, Wiley College	south end of SH 43 overlap
					FM 31 south (East Travis Street) – Elysian Fields, Starr State Historical Park, De Berry
					US 80 (East Grand Avenue / Victory Drive) – Hallsville, Longview, Waskom
					SH 43 north (Karnack Highway) – Karnack, Caddo Lake, Caddo Lake State Park, Atlanta	north end of SH 43 overlap
					Loop 390 (Ernest F. Smith Parkway) to US 80 – Longview, Gilmer, Shreveport, East Texas Baptist University, Karnack
	​				FM 1793 north
	Woodlawn				FM 1997 south
Marion	​				FM 2208 – Karnack, Jefferson Historical Riverfront District, Cypress River Airport, Longview
	Jefferson				SH 49 / FM 134 south (Broadway) – Daingerfield, Lake O' The Pines, Jefferson Historical Riverfront District, Vivian
	​				FM 1324 east
Cass	​				FM 2683 east – Lodi
	Linden				SH 155 to SH 8 – New Boston, Gilmer
					FM Spur 125 north (South Main Street)
					FM 125 (Kildare Road) – Business District, Kildare, Mc Leod
					FM 1841 east – Bivins, Atlanta
					SH 11 west (East Houston Street) – Hughes Springs, Pittsburg
	​				FM 2328 south	south end of FM 2328 overlap
	​				FM 2328 north – Laws Chapel	north end of FM 2328 overlap
	Atlanta				SH 77 west – Naples, Douglassville	south end of SH 77 overlap
					SH 77 east (Pinecrest Drive) / FM 249 east (West Main Street) to SH 43 – Downtown Atlanta, Shreveport, Vivian	north end of SH 77 overlap
					SH 43 south (Louise Street) – Downtown Atlanta, Marshall
	Queen City				Loop 236 north / FM 2791 west (Hickory Street) – Antioch, Douglassville, Queen City, Bloomburg
					FM 96 west (Lanark Street) – Wright Patman Lake South Shore, Atlanta State Park
					Loop 236 south – Queen City
					FM 2327 north – Springdale
	​				FM 2327 south – Springdale
	​				FM 3129 south – Domino, Bloomburg	Interchange
Bowie	​				FM 2148 west – Wright Patman Lake North Shore, Redwater
	​				FM 3244 east
	​				FM 2516 east (Buchanan Loop Road)
	Eylau				FM 989 (Kings Highway) – Wake Village, Nash
	Texarkana				SH 93 north (Lake Drive) / Loop 151 east (South Bishop Road) to I-30 east / US 71 / FM 3527 (Leopard Drive) – Downtown Texarkana, Little Rock, Shreveport     I-369 begins	interchange; Current south end of I-369 overlap
		See Interstate 369 for concurrency
					I-30 west – Dallas     I-369 ends	north end of I-369 overlap; south end of I-30 overlap; US 59 south follows exit 220A
				220B	FM 559 (Richmond Road) / Pavilion Parkway
				222	SH 93 / FM 1397 (Summerhill Road)
					I-30 east – Little Rock     US 71 south (State Line Avenue south)        US 59 north / US 71 north (State Line Avenue north) – Ashdown	Arkansas state line; north end of I-30 overlap; south end of US 71 overlap; US 59 north follows exit 223
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access        Tolled       Unopened

Business routes

US 59 has eleven designated business routes in Texas, between Carthage and its southern terminus in Laredo.

Carthage business loop

Business U.S. Highway 59-D
Location	Carthage
Length	3.585 mi^[8] (5.769 km)
Existed	1959–present

Business U.S. Highway 59-D (Bus. US 59-D), formerly Loop 455, is a 3.585-mile-long (5.769 km) business loop in Carthage.^[8] This is the oldest signed business route of US 59 in Texas, having been originally designated on October 21, 1959, with the hidden designation of Loop 455, after US 59 was re-routed and bypassed Carthage.^[9] Loop 455 was retired on June 21, 1990, and redesignated fully as Bus. US 59-D.^[8]

Nacogdoches business loop

December 20, 2023