The A 59 was rerouted in the 1980s to relieve congestion at the Gremberg four-way interchange with the A 4.

The primary function of the A 559, besides relieving traffic at the A 4 interchange, is to connect the Cologne-Bonn Airport to Cologne proper.

The airport is along the A 59, one junction south of the A 559's southern terminus.

The section of road from the junction Köln-Vingst (just after the A 4) to the end of the freeway at Köln-Deutz is up to autobahn standards, but is only designated as the L 124.

This stretch of road was signed at one time as the A 559, although the autobahn designation never officially covered the entire freeway.