U.S. 52
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U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a major
U.S. Highway The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these h ...
in the
Central United States The Central United States is sometimes conceived as between the Eastern United States, Eastern and Western United States, Western as part of a three-region model, roughly coincident with the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau's d ...
that extends from the northern to southeastern region of the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S. Highways, US 52 primarily follows a northwest–southeast route, and it is signed north–south or east–west depending on the local orientation of the route. The highway's northwestern terminus is in
Portal, North Dakota Portal is a city in Burke County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 125 at the 2020 census. Portal was founded in 1893. Portal sits along the Canada–United States border and is a major port of entry border crossing for road (c ...
, at the
Canadian border The borders of Canada include: * To the south and west: An international boundary with the United States, forming the Canada–United States border, longest shared border in the world, ; (Informally referred as the 49th parallel north which make ...
, where it continues as
Saskatchewan Highway 39 Highway 39 is a provincial highway in the southern portion of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It runs from North Portal at the Canada–United States border north-west to Moose Jaw at Highway 1. This is a primary Saskatchewan highway m ...
. Its southeastern terminus is in
Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...
, at Number 2 Meeting Street and White Point Garden along the Charleston Harbor.


Route description

, - , ND , , - , MN , , - , IA , , - , IL , , - , IN , , - , OH , , - , WV/KY , , - , VA , , - , NC , , - , SC , , - , Total ,


North Dakota

In
North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...
, US 52 continues from Highway 39 from the
Canadian border The borders of Canada include: * To the south and west: An international boundary with the United States, forming the Canada–United States border, longest shared border in the world, ; (Informally referred as the 49th parallel north which make ...
at North Portal, Saskatchewan, and
Portal, North Dakota Portal is a city in Burke County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 125 at the 2020 census. Portal was founded in 1893. Portal sits along the Canada–United States border and is a major port of entry border crossing for road (c ...
, to the Red River in Fargo, a distance of . US 52 is co-signed with US 2 near
Minot Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base approximately north of the city. With a population of 48,377 at the 2 ...
, where it also intersects with US 83. US 52 is also co-signed with US 281 for between Jamestown and Carrington. US 52 is concurrent with
Interstate 94 Interstate 94 (I-94) is an east–west Interstate Highway connecting the Great Lakes and northern Great Plains regions of the United States. Its western terminus is just east of Billings, Montana, at a junction with I-90; its eastern ter ...
(I-94) between Jamestown and the
Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
state line, co-signed between Jamestown and Fargo; however, all of the interchanges for the Fargo– West Fargo portion of the route are unsigned.


Minnesota

In the state of
Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
, US 52 enters the state with I-94 at Moorhead and follows I-94 southeasterly all the way to the
Twin Cities Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in stat ...
. The portion of the highway which overlaps I-94 is unsigned. From Downtown St. Paul, US 52 continues on its own southeast over the Lafayette Bridge in St. Paul, continuing as an expressway to Rochester and the Iowa state line. The
Minnesota Department of Transportation The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT, ) oversees Transportation in Minnesota, transportation by all modes including land, water, air, rail, walking and bicycling in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The Cabinet (government), cabinet-lev ...
has a long-term goal of making US 52 a freeway with limited-access interchanges between St. Paul and
I-90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain states, Mountain West, Great Pla ...
south of Rochester. South from I-94 in St. Paul there is a freeway segment to just south of Concord Boulevard in Inver Grove Heights. The portion of the highway between Inver Grove Heights and Pine Island is built to expressway standards. Another freeway segment begins from Pine Island, through Rochester reaching its largest single capacity in Minnesota through Rochester as a six- to eight-lane freeway, toward I-90 where it converts to a rural two-lane highway. The highway then proceeds to the Iowa state line.


Iowa

US 52 enters
Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...
north of the unincorporated community of Burr Oak. It passes by Luther College on the west side of
Decorah Decorah is the largest city in and county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,587 at the time of the 2020 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S. Route 52. Located within the ...
. At Calmar the road turns to a southwest–northeast orientation. It joins with US 18 just to the west of
Postville Postville is a city in Allamakee County, Iowa, Allamakee and Clayton County, Iowa, Clayton counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. It lies near the junction of four counties and at the intersection of U.S. Routes U.S. Route 18 in Iowa, 18 and U.S. Ro ...
. The two highways overlap until a point east of the unincorporated community of Froelich. US 52 roughly parallels the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
for the rest of its path through Iowa to Dyersville, where it intersects and joins US 20 and turns eastward towards
Dubuque Dubuque (, ) is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 59,667 at the 2020 United States census. The city lies along the Mississippi River at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a region ...
. West of Dubuque, US 52 merges south onto the Southwest Arterial, a four-lane expressway directing traffic around the southern edge of the city. US 52 heads southeast to a junction with US 61 and US 151. All three routes travel northbound (even US 52, which is signed as southbound) as an expressway, until US 52 departs in
Key West Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida, at the southern end of the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it con ...
to remain close to the Mississippi River. After passing through a hilly and scenic region, including the small river city of
Bellevue Bellevue means "beautiful view" in French. Bellevue or Belle Vue may refer to: Places Australia * Bellevue, Queensland * Bellevue, Western Australia * Bellevue Hill, New South Wales Canada * Bellevue, Alberta * Bellevue, Newfoundlan ...
, the highway turns to an east–west orientation near Sabula at the junction of
Iowa 64 Iowa Highway 64 (Iowa 64) is a state highway that runs through two counties in east central Iowa. It begins at an interchange with U.S. Route 151 (US 151) in Anamosa and ends at the Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Mis ...
and the northern terminus of US 67. In Sabula, the highway becomes a wrong-way road; northbound traffic travels south, and vice versa, from Sabula to the
Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge The Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge, often referred to as the New Savanna-Sabula Bridge, or by the same name as its predecessor, the Savanna-Sabula Bridge, is a steel tied-arch that carries U.S. Route 52 (US 52) across the Mississipp ...
, where US 52 crosses over the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
into
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
. North of Dubuque, US 52 was formerly routed onto a narrow and winding road, concurrently with
Iowa 3 Iowa Highway 3 (Iowa 3) is a state highway that runs from east to west across the state of Iowa. It is the longest state highway in Iowa, at long. Iowa 3 begins at the South Dakota state line where it continues as South Dakota High ...
. While scenic, the road has been the scene of numerous accidents over the years owing to this nature. Between 1964 and 1967, this segment of the route was designated Alternate US 52 and US 52 was rerouted south from Luxemburg to Dyersville along Iowa Highway 136, and east from Dyersville to Dubuque along US 20; however in 1967, US 52 was restored to the Iowa Highway 3 alignment. After the completion of the Southwest Arterial in 2020, a similar change took place as US 52 was once again removed from the Iowa Highway 3 alignment and again routed from Luxemburg to Dyersville to Dubuque, then onto the Southwest Arterial, to US 61/US 151, finally reaching its former routing at Key West. The majority of US 52 in Iowa is located within the unglaciated
Driftless Area The Driftless Area, also known as Bluff Country and the Paleozoic Plateau, is a topographic and cultural region in the Midwestern United States that comprises southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, and the extreme ...
.


Illinois

In
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
, US 52 runs southeast from the
Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge The Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge, often referred to as the New Savanna-Sabula Bridge, or by the same name as its predecessor, the Savanna-Sabula Bridge, is a steel tied-arch that carries U.S. Route 52 (US 52) across the Mississipp ...
at the terminus of
Iowa Highway 64 Iowa Highway 64 (Iowa 64) is a state highway (Iowa), state highway that runs through two counties in east central Iowa. It begins at an interchange with U.S. Route 151 (US 151) in Anamosa, Iowa, Anamosa and ends at the Dale Gardner V ...
and Illinois Route 64 in
Savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...
, passing through the cities of Dixon,
Amboy Amboy may refer to: Places Argentina * Amboy, Córdoba, commune in Calamuchita Department, Córdoba Province United States * Amboy Crater, feature in Mojave National Preserve, California Settled U.S. places * Amboy, California * Amboy, ...
and Mendota. US 52 then turns due south and then east, crossing
I-39 Interstate 39 (I-39) is a north–south Interstate Highway in Illinois and Wisconsin that runs from an interchange at I-55 in Normal, Illinois, to State Trunk Highway 29 (WIS 29) approximately south of Wausau, Wisconsin. In to ...
near Troy Grove. It continues east, passing through Shorewood and then through the southern portion of Joliet, where it is a major thoroughfare in the city of Joliet (Jefferson Street), avoiding the city of
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
proper. It joins with US 45 through Kankakee, thereafter running concurrently with US 24, east of Watseka to the
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
state line.


Indiana

In
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, US 52 runs in a northwest–southeast direction. It passes through Lafayette where it used to be on Sagamore Parkway, but was later rerouted onto the US 231 bypass and Teal Road. Northwest of Indianapolis, US 52 runs along the same general area as, and is considered an alternative route to,
I-65 Interstate 65 (I-65) is a major north–south interstate highway in the central United States. As with most primary interstates ending in 5, it is a major crosscountry, north–south route, connecting between the Great Lakes and the Gulf ...
. In the Indianapolis area, it is overlapped with I-865,
I-465 Interstate 465 (I-465), also known as the USS Indianapolis Memorial Highway, is the beltway circling Indianapolis, Indiana. It is roughly rectangular in shape and has a perimeter of approximately . It lies almost completely within the boun ...
, and
I-69 Interstate 69 (I-69) is an Interstate Highway in the United States currently consisting of eight unconnected segments. The longest segment runs from Evansville, Indiana, northeast to the Canada–United States border, Canadian border in Po ...
. East of Indianapolis, it is considered an alternative to
I-74 Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchange with I-75 ...
before joining it near the Ohio state line. When US 52 went through Downtown Indianapolis, it went onto Brookville Road, then turned left onto English Avenue. It then joined US 421 when it turned onto Southeastern Avenue. US 52/US 421 joined US 40 when it turned onto Washington Street. It then split into Washington Street (westbound) and Maryland Street (eastbound). US 52 then turned onto West Street (from West Street, it turned onto Maryland Street). US 52 turned on 16th Street, where it would overlap US 136. It then turned onto Lafayette Road, which became Indianapolis Road when reaching Zionsville. When I-65 was completed through Downtown Indianapolis, US 52 got on I-65 from the Lafayette Road interchange, and traveled on I-65 the rest of the way. In 1970, the route was re-routed onto the south belt of I-465 from Brookville Road to I-65. It was re-routed again on its current route around Indianapolis in either 2000 or 2001.


Ohio

US 52 enters
Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
concurrently with I-74 in northwestern Hamilton County. US 52 then merges with
I-75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes and Southeastern United States, Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end ...
from I-74's terminus and exits onto Hopple Street in
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
. It runs along Central Parkway and Central Avenue through downtown and then skirts the Cincinnati riverfront along Mehring Way past Paycor Stadium (formerly Paul Brown Stadium),
Great American Ball Park Great American Ball Park is a baseball stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It is the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds, and opened on March 31, 2003, replacing Cinergy Field (formerly Riverfront Stadium), the Reds' fo ...
, and
Heritage Bank Center Heritage Bank Center is an indoor arena in downtown Cincinnati, adjacent to Great American Ball Park. It was completed in September 1975 and named Riverfront Coliseum because of its placement next to Riverfront Stadium. In 1997, the facility ...
(formerly U.S. Bank Arena), onto Pete Rose Way and Riverside Drive. From Cincinnati eastward, US 52 generally follows the
Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...
. There is a brief concurrency with
I-275 Interstate 275 (I-275) may refer to: *Interstate 275 (Ohio–Indiana–Kentucky), a full beltway around Cincinnati, OH; Covington, KY; Lawrenceburg, IN - construction started in 1968 *Interstate 275 (Florida), a loop through Tampa, St. Petersburg, ...
near
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, a neighborhood on the far eastern edge of the city of Cincinnati. Towns along its path include New Richmond,
Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...
, Ripley and
Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
. The section between I-275 and New Richmond was modernized in the 1960s; parts of the old route run parallel to the newer highway. Around
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
and Ironton US 52 has several
freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
or expressway sections. In Portsmouth, US 52 intersects with US 23. At
Chesapeake Chesapeake most often refers to: *Chesapeake people, a Native American tribe also known as the Chesepian *Chesapeake Bay *Delmarva Peninsula, also known as the Chesapeake Peninsula Chesapeake may also refer to: Populated places In Virginia * ...
, US 52 crosses the Ohio River into
Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell County, West Virginia, Cabell and Wayne County, West Virginia, Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The County seat, seat of Cabell County, the city is located at the confluence of the Ohio River, O ...
. The sections of US 52 that follow the Ohio River are known as the
Ohio River Scenic Byway Ohio ( ) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the west, and Michigan to the northwest. O ...
, which is part of the
National Scenic Byway A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for one or more of six "intrinsic qualities": archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic. The program was established by Co ...
Project. The section between State Route 125 (SR 125) and SR 73 (near Portsmouth) is also designated as Scenic Scioto Heritage Trail. This portion of US 52, along the Ohio between Cincinnati and Huntington, is the only part where it falls in geographical sequence, south of US 50 and north of US 60. US 52 passes by the birthplace of President
Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...
in Point Pleasant.


West Virginia and Kentucky

US 52 serves western and southern portions of
West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
, running from
Huntington Huntington may refer to: Places Canada * Huntington, Nova Scotia New Zealand * Huntington, New Zealand a suburb in Hamilton, New Zealand United Kingdom * Huntington, Cheshire, England * Huntington, East Lothian, Scotland * Huntingto ...
to Bluefield. The highway is undergoing a major expansion project which began in 2007 and at current funding levels is likely to take many years to finish. During its run through West Virginia, US 52 twice enters
Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
briefly, along the
Williamson, West Virginia Williamson is a city in and the county seat of Mingo County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Tug Fork River. The population was 3,042 at the 2020 census. and is the county's largest and most populous city. Williamson is home to ...
, bypass, in order to prevent the blasting of several hillsides in West Virginia. These stretches were completed in 1996 as part of the
Corridor G U.S. Route 119 (US 119) is a spur of US 19. It is a north–south route (on a northeast–southwest alignment) that was an original United States highway of 1926. It is Corridor G of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) east o ...
(
US 119 U.S. Route 119 (US 119) is a spur of US 19. It is a north–south route (on a northeast–southwest alignment) that was an original United States highway of 1926. It is Corridor G of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) east o ...
) project. The speed limit in West Virginia is , but drops to along the Kentucky portions, as Kentucky law states that any non-freeway (as is US 52) must not have a higher speed limit. In each instance, however, US 52 re-enters West Virginia.


Virginia

US 52 enters Virginia from West Virginia, and in Virginia closely follows
I-77 Interstate 77 (I-77) is a north–south Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the ...
. It enters southwestern Virginia near Bluefield and passes through Wytheville and Hillsville before leaving the state south of
Cana Cana of Galilee (; ) is the location of the Wedding at Cana, at which the miracle of turning water into wine took place in the Gospel of John. The location is disputed, with the four primary locations being Kafr Kanna, Khirbet Qana and Rei ...
.


North Carolina

US 52 enters
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
just northwest of Mount Airy. It passes Pilot Mountain, one of the most distinctive natural features in North Carolina. Through the
Piedmont Triad The Piedmont Triad (or simply the Triad) is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina anchored by three cities: Greensboro, North Carolina, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winston-Salem, and ...
region, US 52 is mostly a controlled-access
freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
. The route joins I-85 Business into Lexington and overlaps
I-85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, n ...
around
Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...
. The segment of US 52 from
I-40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west transcontinental Interstate Highway in the southeastern and southwestern portions of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and ...
in
Winston-Salem Winston-Salem is a city in Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the fifth-most populous city in North Carolina and the 91st-most populous city in the Uni ...
to Lexington has been upgraded to
Interstate Highway standards Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in the publication ''A Policy on Design Standards: Interstate System''. For a certain highway t ...
; I-285 is co-signed along this segment. The segment from northern Winston-Salem to just south of Mount Airy is expected to form part of the
I-74 Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchange with I-75 ...
corridor through North Carolina. South of the Triad area, after splitting from I-85 in
Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...
, US 52 is typically a two-lane route linking some of the state's smaller cities and towns. Albemarle is the largest municipality along this segment of US 52 to the South Carolina state line.


South Carolina

US 52 enters
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
northeast of
Cheraw The Cheraw people, also known as the Saraw or Saura,Sebeok, Thomas Albert''Native Languages of the Americas, Volume 2.''Plenum Press, 1977: 251. were a Siouan-speaking tribe of Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands,Swanton''The Indians ...
. From
Darlington Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. It lies on the River Skerne, west of Middlesbrough and south of Durham. Darlington had a population of 107,800 at the 2021 Census, making it a "large town" ...
southward it is a multilane highway and
freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
, passing through
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
,
Lake City Lake City may refer to: Places *Lake City, Arkansas * Lake City, California (disambiguation) *Lake City, Modoc County, California * Lake City, Nevada County, California *Lake City, Colorado *Lake City, Florida * Lake City, Georgia * Lake City, I ...
, Kingstree, Moncks Corner and
North Charleston North Charleston is a city in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina.City Planning Department (2008-07)City of North Charleston boundary map. City of North Charleston. Retrieved January 21, 2011. As ...
before US 52's terminus at the intersection of Meeting and Line Streets in Charleston.


History

Historically, US 52 was routed along University Avenue between
Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
and
St. Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...
. In the 1980s and 1990s, the highway was gradually shifted onto its present route along I-94. However, there was a gap in the definition of the highway for a few years until 1995. Since then, it has been routed along the Interstate between the
Twin Cities Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in stat ...
, although as of 2007, there was still a sign on University Avenue entering
Hennepin County Hennepin County ( ) is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 1,281,565, and was estimated to be 1,273,334 in 2024, making it the List of counties in ...
telling motorists to follow County Highways 36 and 37 to reach US 52—which kept them on University, then on 4th St. for historic westbound US 52. Historic westbound US 52 then crossed the Central Avenue bridge (current
Minnesota State Highway 65 Minnesota State Highway 65 (MN 65) is a highway in the east–central and northeast parts of the U.S. state of Minnesota, which starts at its split from Interstate 35W (Minnesota), I-35W, skipping past the downtown Minneapolis core, only to resu ...
) and turned onto the current routing of County Highway 81 northwest to Osseo. It then followed the current route of US 169 north to Anoka. In
Rochester, Minnesota Rochester is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. It is located along rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a popul ...
, US 52 was recently expanded to six lanes. Long-term plans have US 52 from St. Paul to
I-90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain states, Mountain West, Great Pla ...
becoming a freeway, and some have suggested that when the conversion is complete, the freeway should become a spur route for I-90. Currently, I-90 has no spur routes in Minnesota. On April 10, 2015, a
rockslide A rockslide is a type of landslide caused by rock failure in which part of the bedding plane of failure passes through compacted rock and material collapses ''en masse'' and not in individual blocks. Note that a rockslide is similar to an ava ...
dropped a boulder the size of a house onto the westbound lanes of US 52 in Lawrence County just east of the bridge over the
Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...
to
Ashland, Kentucky Ashland is a List of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States. The most populous city in Boyd County, Ashland is located upon the southern bank of the Ohio River at the state border with Ohio and near West ...
, leading to closures and detours while two days of cleanup took place.


U.S. Route 121 (1926)

Established in 1926, US 121 traversed from
Lexington, North Carolina Lexington is the county seat of Davidson County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the town had a population of 19,632. It is located in central North Carolina, south of Winston-Salem, North Caroli ...
, to Max Meadows, Virginia, estimated to be . In
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
it overlapped with NC 66; in
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
it was overlapped with SR 15. In 1934, US 52 was extended southeast into Virginia and North Carolina, and replaced all of US 121.


Future


Ohio

Long-term plans call for
I-74 Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchange with I-75 ...
to be expanded eastward along the current US 52 corridor from its current eastern terminus of
I-75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes and Southeastern United States, Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end ...
in
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
to US 23, which has been proposed to be upgraded to
Interstate Highway standards Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in the publication ''A Policy on Design Standards: Interstate System''. For a certain highway t ...
and be signed as
I-73 Interstate 73 (I-73) is a north–south Interstate Highway, currently located entirely within the US state of North Carolina. It travels , from northwest of Rockingham, North Carolina to northeast of Stokesdale, providing a freeway connec ...
in
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
. Lack of sufficient funding has hindered construction upgrades for both freeways in Ohio.


Major intersections

;North Dakota : at the
Canadian border The borders of Canada include: * To the south and west: An international boundary with the United States, forming the Canada–United States border, longest shared border in the world, ; (Informally referred as the 49th parallel north which make ...
in
Portal Portal may refer to: Arts and entertainment Gaming * ''Portal'' (series), a series of video games developed by Valve ** ''Portal'' (video game), a 2007 video game, the first in the series ** '' Portal 2'', the 2011 sequel ** '' Portal Stori ...
: northwest of Burlington. The highways travel concurrently to southeast of
Minot Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base approximately north of the city. With a population of 48,377 at the 2 ...
. : in Minot : in Carrington. The highways travel concurrently to Jamestown. : in Jamestown. The highways travel concurrently to
Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...
. : in West Fargo : in Fargo ;Minnesota : in Moorhead : in Fergus Falls Township. The highways travel concurrently to the BuseDane Prairie township line. : in Sauk Centre : in Maple Grove. I-694/US 52 travels concurrently to
Brooklyn Center Brooklyn Center is a first-ring suburban city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. In 1911, the area became a village formed from parts of Brooklyn Township and Crystal Lake Townshi ...
. : on the Maple Grove– Brooklyn Park city line : in
Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
. US 12/US 52 travels concurrently to St. Paul. : in Minneapolis. The highways travel concurrently, but on separate lanes, through the city. : in St. Paul. The highways travel concurrently, but on separate lanes, through the city. : in St. Paul. US 10/US 52 travels concurrently through the city. : in Inver Grove Heights : in Rochester. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Rochester. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Marion Township ;Iowa : in Post Township. The highways travel concurrently to Giard Township. : in Dyersville The highways travel concurrently to the Southwest Arterial in Dubuque. : near
Dubuque Dubuque (, ) is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 59,667 at the 2020 United States census. The city lies along the Mississippi River at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a region ...
. The highways travel concurrently south of the city. : in Union Township ;Illinois : on the
Amboy Amboy may refer to: Places Argentina * Amboy, Córdoba, commune in Calamuchita Department, Córdoba Province United States * Amboy Crater, feature in Mojave National Preserve, California Settled U.S. places * Amboy, California * Amboy, ...
Franklin Grove Franklin Grove is a village in Lee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,021 at the 2010 census, down from 1,052 in 2000. History Franklin Grove was named for James R. Franklin, a pioneer who settled in a grove near the town sit ...
township line : in Mendota : on the Troy Grove
Ophir Ophir (; ) is a port or region mentioned in the Bible, famous for its wealth. Its existence is attested to by an inscribed pottery shard found at Tell Qasile (in modern-day Tel Aviv) in 1946, dating to the eighth century BC, which reads "''go ...
township line : in Shorewood : in Joliet. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Joliet : in Peotone Township. The highways travel concurrently to Ashkum Township. : in Kankakee : in Concord Township. The highways travel concurrently to
Kentland, Indiana Kentland is a town in Jefferson Township, Newton County, Indiana, Jefferson Township, Newton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,641 at the 2020 census. History The town was founded in 1860 as "Kent", though this name was soon le ...
. ;Indiana : in Kentland. US 41/US 52 travels concurrently to Richland Township. : in Montmorenci. The highways travel concurrently to Wabash Township. : in Center Township. The highways travel concurrently to Eagle Township. : in Eagle Township. I-865/US 52 travels concurrently through the township. : in Eagle Township. I-465/US 52 travels concurrently to
Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...
. : in Indianapolis. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in
Carmel Carmel may refer to: * Carmel (biblical settlement), an ancient Israelite town in Judea * Mount Carmel, a coastal mountain range in Israel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea * Carmelites, a Roman Catholic mendicant religious order Carmel may also ...
. The highways travel concurrently to Indianapolis. : in Indianapolis. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in
Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...
. The highways travel concurrently to Indianapolis. : in Indianapolis : in Indianapolis. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Indianapolis : in Harrison Township. The highways travel concurrently to
Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
. ;Ohio : in Whitewater Township. The highways travel concurrently to
Taylor Creek Taylor Creek or Taylors Creek may refer to: Watercourses ;In United States *Taylor Creek (Lake Tahoe), California * Taylor Creek (Okeechobee, Florida), see Okeechobee, Florida * Taylor Creek (Ohio River), Kentucky * Taylors Creek, Kentucky * Taylo ...
. : in Cincinnati. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Cincinnati : in Cincinnati. I-75/US 52 travels concurrently through the city. : in Cincinnati. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Cincinnati. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Cincinnati. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Cincinnati : in Cincinnati. US 27/US 52 travels concurrently through the city. : in Cincinnati. The highways travel concurrently to Anderson Township. : in Ripley. US 52/US 62 travels concurrently to
Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...
. US 52/US 68 travels concurrently to Huntington Township. : in
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
: in Sciotodale ;West Virginia : in
Huntington Huntington may refer to: Places Canada * Huntington, Nova Scotia New Zealand * Huntington, New Zealand a suburb in Hamilton, New Zealand United Kingdom * Huntington, Cheshire, England * Huntington, East Lothian, Scotland * Huntingto ...
: in Huntington. The highways travel concurrently to Kenova. : northeast of Nolan. The highways travel concurrently to Williamson. ;Kentucky : No major intersections ;West Virginia : in Bluefield. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Bluefield. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Bluefield. The highways travel concurrently to north-northwest of
Rocky Gap, Virginia Rocky Gap is an unincorporated community and census designated place (CDP) that is located in Bland County in the U.S. state of Virginia. In the year of 2016, there was an estimate that there were a total of 511 people living in Rocky Gap. Roc ...
. ;Virginia : in Rocky Gap : west of Bland : in Wytheville. I-81/US 52 travel concurrently to
Fort Chiswell Chiswell , sometimes , is a small village at the southern end of Chesil Beach, in Underhill, on the Isle of Portland in Dorset. It is the oldest settlement on the island, having formerly been known as Chesilton. The small bay at Chiswell is ...
. : in Wytheville. The highways travel concurrently to Fort Chiswell. : in Wytheville. The highways travel concurrently to Fort Chiswell. : in Hillsville : in Hillsville ;North Carolina : in Mount Airy : southeast of Mount Airy : in
Winston-Salem Winston-Salem is a city in Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the fifth-most populous city in North Carolina and the 91st-most populous city in the Uni ...
: in Winston-Salem. : in Winston-Salem : in Winston-Salem. I-285/US 52 travel concurrently to Lexington. : in Lexington : in Lexington. The highways travel concurrently to northeast of Spencer. : in Lexington. I-85/US 52 travel concurrently to
Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...
. : in Wadesboro. The highways travel concurrently through the city. ;South Carolina : in
Cheraw The Cheraw people, also known as the Saraw or Saura,Sebeok, Thomas Albert''Native Languages of the Americas, Volume 2.''Plenum Press, 1977: 251. were a Siouan-speaking tribe of Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands,Swanton''The Indians ...
. The highways travel concurrently to south-southwest of Cheraw. : in
Society Hill Society Hill is a historic neighborhood in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 6,215 . Settled in the early 1680s, Society Hill is one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in Philadelphia.The Center ...
. US 15/US 52 travels concurrently to southwest of Society Hill. US 52/US 401 travels concurrently to
Darlington Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. It lies on the River Skerne, west of Middlesbrough and south of Durham. Darlington had a population of 107,800 at the 2021 Census, making it a "large town" ...
. : northwest of
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
: in Florence : in Florence. The highways travel concurrently to Effingham. : north of
Lake City Lake City may refer to: Places *Lake City, Arkansas * Lake City, California (disambiguation) *Lake City, Modoc County, California * Lake City, Nevada County, California *Lake City, Colorado *Lake City, Florida * Lake City, Georgia * Lake City, I ...
: east of Greeleyville : in Goose Creek : in
North Charleston North Charleston is a city in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina.City Planning Department (2008-07)City of North Charleston boundary map. City of North Charleston. Retrieved January 21, 2011. As ...
. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in North Charleston : in North Charleston : in Charleston : in Charleston : Line Street/Meeting Street in Charleston


See also

*
Interstate 74 Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchange with I-75 in ...


Related routes

* U.S. Route 152


Special and suffixed routes

* U.S. Route 52 Spur in
Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...


References


External links


Endpoints of U.S. Highway 52

Illinois Highway Ends: US 52

Indiana Highway Ends: US 52


{{DEFAULTSORT:52 Roads in Cincinnati Scenic byways in Ohio U.S. Highways in Indiana U.S. Highways in Ohio United States Numbered Highway System U.S. Highways in Kentucky