When Is That Road Construction on 59 Going to Be Done? Here’s The Latest From TxDOT

Road construction on Highway 59 is a given. Someday, an uninterrupted Interstate 69 will roll from Houston to Texarkana and beyond. Until that day arrives (still a long time away), segments of Highway 59 will be under construction.

The Lufkin District of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) oversees operations in Angelina, Nacogdoches, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Houston, Sabine, San Augustine, and Shelby Counties.

Let's take a look at the latest updates for 6 ongoing construction projects on Highway 59 in the Lufkin District.

US 59 Upgrade - Moffett Road to State Highway 103

• Start of Construction: 2021
• Estimated Project Completion: Spring 2025
• Purpose of This Project:  Improve safety, enhance mobility, and provide system connectivity along US 59, US 69, and State Loop 287 from SH 103 East to just north of FM 3439 (Spence Street). It is also designed to improve vertical clearances at the bridges. The proposed improvements will also be designed to meet interstate standards for potential future designation as I-69.
• What's Being Done: Phases I and III were completed in 2017 and includes the new underpass on Timberland Drive at the railroad crossing and new northbound and southbound overpasses over US 59. Phase II includes widening the US 59 overpass at AN&R Railroad, constructing northbound and southbound frontage roads, and reconstructing the main lanes of US 59.

US 59 Upgrade - Redland

• Start of Construction: Late 2022
• Estimated Project Completion: Fall 2026
• Purpose of This Project: Improve mobility and provide system connectivity along US 59 between Loop 287 and FM 2021 in Redland. The proposed improvements will also be designed to meet interstate standards for potential future designation as I-69.
• What's Being Done: Add frontage roads between Loop 287 and FM 2021. Add a U-turn at the Union Pacific Railroad.  Reconstruct and widen the US 59 mainlanes

US 59 - Corrigan Relief Route

• Start of Construction: Fall 2022
• Estimated Project Completion: Summer 2026
• Purpose of the Project: Bringing US 59 up to interstate standards.
• What's Being Done:  Building a new 6.4-mile roadway west of Corrigan. The roadway will have no frontage roads, but will include four 12-foot travel lanes with shoulders and a median.

US 59 - Diboll Relief Route

• Start of Construction: April 2020
• Estimated Project Completion: Winter 2025
• Purpose of the Project: This project is dedicated to improving safety and mobility due to increasing traffic, congestion, and a high number of traffic crashes. The bypass to the east of Diboll will bring US 59 into interstate compliance.
• What's Being Done: Construct 8.2 miles of new northbound and southbound US 59 main lanes, providing overpasses at FM 1818 and several local roadways. In May 2025, northbound lanes of the bypass were opened to traffic.

US 59 Upgrade - Shepherd to Cleveland

• Start of Construction: Winter 2023
• Estimated Project Completion: Fall 2029
• Purpose of the Project: Improve safety and mobility along US 59 (future I-69). Meet interstate standards. Increase efficiency as a hurricane evacuation route.
• What's Being Done: Adding frontage roads between FM 2914 and State Loop 573. Reconstructing US 59 mainlanes. Construction of overpasses with turnarounds at Red Road and just south of the San Jacinto County line. Addition of a turnaround at the US 59/FM 2914 overpass.

US 59/Loop 224 Interchange (South Nacogdoches)

• Start of Construction (Phase II): August 2019
• Estimated Project Completion: December 2026
• Purpose of the Project:  Improve safety and mobility from south of Spradley Street on US 59 to the intersection of SH 7 West and State Loop 224. The proposed improvements will also be designed to meet interstate standards for future designation as I-69.
• What's Being Done: Construct new US 59 northbound and southbound main lanes that would directly connect to SL 224 just south of SH 7(W). New lanes bypassing the congested traffic light intersection would be constructed several hundred yards east of BU 59.  Construct overpasses at Spradley Street, existing US 59, and Old Lufkin Road. Construct frontage roads for SL 224, between SH 7 and BU 59. (Thanks to Jason Reina with EASTEX Photography for outstanding drone footage)

Other Planned Projects on Highway 59

TxDOT has more US 59 construction projects scheduled to start within the next 10 years. I will be posting a separate story about those projects in the near future.