Interstate 59 in Georgia

Like all other Interstate, U.S., and state highways in Georgia, I-59 is a part of the National Highway System for its entire length in the state.{{Cite web |title=Roadways |url=https://www.locationgeorgia.com/advantages/logistics/roadways/#:~:text=Interstates%2016,%2024,%2059,,and%20from%20Georgia's%20interstate%20corridors. |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=Location Georgia |language=en-US}} The Interstate carries one of the lowest amounts of annual average daily traffic, with the highest amount in 2023 being approximately 22,100 vehicles at the I-24 interchange.{{Cite web |title=Traffic Counts |url=https://gdottrafficdata.drakewell.com/publicmultinodemap.asp |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=gdottrafficdata.drakewell.com}} The lowest amount was approximately 15,200 vehicles near the Alabama state line.

I-59 enters Dade County, Georgia, from DeKalb County, Alabama, into the Eastern Time Zone. From here, it becomes parallel with US 11. Unusually, I-59 does not have a rest area for travelers coming into the state compared to other Interstates.{{Cite web |title=Georgia Rest Areas & Welcome Center Locations - GDOT |url=https://www.dot.ga.gov/GDOT/pages/restareaswelcomecenters.aspx |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=www.dot.ga.gov}} Skirting along the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, I-59 makes a gradual curve to the north and runs along the slopes of Fox Mountain. It then curves slightly northwest and reaches its first interchange with Deer Head Cove Road at milepost 4, providing access to Rising Fawn and a small sprinkle of development. Turning back north and then to the northeast, I-59 crosses the Crawfish Creek before curving slightly northeast and then north again. The Interstate passes the Southeast Lineman Training Center as it enters the city of Trenton. Entering small amounts of development again, I-59 reaches its next interchange with SR 136 (White Oak Gap Road) for downtown Trenton as well as access to the welcome center and Cloudland Canyon State Park.{{Cite web |title=Alliance for Dade Regional Welcome Center |url=https://exploregeorgia.org/trenton/visitors-services/services/alliance-for-dade-regional-welcome-center |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=Explore Georgia |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Dade County |url=https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2320 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091005054913/https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2320 |archive-date=October 5, 2009 |access-date=October 29, 2024 |website=www.georgiaencyclopedia.org}} The Interstate bypasses Trenton to the west and immediately crosses Town Creek leaving the interchange.{{Google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/34.7138895,-85.553696/34.9654326,-85.4529446/@34.8013508,-85.5614564,65246m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!4m1!3e0?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAyMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D|access-date=October 29, 2024|title=Overview map of I-59 in Georgia}}{{Cite web |last=Georgia Department of Transportation |title=Dade County |url=https://www.dot.ga.gov/DriveSmart/MapsData/Documents/CountyMaps/Dade.pdf |access-date=October 29, 2024 |website=www.dot.ga.gov}}

File:Sand Mountain, viewed from Trenton, Georgia.jpg

From here, I-59 turns northeast again, leaving Trenton and entering rural areas once more. It makes a brief curve north and slightly descends the incline. It crosses two streams in brief succession before turning northeast once again, curving along the slopes of Sand Mountain, and reaching its final interchange with Slygo Road and the unincorporated community of New England at a diamond interchange. Continuing in the northeast direction, I-59 approaches Slygo Valley, paralleling Slygo Road to the east of it for a couple more miles whilst passing underneath Dugan Loop Road. Before long, I-59 slowly descends once again into the bottom of Raccoon Mountain and the foothills of Lookout Mountain where it reaches its northern terminus at a full wye interchange with I-24, approximately {{Convert|10|mi|km}} southwest of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

I-59 was part of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, the program which designated the Interstate Highways around the nation. Its proposed route was to run roughly the same as it is today, from the Alabama state line to Trenton.{{cite map |author = Public Roads Administration |author-link = Public Roads Administration |date = August 14, 1957 |title = Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as Adopted by the American Association of State Highway Officials |url = https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interstate_Highway_plan_August_14,_1957.jpg |location = Washington, DC |publisher = Public Roads Administration |access-date = June 14, 2018 |via = Wikimedia Commons |archive-date = July 19, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170719213034/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interstate_Highway_plan_August_14,_1957.jpg |url-status = live }} On January 17, 1963, the federal government would pay approximately $94 million of the costs launched in the Highway Act by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to link all of the cities in the nation with Interstate Highways. Of these projects, one of them included the stretch of I-59 from the Alabama state line to Trenton, at a distance of approximately {{Convert|11.38|mi|km}} was under construction. This stretch had a cost of approximately $6.3 million and an estimated completion date of two years later.{{Cite news |date=January 17, 1963 |title=Highway Program Due $104 Million In Sanders Administration Budget |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbus-ledger-highway-program-due/158003054/ |access-date=October 29, 2024 |work=The Columbus Ledger |page=13 |via=Newspapers.com}}

File:Chattanooga, Tennessee 1955 Yellow Book.jpg

On December 22, 1967, GDOT announced that a contract would be let on February 9, 1968, to complete I-59 through the state. This contract would provide construction of {{Convert|11.38|mi|km}} of grading, drainage, and bridges along I-59. Emory C. Parrish, executive assistant to the director, said that the project would be the last link to I-59, part of the route from Birmingham, Alabama, to Chattanooga. The route was not considered important, but due to the Bureau of Public Roads persuading them, it was required to be built. The project had an estimated cost of approximately $9.8 million.{{Cite news |date=December 22, 1967 |title=I-59 Link in Dade Up for Contract |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution-i-59-link-in-da/158063592/ |access-date=October 29, 2024 |work=The Atlanta Constitution |page=25 |via=Newspapers.com}} On September 10, 1968, the interchange with I-24, where I-59 would end, was completed. Also, an {{Convert|8.1|mi|km|adj=on}} section of I-59 was opened to traffic from the SR 143 (now SR 136) interchange to I-24, raising the number of miles in Georgia's Interstate system to {{Convert|612|mi|km}} that were open to traffic.{{Cite news |last=United Press International |date=September 12, 1968 |title=Federal Freeze to Delay Funds for Georgia Highways |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution-federal-freeze/69453595/ |access-date=October 29, 2024 |work=The Atlanta Constitution |page=18 |via=Newspapers.com}} On May 21, 1970, the State Highway Department announced that bids for an estimated amount of $18.1 in construction would be let on May 29. Of these bids, $11.3 million was also scheduled to include the last section of I-59.{{Cite news |date=May 21, 1970 |title=State Construction Bids Open May 29 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/ledger-enquirer-state-construction-bids/158003079/ |access-date=October 29, 2024 |work=Ledger-Enquirer |page=29 |via=Newspapers.com}} On October 25, 1971, the State Highway Department announced that the last {{Convert|11.8|mi|km|adj=on}} section of the Interstate Highway through Dade County was finished and opened to traffic, completing the Georgia segment of I-59 as a whole.{{Cite news |date=October 25, 1971 |title=Georgia Pushes to Finish Interstates by 1978 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution-georgia-pushes/158007164/ |access-date=October 29, 2024 |work=The Atlanta Constitution |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com}}

{{Jcttop|old|county=Dade|state=GA|length_ref={{cite web |url = https://www.dot.ga.gov/DriveSmart/MapsData/Documents/StripMaps_Exits/I-59.pdf |date = October 27, 2016 |title = I-59 }}}}

{{GAint|old

|location=none

|type=concur

|cspan=5

|mile=0.00

|road={{Jct|state=AL|I|59|dir1=south|city1=Gadsden|city2=Birmingham}}

|notes=Continuation into Alabama; southern end of unsigned SR 406 concurrency

}}

{{GAint|old

|location=none

|mile=4.1

|old=1

|exit=4

|road=Rising Fawn

|notes=Access via Deer Head Cove Road}}

{{GAint|old

|location=Trenton

|mile=11.5

|old=2

|exit=11

|road={{jct|state=GA|SR|136|name1=White Oak Gap Road|city1=Trenton}}

|notes=To the Georgia Welcome Center and to the Cloudland Canyon State Park}}

{{GAint|old

|location=none

|mile=17.3

|old=3

|exit=17

|road=Slygo Road – New England

}}

{{GAint|old

|location=none

|type=concur

|mile=19.5

|old=4

|exit=–

|road={{jct|state=GA|I|24|location1=Nashville|location2=Chattanooga

}}

|notes=Northern terminus; full wye interchange; northern end of unsigned SR 406 concurrency; old exit 4 was I-24 west; I-24 exit 167}}

{{jctbtm|old|keys=concur}}

{{Reflist}}

Category:Interstate Highways in Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:Transportation in Dade County, Georgia

Category:Interstate 59