page_title: U.S. Route 52 in Iowa
section_title: Route description
hierarchical_section_title: U.S. Route 52 in Iowa / Route description
caption_attribution_description: Happened across this as I followed the Great River Road, outside of Guttenburg, Iowa
context_page_description: U.S. Highway 52 is a 166-mile-long United States highway in northeast Iowa. The route begins at the Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Mississippi River between Sabula and Savanna, Illinois. From Sabula, it heads north along the Mississippi towards Bellevue and Dubuque. At Dubuque, US 52 briefly shares an expressway with U.S. Route 61 and U.S. Route 151.
  North of Dubuque, the route follows the course of the river and turns to the west. At Luxemburg, it turns to the north towards Guttenberg. It then heads northwest where it overlaps U.S. Route 18 for 15 miles. At Calmar, US 52 turns to the north towards Decorah. US 52 crosses into Minnesota north of Burr Oak.
  Despite its even number, US 52 is signed as a north–south route. According to the layout of the U.S. Highway System, even-numbered routes are generally signed as east–west routes.
context_section_description: U.S. Highway 52 begins in Iowa with Iowa Highway 64 on the Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Mississippi River north of Sabula.  After descending the bridge, the two routes turn to the south and travel along a narrow, 2 ¹⁄₂-mile-long (4.0 km) causeway through the Mississippi backwaters.  The two routes pass through Sabula, a city known as Iowa's island city, and turn west crossing another causeway to the mainland.  Upon rising from the river valley, US 52 / Iowa 64 meet the northern end of U.S. Route 67.  Iowa 64 continues west with US 67, while US 52 turns north to follow the river.
  Between Sabula and Bellevue, US 52 follows the course of the Mississippi River.  The roadway gradually enters the Driftless Area, a region of the midwestern United States which escaped glaciation during the last glacial period.  Near the unincorporated community of Green Island, the highway passes through terrain where the elevation ranges from 600–800 feet (180–240 m) above sea level.  North of Green Island, where it crosses the Maquoketa River, US 52 follows the bluffs along the Mississippi River valley.  The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad (DME Railroad) which runs parallel to US 52 between Green Island and Bellevue, in locations, lies 50 feet (15 m) below the road as the roadway follows the bluffs while the railroad tracks stay in the flat valley.
  At Bellevue, US 52 runs along the city's riverfront and passes Lock and Dam No. 12.  North of Bellevue, it turns to the northwest and rises 400 feet (120 m) in elevation and then descends 300 feet (91 m) at St. Donatus.  North of St. Donatus, the highway travels 10 miles (16 km) and enters the Dubuque area and intersects U.S. Highway 61 and U.S. Highway 151.
  The three routes head to the north towards downtown Dubuque. Shortly after a diamond interchange with Grandview Avenue, the three routes curve to the east and encounter a partial diamond interchange with Locust Street, which provides direct access to U.S. Route 20.  The expressway curves back to the north, passes underneath the Julien Dubuque Bridge, and intersects a connector road which allows southbound traffic to access US 20.  The expressway rises above ground level and heads towards Wisconsin, but US 52 exits at the 9th and 11th Streets exit.  The exit also serves as the eastern end of Iowa Highway 3.
  Through Dubuque, US 52 / Iowa 3 follow one-way streets for 1 ¹⁄₄ miles (2.0 km).  Northbound traffic follows 11th Street before turning onto White Street.  Southbound traffic follows Central Avenue before turning onto 9th Street.  The one-way streets realign onto Central Avenue, on which the routes stay for the rest of their time in Dubuque.  South of Sageville, the two highways intersect Dubuque's Northwest Arterial, which carries Iowa Highway 32.  North of Sageville, US 52 / Iowa 3 turn to the west along a particularly curvy and dangerous section of the road between Luxemburg and Dubuque.  In a study conducted by the Center for Transportation Research and Education at Iowa State University, between 2002 and 2006, over 240 accidents with 6 fatalities occurred on this section.  The road rises from the Driftless Area near Holy Cross and continues to Luxemburg.
  At Luxemburg, US 52 and Iowa 3 split at an intersection with Iowa Highway 136.  From Luxemburg, US 52 heads north towards Guttenberg.  As it approaches the Mississippi River, the road reenters the Driftless Area.  After crossing the Turkey River, the highway rises nearly 300 feet (91 m) in elevation before descending again at Guttenberg.  North of Guttenberg, US 52 rises out of the Mississippi valley and travels west and then northwest away from the river.  North of Garnavillo, it intersects Iowa 128, which serves as a cutoff to Iowa 13 near Elkader.  Eight miles (13 km) later, it intersects Iowa 13 at its northern end.
  One mile (1.6 km) north of the Iowa 13 intersection, US 52 intersects U.S. Highway 18.  Between this location and Calmar, US 52 runs parallel to the DME Railroad.  The two highways travel together to the northwest for 17 miles (27 km) through Monon
caption: A violin painted on a silo near Green Island, a landmark along the route
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