Tennessee State Route 59
Encyclopedia
Tennessee State Route 59 is a state highway in Tennessee
. It runs from the Mississippi River
to just north of Somerville, Tennessee
passing through Tipton
and Fayette counties. It is a two-lane rural highway throughout its length and carries a 55 miles per hour (24.6 m/s) speed limit except when it passes through towns, in which case this speed limit can be significantly less.
, a formation created by wind-blown silt which has accumulated from around the last Ice Age. At the top of this bluff is the small community of Randolph, which was important during the civil war and at one time was bigger than Memphis, Tennessee
, 40 miles (64.4 km) down the river. One can witness spectacular views of the Mississippi River and Arkansas
from the tops of the bluffs.
Continuing eastward from the bluffs, the road starts to level out into gently rolling farmland. SR 178 intersects SR 59 in the town of Gilt Edge, Tennessee
. SR 59 also passes through Burlison, Tennessee
before it crosses U.S. Highway 51 in downtown Covington
.
SR 59 takes a southeast direction and crosses Tennessee State Route 14
and joins US 70/US 79 in Mason, Tennessee
. It is in this portion of the highway in which a wrong-way concurency occurs. SR 59 is traveling southwest, is signed as "East 59", while US 70 is signed as westbound and US 79 is signed as northbound. The same is true for motorists heading in the other direction.
SR 59 separates from the US highways in Braden, Tennessee
and continues in a southeast direction. It crosses Interstate 40
south of Braden and is the terminus for both TN 194 and TN 222. The highway ends when it joins with TN 76
just a few miles north of Somerville
.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. It runs from the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to just north of Somerville, Tennessee
Somerville, Tennessee
Somerville is a town in Fayette County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Memphis metropolitan area. The population was 3,094 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Fayette County.-History:...
passing through Tipton
Tipton County, Tennessee
Tipton County is a county located on the western end of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 51,271. Its county seat is Covington. Tipton County is part of the Memphis, TN–MS–AR Metropolitan Statistical Area, centered on Shelby County, which borders Tipton on...
and Fayette counties. It is a two-lane rural highway throughout its length and carries a 55 miles per hour (24.6 m/s) speed limit except when it passes through towns, in which case this speed limit can be significantly less.
Route description
SR 59 begins at the Mississippi River in Tipton County in an area known as Richardson Landing. The route used to extend about 200 feet (61 m) further, but has since been eroded by the river, so much that barricades block the edge of the pavement to prevent motorists from driving into the river (See photo at left). As one continues east along the highway, one will notice that the elevation increases from around 250 to 400 ft (76.2 to 121.9 ) above sea level in less than 2 miles (3.2 km). This sharp increase is due to what is known as the second Chickasaw BluffChickasaw Bluff
The term Chickasaw Bluff refers to high ground rising about above the flood plain between Fulton in Lauderdale County, Tennessee and Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee. Composed of eroded Pleistocene loess over Pliocene glacial gravel, they are slide prone...
, a formation created by wind-blown silt which has accumulated from around the last Ice Age. At the top of this bluff is the small community of Randolph, which was important during the civil war and at one time was bigger than Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, 40 miles (64.4 km) down the river. One can witness spectacular views of the Mississippi River and Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
from the tops of the bluffs.
Continuing eastward from the bluffs, the road starts to level out into gently rolling farmland. SR 178 intersects SR 59 in the town of Gilt Edge, Tennessee
Gilt Edge, Tennessee
Gilt Edge is a city in Tipton County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 489 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Gilt Edge is located at ....
. SR 59 also passes through Burlison, Tennessee
Burlison, Tennessee
Burlison is a town in Tipton County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 453 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Burlison is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
before it crosses U.S. Highway 51 in downtown Covington
Covington, Tennessee
Covington is a city in central Tipton County in the State of Tennessee. Covington is the largest city and county seat of, Tipton County. Covington is located in one of just five counties of West Tennessee that are located along the Mississippi River, thus it is in extreme western Tennessee.This...
.
SR 59 takes a southeast direction and crosses Tennessee State Route 14
Tennessee State Route 14
State Route 14 is a south–north route from the Mississippi border in Memphis, Tennessee to intersect with State Route 54 in Tipton County.- Route description :...
and joins US 70/US 79 in Mason, Tennessee
Mason, Tennessee
Mason is a town in Tipton County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,089 at the 2000 census. Mason is located along U.S. Highway 70, and is home to a federal detention facility.-Geography:Mason is located at ....
. It is in this portion of the highway in which a wrong-way concurency occurs. SR 59 is traveling southwest, is signed as "East 59", while US 70 is signed as westbound and US 79 is signed as northbound. The same is true for motorists heading in the other direction.
SR 59 separates from the US highways in Braden, Tennessee
Braden, Tennessee
Braden is a town in Fayette County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 282 at the 2010 census. The town is named after explorer Sir Braden Hirstein , and was established as a small fishing colony in 1789.-Geography:Braden is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the...
and continues in a southeast direction. It crosses Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
south of Braden and is the terminus for both TN 194 and TN 222. The highway ends when it joins with TN 76
Tennessee State Route 76
Tennessee State Route 76 is a state highway in Tennessee.At Brownsville it becomes concurrent with U.S. Route 79 and Alternate U.S. Route 70. At Atwood, U.S. 70A pulls away, and SR 76 continues to follow US 79....
just a few miles north of Somerville
Somerville, Tennessee
Somerville is a town in Fayette County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Memphis metropolitan area. The population was 3,094 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Fayette County.-History:...
.