U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a north–south
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 ...
that travels from
Charleston
Charleston most commonly refers to:
* Charleston, South Carolina
* Charleston, West Virginia, the state capital
* Charleston (dance)
Charleston may also refer to:
Places Australia
* Charleston, South Australia
Canada
* Charleston, Newfoundlan ...
to the
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
state line near
Cheraw
The Cheraw people, also known as the Saraw or Saura, were a Siouan-speaking tribe of indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, in the Piedmont area of North Carolina near the Sauratown Mountains, east of Pilot Mountain and north of the Yad ...
. 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
Charleston most commonly refers to:
* Charleston, South Carolina
* Charleston, West Virginia, the state capital
* Charleston (dance)
Charleston may also refer to:
Places Australia
* Charleston, South Australia
Canada
* Charleston, Newfoundlan ...
. Going northwest along Meeting Street, it connects with
I-26 I26 may refer to:
* Interstate 26
Interstate 26 (I-26) is a main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. Nominally east–west, as indicated by its even number, I-26 runs from the junction of U.S. Route 11W ...
/
US 17, followed by Morrison Drive (
US 52 Spur hidden); US 52 signage begin to appear north of Morrison Drive. In
North Charleston
North Charleston is the third-largest city in the state of South Carolina.City Planning Department (2008-07)City of North Charleston boundary map. City of North Charleston. Retrieved January 21, 2011. On June 12, 1972, the city of North Charlest ...
, it is
concurrent
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with
US 78 for , splitting near
Goose Creek.
From
Moncks Corner
Moncks Corner is a town in and the county seat of Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 7,885 at the 2010 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Moncks Corner is included within the Charleston-North Charleston-S ...
, US 52 is briefly concurrent with
US 17 Alt as it enters the
Francis Marion National Forest
The Francis Marion National Forest is located north of Charleston, South Carolina. It is named for revolutionary war hero Francis Marion, who was known to the British as the Swamp Fox. It lies entirely within the Middle Atlantic coastal forests ...
and crosses the Dennis C. Bishop Bridge over the Tail Race Canal of the
Cooper River just below
Lake Moultrie
Lake Moultrie is the third largest lake in South Carolina. Created in the 1940s by a state utility project to dam the Cooper River (South Carolina), Cooper River, it covers more than . It provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities, inc ...
. The route traverses the Francis Marion National Forest as it continues northward to
St. Stephen
Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ''Stéphanos'', meaning "wreath, crown" and by extension "reward, honor, renown, fame", often given as a title rather than as a name; c. 5 – c. 34 AD) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first ...
. From there is proceeds to
Kingstree
Kingstree is a city and the county seat of Williamsburg County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,328 at the 2010 census.
History
The original town was laid out as Williamsburg by the Lords Proprietors in colonial times, but a ...
and
Lake City, before another short concurrency with
US 301 from
Effingham to
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
. Through downtown Florence, it goes northwest and bypasses
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. The River Skerne flows through the town; it is a tributary of the River Tees. The Tees itself flows south of the town.
In the 19th century, Darlington underwen ...
and joining another concurrency with
US 401.
[
At ]Society Hill
Society Hill is a historic neighborhood in Center City Philadelphia, with a population of 6,215 . Settled in the early 1680s, Society Hill is one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in Philadelphia.The Center City District dates the Free Soc ...
, it merges briefly with US 15
U.S. Route 15 (US 15) is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Car ...
before continuing north again solo to Cheraw
The Cheraw people, also known as the Saraw or Saura, were a Siouan-speaking tribe of indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, in the Piedmont area of North Carolina near the Sauratown Mountains, east of Pilot Mountain and north of the Yad ...
, where it overlaps briefly with US 1 and SC 9. US 52 crosses the North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
state line, after traveling through South Carolina, continuing on towards Wadesboro.[
US 52 is a major highway between Charleston and Florence, all of which is four-lane or more with some sections signed . 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.][
]
Dedicated and memorial names
US 52 in South Carolina feature a few dedicated or memorialized stretches of freeway.
* Blue Star Memorial Highway
Blue Star Memorial Highways are highways in the United States that are marked to pay tribute to the U.S. armed forces. The National Council of State Garden Clubs, now known as National Garden Clubs, Inc., started the program in 1945 after World W ...
– Official honorary name of US 52 in Berkeley County. Markers are located in Moncks Corner
Moncks Corner is a town in and the county seat of Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 7,885 at the 2010 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Moncks Corner is included within the Charleston-North Charleston-S ...
, Pineville, and St. Stephen
Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ''Stéphanos'', meaning "wreath, crown" and by extension "reward, honor, renown, fame", often given as a title rather than as a name; c. 5 – c. 34 AD) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first ...
.
* 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
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is the highway patrol agency for South Carolina, which has jurisdiction anywhere in the state except for federal or military installations. The Highway Patrol was created in 1930 and is an organization with a rank ...
, who died on duty in 1938.
History
US 52 was established in 1935 as a renumbering of US 601 from the North Carolina state line to Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
and US 17 from Florence to Charleston
Charleston most commonly refers to:
* Charleston, South Carolina
* Charleston, West Virginia, the state capital
* Charleston (dance)
Charleston may also refer to:
Places Australia
* Charleston, South Australia
Canada
* Charleston, Newfoundlan ...
. In 1939, US 52 was rerouted into a concurrency with US 78 in North Charleston
North Charleston is the third-largest city in the state of South Carolina.City Planning Department (2008-07)City of North Charleston boundary map. City of North Charleston. Retrieved January 21, 2011. On June 12, 1972, the city of North Charlest ...
, leaving a section of Meeting Street. Also in the same year, Cheraw
The Cheraw people, also known as the Saraw or Saura, were a Siouan-speaking tribe of indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, in the Piedmont area of North Carolina near the Sauratown Mountains, east of Pilot Mountain and north of the Yad ...
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
North Charleston is the third-largest city in the state of South Carolina.City Planning Department (2008-07)City of North Charleston boundary map. City of North Charleston. Retrieved January 21, 2011. On June 12, 1972, the city of North Charlest ...
.
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
Kingstree is a city and the county seat of Williamsburg County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,328 at the 2010 census.
History
The original town was laid out as Williamsburg by the Lords Proprietors in colonial times, but a ...
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
Moncks Corner is a town in and the county seat of Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 7,885 at the 2010 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Moncks Corner is included within the Charleston-North Charleston-S ...
, leaving behind Old Highway 52 (S-8-791). By 1973, US 52 was placed on new primary routing bypassing west around Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. The River Skerne flows through the town; it is a tributary of the River Tees. The Tees itself flows south of the town.
In the 19th century, Darlington underwen ...
, leaving behind US 52 Bus.
Major intersections
See also
* Special routes of U.S. Route 52
References
External links
*
US 52 at Virginia Highways' South Carolina Highways Annex
{{state detail page browse, type=US, route=52, state=South Carolina, statebefore=North Carolina, stateafter=
52
South Carolina
Transportation in Charleston County, South Carolina
Transportation in Berkeley County, South Carolina
Transportation in Williamsburg County, South Carolina
Transportation in Florence County, South Carolina
Transportation in Darlington County, South Carolina
Transportation in Chesterfield County, South Carolina
Transportation in Charleston, South Carolina
Transportation in North Charleston, South Carolina
Goose Creek, South Carolina
Florence, South Carolina metropolitan area
Darlington, South Carolina