United States Highway 52 is an unusual United States highway. While one might expect the route to be east-west as most even-numbered US Highways are, US 52 takes a northwest-southeast route.

Because of its unusual nature US 52 is signed east and west on some sections and north and south on others.

Termini

The highway's northwestern terminus is at Portal, North Dakota on the Canadian border, where it continues as Saskatchewan Highway 39. The southeastern terminus of US 52 is in Charleston, South Carolina, somewhere near the intersection of Interstate 26 and U.S. Highway 17.

States traversed

The highway passes through the following states:

• North Dakota
• Minnesota
• Iowa
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Ohio
• Kentucky
• West Virginia
• Virginia
• North Carolina
• South Carolina

Major cities

Major cities along the route include:

• Minot, North Dakota
• Fargo, North Dakota
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Rochester, Minnesota
• Dubuque, Iowa
• Joliet, Illinois
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Winston-Salem, North Carolina
• Charleston, South Carolina

Intersections and Multiplexes

Along U.S. 52's route, there are many places where the route crosses an Interstate (intersection), and many places where U.S. 52 shares its route with an Interstate (multiplex).

• Interstate 94 multiplex between Jamestown, North Dakota and St. Paul, Minnesota
• Interstate 29 in Fargo, North Dakota (while multiplexed with I-94)
• Interstate 694 multiplex in Minneapolis, Minnesota (while multiplexed with I-94)
• Interstate 494 in Maple Grove, Minnesota (while multiplexed with I-94)
• Interstate 394 in Minneapolis, Minnesota (while multiplexed with I-94)
• Interstate 35W in Minneapolis, Minnesota (while multiplexed with I-94)
• Interstate 35E multiplex in Minneapolis, Minnesota (while multiplexed with I-94)
• Interstate 90 in Marion, Minnesota
• Interstate 88 in Dixon, Illinois
• Interstate 39 in Troy Grove, Illinois
• Interstate 55 in Joliet, Illinois
• Interstate 80 in Joliet, Illinois
• Interstate 57 in Kankakee, Illinois
• Interstate 65 multiplex between Lebanon, Indiana and Zionsville, Indiana
• Interstate 865 multiplex in Zionsville, Indiana
• Interstate 465 multiplex between Zionsville, Indiana and Warren Park, Indiana
• Interstate 69 in Indianapolis, Indiana (while multiplexed with I-465)
• Interstate 70 in Indianapolis, Indiana (while multiplexed with I-465)
• Interstate 74 multiplex between the Indiana/Ohio border and Cincinnati, Ohio
• Interstate 275 multiplex in Miamitown, Ohio (while multiplexed with I-74)
• Interstate 75 multiplex in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Interstate 275 near Newtown, Ohio
• Interstate 64 multiplex between Huntington, West Virginia and Kenova, West Virginia
• Interstate 77 multiplex between Bluefield, West Virginia and Rocky Gap, Virginia
• Interstate 81 multiplex in Wytheville, Virginia
• Interstate 77 multiplex in Wytheville, Virginia (while multiplexed with I-81)
• Interstate 77 multiplex between Wytheville, Virginia and Fort Chiswell, Virginia
• Interstate 74 in Mount Airy, North Carolina
• Interstate 40 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
• Interstate 85 multiplex between Lexington, North Carolina and Salisbury, North Carolina
• Interstate 95 in Florence, South Carolina

Notes

• Historically, U.S. 52 was routed along University Avenue between Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota. In the 1980s and 1990s, the highway was gradually shifted onto its present route along Interstate 94, although for a few years up until about 1995, there was effectively a gap in the roadway as the precise route wasn't defined. Since then, it has been routed along the interstate between the Twin Cities.

Related U.S. routes

• U.S. Highway 152
• Interstate 26
• List of United States Highways