The highway travels in a south-north orientation from just southwest of Fair Play north and then northeast to Seneca, completely within Oconee County.

The road heads on its northeast trajectory until it meets its northern terminus, an intersection with U.S. Route 76 (US 76), US 123, SC 28 in Seneca.

The portion south of I-85 that was not submerged were downgraded to secondary road Lakeshore Drive (S-37-11).

In 2000, SC 59 was extended northwest along West North 1st Street in Seneca, to its current northern terminus with US 76/US 123/SC 28.

With the I-85 bridge less than 1 mile (1.6 km) away from the old crossing, the states had no need to directly reconnect the roads.