Missouri Route 59

Route 59 is a highway in southwest Missouri running from Interstate 44/Interstate 49/U.S. Route 71 at Fidelity to the Arkansas state line where it continues as Highway 59. It replaced a large section of U.S. Route 71 and Alternate US 71 in sections. The first section was between Lanagan and the Arkansas state line when US 71 was moved down the former Route 88. In the 1990s, US 71 was moved and upgraded to interstate standards from Neosho to Lanagan and Route 59 was extended north to Neosho. When US 71 was moved east of Joplin in the late 1990s, Alternate US 71 was deleted, and Route 59 was extended north to replace that highway. The highway was numbered after Arkansas Highway 59.

Route 59
Route information
Maintained by MoDOT
Length	46.475 mi[1] (74.794 km)
Major junctions
South end	AR 59 at the Arkansas state line
North end	I-44 / I-49 / US 71 at Fidelity
Highway system
Missouri State Highway System Interstate U.S. State Supplemental ← US 59 → US 60

Route description

Route 59 is a two-lane highway for its entire length except for a short section in southern Neosho where it forms a concurrency with Business US 71.

The highway begins at I-44/I-49/US 71 in Fidelity and heads south. There is an interchange with the northern junction with U.S. Route 60 northeast of Neosho. The road remains two-lane (US 60 is also two-lane here) for the interchange, which was built due to numerous accidents at the former intersection. The two highways then run concurrent to the south side of Neosho. About three miles (5 km) south of the 59/60 interchange is the northern junction of Route 86, which continues west about one half mile later. Route 59 then curves west where it splits off from US 60 at Business I-49. Route 59 then unites with southbound Business I-49 for about two miles (3 km) until Business I-49 turns off west. Route 59 begins to turn into a windy road as it heads into McDonald County. South of Goodman is a partial interchange with I-49/US 71.

At Anderson is a short concurrency with Route 76, and the road runs next to the Kansas City Southern Railway for several miles. As Route 59 approaches Noel, it runs into a very scenic area, squeezed between steep bluffs and the railroad. After entering Noel, it form a short concurrency with Route 90 and runs under some of the bluffs along the Elk River (with signs warning of low clearance for trucks). Route 59 then heads south again where it crosses the Arkansas state line after about 4 miles (6.4 km) and continues as Arkansas Highway 59.

Major intersections

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
McDonald	Elk River Township	0.000	0.000	AR 59 south – Sulphur Springs	Continuation into Arkansas
	Noel	3.336	5.369	Route 90 east	Eastern end of Route 90 overlap
		3.660	5.890	Route 90 west – Southwest City	Western end of Route 90 overlap
	Anderson	12.477	20.080	Route 76 west – Tiff City	Southern end of Route 76 overlap
		13.647	21.963	US 71 Bus. south / Route 76 east	Northern end of Route 76 overlap; southern end of US 71 Business overlap
	Goodman	18.347	29.527	I-49 north / US 71 north – Joplin US 71 Bus. ends	Northern end of US 71 Business overlap; no access to southbound I-49 / US 71 from Route 59 or from northbound I-49 / US 71
Newton	Neosho	23.163	37.277	I-49 BL south to Route AA	Southern end of Loop 49 overlap
		26.897	43.287	US 60 west / I-49 BL north / US 60 Bus. east (S. Neosho Boulevard)	Western end of US 60 overlap
	Neosho–Granby township line	31.744	51.087	Route 86 west – Neosho	Western end of Route 86 overlap
		31.994	51.489	Route 86 east – Cassville	Eastern end of Route 86 overlap
		34.037	54.777	US 60 east / US 60 Bus. – Neosho, Granby	Eastern end of US 60 overlap
Jasper	Jackson Township	46.475	74.794	I-44 / I-49 south / US 71 south – Joplin, Springfield I-49 north / US 71 north – Kansas City	Roadway continues as northbound I-49
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

References

1. Missouri Department of Transportation (December 31, 2020). MoDOT HPMAPS (Map). Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 31, 2020.