U.S. Route 52 in South Carolina

U.S. Highway 52
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap US 52 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by SCDOT
Length	159.960 mi[1][2][3][4][5][6] (257.431 km)
Existed	1935[citation needed]–present
Major junctions
South end	Line Street in Charleston
	I-26 / US 17 in Charleston US 78 in Charleston I-526 in North Charleston US 17 Alt. in Moncks Corner US 521 near Greeleyville US 378 in Lake City US 301 / SC 327 in Effingham US 76 in Florence I-95 in Florence US 1 / SC 9 in Cheraw
North end	US 52 at the North Carolina line near Cheraw
Location
Counties	Charleston, Berkeley, Williamsburg, Florence, Darlington, Chesterfield
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided South Carolina State Highway System Interstate US State Scenic ← SC 51 → SC 53

U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a 159.960-mile (257.431 km) north–south U.S. Highway that travels from Charleston to the North Carolina state line near Cheraw. It serves as a strategic highway through the central part of the state. Though an even-numbered U.S. Highway, which are typically signed east–west, it is signed north–south in South Carolina. In some other states along its route, it is signed east–west. The South Carolina segment is signed such that US 52 north corresponds to the general westward direction of the highway, and vice versa.

Route description[]

US 52 begins at the intersection of Meeting and Line Streets, in Charleston. Going northwest along Meeting Street, it connects with I-26/US 17, followed by Morrison Drive (US 52 Spur hidden); US 52 signage begin to appear north of Morrison Drive. In North Charleston, it is concurrent with US 78 for 11 miles (18 km), splitting near Goose Creek.^[7]

From Moncks Corner, US 52 is briefly concurrent with US 17 Alt as it enters the Francis Marion National Forest and crosses the Dennis C. Bishop Bridge over the Tail Race Canal of the Cooper River just below Lake Moultrie. The route traverses the Francis Marion National Forest as it oontinues northward to St. Stephen. From there is proceeds to Kingstree and Lake City, before another short concurrency with US 301 from Effingham to Florence. Through downtown Florence, it goes northwest and bypasses Darlington and joining another concurrency with US 401.^[7]

At Society Hill, it merges briefly with US 15 before continuing north again solo to Cheraw, where it overlaps briefly with US 1 and SC 9. US 52 crosses the North Carolina state line, after traveling 159.7 miles (257.0 km) through South Carolina, continuing on towards Wadesboro.^[7]

US 52 is a major highway between Charleston and Florence, all of which is four-lane or more with some sections signed 60-mile-per-hour (97 km/h). North of Darlington, it becomes mostly a two-lane rural highway through the remainder of its route. Though the majority of its routing and signage is north-south, some sections will also be signed east-west at various parts of the state.^[7]

Dedicated and memorial names[]

US 52 in South Carolina feature a few dedicated or memorialized stretches of freeway.

• Blue Star Memorial Highway – Official honorary name of US 52 in Berkeley County. Markers are located in Moncks Corner, Pineville, and St. Stephen.^[8]
• L. Lawson Rhodes Highway – Is a dedicated section of US 52 located in Chesterfield County. Dedicated in August, 2013, it is in honor of Patrolman L. Lawson Rhodes, who served as a trooper with the South Carolina Highway Patrol, who died on duty in 1938.^[9][10][11]

History[]

US 52 was established in 1935 as a renumbering of US 601 from the North Carolina state line to Florence and US 17 from Florence to Charleston. In 1939, US 52 was rerouted into a concurrency with US 78 in North Charleston, leaving a section of Meeting Street. Also in the same year, Cheraw to the North Carolina state line was the last section to be paved; while the first section of US 52 was widen to four-lane from Charleston to Durant Avenue, in North Charleston.

In 1940, US 52 was rerouted onto new alignment west of Lake City. In 1948, US 52 was taken off King Street and placed on Meeting Street to Lee Street, in Charleston. Around 1952-1969, US 52 was split during that period in Florence, with northbound along Irby Street and southbound along Coit Avenue; before and after it was solely on Irby Street. Also around 1952, US 52 was bypassed west of Kingstree on new primary routing; the old route through town remained part of SC 261 while Academy Street, Kelly Street and Third Avenue were downgraded to secondary roads (all three SC-45-8).

In 1971, US 52 was moved onto new alignment south of Moncks Corner, leaving behind Old Highway 52 (S-8-791). By 1973, US 52 was placed on new primary routing bypassing west around Darlington, leaving behind US 52 Bus.^[12][13]

Major intersections[]

County	Location	mi[1][2][3][4][5][6]	km	Destinations	Notes
Charleston	Charleston	0.000	0.000	Line Street / Meeting Street east	Southern terminus; Meeting Street continues past terminus.
		0.568– 0.600	0.914– 0.966	US 17 north – Mount Pleasant	No access to US 17 south from US 52
		0.630	1.014	I-26 west – North Charleston, Columbia	No access to I-26 east from US 52; I-26 exit 221B
		1.260	2.028	Morrison Drive (US 52 Spur south) to US 78 / Mount Pleasant Street	Northern terminus of US 52 Spur
	North Charleston	3.220– 3.320	5.182– 5.343	I-26 west – Columbia	Northbound exit and southbound entrance; access to I-26 east via Spruill Avenue; I-26 exit 217
		4.400	7.081	US 78 east (Rivers Avenue)	Southern end of US 78 concurrency
		4.890	7.870	SC 7 south (Cosgrove Avenue)	Northern terminus of SC 7
		5.040	8.111	SC 642 west (Dorchester Road) – Summerville	Eastern terminus of SC 642
		8.050– 8.145	12.955– 13.108	I-526 – Mount Pleasant, Savannah	I-526 exits 18A-B
		12.860	20.696	US 52 Conn. south to I-26 east – Charleston	No northbound exit; northern terminus of US 52 Conn.; I-26 exit 209A
		13.750– 14.330	22.128– 23.062	US 78 west (University Boulevard) / N.A.D. Road – Summerville	Northern end of US 78 concurrency; southern terminus of N.A.D. Road; interchange; to Charleston Southern University and Naval Weapons Station
Berkeley	Goose Creek	15.870	25.540	US 176 west (St. James Avenue) / Red Bank Road east – Holly Hill	Eastern terminus of US 176; western terminus of Red Bank Road
	Moncks Corner	30.460– 30.470	49.021– 49.037	SC 6 west (Main Street) / SC 6 Truck begins / Main Street Extension east – Holly Hill	Southern end of SC 6 Truck concurrency; eastern terminus of SC 6 and Main Street; western terminus of SC 6 Truck; western terminus of Main Street Extension
		31.270	50.324	US 17 Alt. south / SC 6 Truck west (Live Oak Drive) – Summerville	Northern end of SC 6 Truck concurrency; southern end of US 17 Alt. concurrency
	​	32.487	52.283	Dennis C. Bishop Bridge	Crossing of Tail Race Canal
	​	32.897	52.943	To SC 402 – Cordesville, Huger	Western terminus of unnamed access road
	​	33.040	53.173	US 17 Alt. north – Georgetown	Northern end of US 17 Alt concurrency
	St. Stephen	46.240	74.416	SC 45 (Ravenell Drive) – Jamestown, Pineville
Williamsburg	​	56.350	90.687	SC 375 (Gourdin Road) – , Greeleyville
	​	61.270	98.605	US 521 – Salters, Greeleyville
	​	68.220	109.789	SC 261 north (Manning Highway) – Manning	Southern end of SC 261 concurrency
	Kingstree	70.820	113.974	SC 261 south (Main Street) / SC 527 south (Longstreet Street) – Andrews, Hemingway	Northern end of SC 261 concurrency; southern end of SC 527 concurrency
		71.430	114.955	SC 527 north (Academy Street) – Sumter	Northern end of SC 527 concurrency
	Cades	80.280	129.198	SC 512 east / Cade Road – Cades,	Western terminus of SC 512
Florence	Lake City	86.600	139.369	US 378 Bus. / SC 341 (Main Street) – Johnsonville, Olanta, Sumter
		87.740– 87.770	141.204– 141.252	US 378 – Conway, Sumter
	Coward	93.080	149.798	SC 541 west (Salem Road) – Olanta	Eastern terminus of SC 541
	Effingham	100.000	160.934	US 301 south (Olanta Highway) / SC 327 north (Effingham Highway) – Evergreen, Olanta, Manning	Southern end of US 301 concurrency
	Florence	105.850	170.349	US 52 Truck north / US 301 north (Freedom Boulevard) – Marion	Northern end of US 301 concurrency; southern terminus of US 52 Truck
		107.430	172.892	SC 51 (Pamplico Highway / Second Loop Road)
		107.580	173.133	Pamplico Highway south (SC 51 Conn. south) / James Jones Avenue north	Northern terminus of SC 51 Conn.; southern terminus of James Jones Avenue
		109.400	176.062	US 76 (Palmetto Street / US 52 Conn. north) – Marion, Timmonsville	Southern terminus of US 52 Conn.; to Francis Marion University
		110.200	177.350	West Lucas Street east (US 52 Truck south) / North Irby Street north	Northern terminus of US 52 Truck; US 52 turns left off of North Irby Street and onto West Lucas Street.
		110.470	177.784	Coit Street south (US 52 Conn. south)	Northern terminus of US 52 Conn. and Coit Street
	​	112.730– 112.800	181.421– 181.534	I-95 – Fayetteville, Savannah	I-95 exit 164; to Myrtle Beach via I-95 and SC 327
Darlington	Darlington	117.600	189.259	US 52 Bus. north (Main Street) / SC 34 Truck east (Governor Williams Highway east) – Darlington	Southern end of SC 34 Truck concurrency, which takes on the Governor Williams Highway name; southern terminus of US 52 Bus.
		119.000	191.512	SC 340 – Darlington, Timmonsville
		119.650	192.558	US 401 south (Lamar Highway / SC 34 Conn. east) – Sumter	Southern end of US 401 concurrency; western terminus of SC 34 Conn.
		119.930	193.009	SC 34 / SC 151 (Harry Byrd Highway) – Hartsville, Darlington, Charlotte	Northern end of SC 34 Truck concurrency; interchange
	​	123.068	198.059	US 52 Bus. south (Main Street) – Darlington	Northern terminus of US 52 Bus.
	​	134.210	215.990	US 15 south (Hartsville Highway) – Hartsville	Southern end of US 15 concurrency
	Society Hill	136.290	219.337	US 15 north / US 401 north (Main Street) – Bennettsville	Northern end of US 15 and US 401 concurrencies
Chesterfield	​	147.440	237.282	US 1 south – McBee, Camden	Southern end of US 1 concurrency
	​	148.350	238.746	US 1 Truck / US 52 Truck (Cash Road) to SC 9 / SC 9 Truck	Southern terminus of US 1 Truck and US 52 Truck
	Cheraw	149.780	241.048	SC 9 north (Market Street) – Chesterfield	Southern end of SC 9 concurrency
		151.040	243.075	US 1 north / SC 9 south (Powe Street) – Wallace, Bennettsville, Rockingham	Northern end of US 1 and SC 9 concurrencies
		151.340	243.558	US 52 Truck south / SC 9 Truck south (Front Street)	Southern end of SC 9 Truck concurrency; northern terminus of US 52 Truck
		151.788	244.279	Patrolman Gilbert "Gil" Halma Bridge	Crossing over Huckleberry Branch
	​	154.510	248.660	SC 9 Truck north (Four Mile Loop Road) – Chesterfield	Northern end of SC 9 Truck concurrency
	​	159.960	257.431	US 52 north – Wadesboro	Continuation into North Carolina
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

See also[]

 U.S. roads portal

• Special routes of U.S. Route 52

References[]

External links[]

• Media related to U.S. Route 52 in South Carolina at Wikimedia Commons
• US 52 at Virginia Highways' South Carolina Highways Annex

U.S. Route 52
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