# U.S. Route 52 in South Carolina

U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that runs for 159.960-mile (257.431 km) from Charleston to the North Carolina state line near Cheraw. It serves as a strategic highway through the central part of the state.

## 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.
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 continues 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.
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.
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.

### 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.
* 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.

## 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.

## Major intersections

| County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| Charleston | Charleston | 0.000 | 0.000 | Line Street / Meeting Street east | Southern terminus; Meeting Street continues past terminus. |
| Charleston | Charleston | 0.568– 0.600 | 0.914– 0.966 | US 17 north – Mount Pleasant | No access to US 17 south from US 52 |
| Charleston | Charleston | 0.630 | 1.014 | I-26 west – North Charleston, Columbia | No access to I-26 east from US 52; I-26 exit 221B |
| Charleston | Charleston | 1.260 | 2.028 | Morrison Drive (US 52 Spur south) to US 78 / Mount Pleasant Street | Northern terminus of US 52 Spur |
| Charleston | 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 |
| Charleston | North Charleston | 4.400 | 7.081 | US 78 east (Rivers Avenue) | Southern end of US 78 concurrency |
| Charleston | North Charleston | 4.890 | 7.870 | SC 7 south (Cosgrove Avenue) | Northern terminus of SC 7 |
| Charleston | North Charleston | 5.040 | 8.111 | SC 642 west (Dorchester Road) – Summerville | Eastern terminus of SC 642 |
| Charleston | North Charleston | 8.050– 8.145 | 12.955– 13.108 | I-526 – Mount Pleasant, Savannah | I-526 exits 18A-B |
| Charleston | North Charleston | 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 |
| Charleston | North Charleston | 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 |
| Berkeley | 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 |
| Berkeley | Moncks Corner | 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 |
| Berkeley | ​ | 32.487 | 52.283 | Dennis C. Bishop Bridge | Crossing of Tail Race Canal |
| Berkeley | ​ | 32.897 | 52.943 | To SC 402 – Cordesville, Huger | Western terminus of unnamed access road |
| Berkeley | ​ | 33.040 | 53.173 | US 17 Alt. north – Georgetown | Northern end of US 17 Alt concurrency |
| Berkeley | St. Stephen | 46.240 | 74.416 | SC 45 (Ravenell Drive) – Jamestown, Pineville | |
| Williamsburg | ​ | 56.350 | 90.687 | SC 375 (Gourdin Road) – Gourdin, Greeleyville | |
| Williamsburg | ​ | 61.270 | 98.605 | US 521 – Salters, Greeleyville | |
| Williamsburg | ​ | 68.220 | 109.789 | SC 261 north (Manning Highway) – Manning | Southern end of SC 261 concurrency |
| Williamsburg | 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 |
| Williamsburg | Kingstree | 71.430 | 114.955 | SC 527 north (Academy Street) – Sumter | Northern end of SC 527 concurrency |
| Williamsburg | Cades | 80.280 | 129.198 | SC 512 east / Cade Road – Cades, Hebron | Western terminus of SC 512 |
| Florence | Lake City | 86.600 | 139.369 | US 378 Bus. / SC 341 (Main Street) – Johnsonville, Olanta, Sumter | |
| Florence | Lake City | 87.740– 87.770 | 141.204– 141.252 | US 378 – Conway, Sumter | |
| Florence | Coward | 93.080 | 149.798 | SC 541 west (Salem Road) – Olanta | Eastern terminus of SC 541 |
| Florence | 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 | 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 |
| Florence | Florence | 107.430 | 172.892 | SC 51 (Pamplico Highway / Second Loop Road) | |
| Florence | Florence | 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 |
| Florence | Florence | 109.400 | 176.062 | US 76 (Palmetto Street / US 52 Conn. north) – Marion, Timmonsville | Southern terminus of US 52 Conn.; to Francis Marion University |
| Florence | Florence | 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. |
| Florence | Florence | 110.470 | 177.784 | Coit Street south (US 52 Conn. south) | Northern terminus of US 52 Conn. and Coit Street |
| Florence | ​ | 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. |
| Darlington | Darlington | 119.000 | 191.512 | SC 340 – Darlington, Timmonsville | |
| Darlington | Darlington | 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. |
| Darlington | Darlington | 119.930 | 193.009 | SC 34 / SC 151 (Harry Byrd Highway) – Hartsville, Darlington, Charlotte | Northern end of SC 34 Truck concurrency; interchange |
| Darlington | ​ | 123.068 | 198.059 | US 52 Bus. south (Main Street) – Darlington | Northern terminus of US 52 Bus. |
| Darlington | ​ | 134.210 | 215.990 | US 15 south (Hartsville Highway) – Hartsville | Southern end of US 15 concurrency |
| Darlington | 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 |
| Chesterfield | ​ | 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 |
| Chesterfield | Cheraw | 149.780 | 241.048 | SC 9 north (Market Street) – Chesterfield | Southern end of SC 9 concurrency |
| Chesterfield | Cheraw | 151.040 | 243.075 | US 1 north / SC 9 south (Powe Street) – Wallace, Bennettsville, Rockingham | Northern end of US 1 and SC 9 concurrencies |
| Chesterfield | Cheraw | 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 |
| Chesterfield | Cheraw | 151.788 | 244.279 | Patrolman Gilbert "Gil" Halma Bridge | Crossing over Huckleberry Branch |
| Chesterfield | ​ | 154.510 | 248.660 | SC 9 Truck north (Four Mile Loop Road) – Chesterfield | Northern end of SC 9 Truck concurrency |
| Chesterfield | ​ | 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 ||||||