U.S. Route 52 (US 52) runs east–west across the southern part of the state of Ohio along the Ohio River, passing through or very near the cities and towns of Cincinnati, Portsmouth, and Ironton. For its first 19 miles (31 km) or so, the highway runs concurrently with Interstate 74 (I-74) and I-75 before it winds through downtown Cincinnati for several miles. The route is primarily two lanes between New Richmond and West Portsmouth, Ohio, where it becomes a four-lane partial access highway until it exits the state near Chesapeake.
Route description
Indiana state line to Downtown Cincinnati
Starting at the Indiana state line, US 52, along with I-74, travel due southeast. In Harrison, both routes first meet New Haven Road and then Dry Fork Road. From Blue Jay to Dent, I-275 runs concurrently with both routes. While the three routes are sharing the same freeway, they meet SR 128 in Miamitown. After I-275 branches due northeast, both US 52 and I-74 then meet Rybolt Road/Harrison Avenue and North Bend Road; all are partial cloverleaf interchanges. After entering Cincinnati, they then meet Montana Avenue at an incomplete diamond interchange and US 27 (Beekman Street)/Colerain Avenue. At this point, US 27 runs concurrently with US 52. Less than a mile after that, I-74 ends as they meet I-75 west of the Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.
US 52 and US 27 then briefly follow south along I-75 before exiting at Hopple Street. Then, they also briefly travel east along that street before intersecting US 127 (Central Parkway) at a one-quadrant interchange. At this point, both routes travel south along US 127, largely paralleling I-75. As they reach Downtown Cincinnati, they split as a two-way pair. As a two-way pair, they intersect US 22, US 42, US 50, SR 3, and SR 264.[2]
Downtown Cincinnati to Portsmouth
At this point, most of the remainder of US 52 in Ohio is part of the Ohio River Scenic Byway.
US 52 and US 27 then turn eastward along Mehring Way. Both routes run along the north bank of the Ohio River, serving two stadiums (the Paul Brown Stadium and the Great American Ball Park). They also cross under the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge. After that, US 27 turns west onto Pete Rose Way and then south on the Taylor–Southgate Bridge. US 52 proceeds eastward to continue running along the bank of the river. Then, up until the Cincinnati Municipal Airport Lunken Field, US 52 is sandwiched between US 50 up north and the river down south. After the airport, the route briefly runs concurrently again with I-275.
US 52 then intersects several state routes in different locations. Between Ripley and the William H. Harsha Bridge, US 62 and US 68 run along with US 52. In downtown Aberdeen, US 52 intersects SR 41 and then the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge. On its way towards Portsmouth, the route intersects a few more state routes. As it gets close to Portsmouth, it becomes a short freeway, meeting SR 239 and SR 852/SR 73. After crossing the Scioto River, it enters downtown Portsmouth, ending the freeway. After that, it intersects US 23.[2]
Portsmouth to West Virginia state line
On its way towards the West Huntington Bridge, US 52 meets more state routes in different locations, including SR 823 in Sciotodale. Large portions along the way are limited–access roads. East of Burlington, US 52 then turns south towards the bridge, crossing the Ohio River and the West Virginia state line.[2]
History
With the creation of the "Inter-County Highway" system, two routes were formed along present-day US 52: Inter-County Highways (later State Routes[3]) 7 and 42.[4] In 1923, SR 42 was relocated to Marion-Mount Gilead routing (the new route is now SR 95) as per the highway renumbering. As a result, SR 130 was designated along SR 42's 1912 route.[5]
In 1926, US 52 was formed along with the creation of the U.S. Highway System. The new route roughly travels along its modern-day route. However, both state routes along the route were retained.[6][7] As a result, the 1927 Ohio state highway renumbering had relocated SR 130 to its current routing and truncated SR 7.[8]
Major intersections
| County | Location | mi[1][9] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton | Harrison Township | 0.000 | 0.000 |     I-74 west / US 52 west – Indianapolis | Continuation into Indiana | |
| Harrison | 1.600 | 2.575 | 1 | New Haven Road – Harrison | ||
| 3.580 | 5.761 | 3 | Dry Fork Road | |||
| Whitewater Township | 5.850 | 9.415 | 5 |   I-275 south – Kentucky | Western end of I-275 concurrency; I-275 exit 25 | |
| 7.760 | 12.489 | 7 |  SR 128 – Cleves, Hamilton, Miamitown | |||
| Colerain Township | 9.330 | 15.015 | 9 |    I-275 north to I-75 – Dayton | Eastern end of I-275 concurrency; I-275 exit 28 | |
| Green Township | 11.160 | 17.960 | 11 | Rybolt Road, Harrison Pike | ||
| 14.660 | 23.593 | 14 | North Bend Road – Cheviot | |||
| Cincinnati | 17.440 | 28.067 | 17 | Montana Avenue | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| 18.400– 18.520 | 29.612– 29.805 | 18 |   US 27 north (Beekman Street) / Colerain Avenue | Western end of US 27 concurrency; no direct access from I-74/US 52 west to Beekman Street south or from Beekman Street north to I-74/US 52 east, however, a legal U-turn provides indirect access | ||
| 19.470 | 31.334 | 4 | I-75 north – Dayton | Eastern end of I-74 concurrency; western end of I-75 concurrency | ||
| 19.930– 20.401 | 32.074– 32.832 | 3 | I-75 south – Lexington | Eastern end of I-75 concurrency | ||
| 20.7 | 33.3 |  US 127 north (Central Parkway) | Western end of US 127 concurrency; one-quadrant interchange | |||
| 23.3 | 37.5 | Central Parkway (US 42 north) | Western end of US 42 concurrency eastbound | |||
| 23.4 | 37.7 | West Ninth Street (US 22 west / SR 3 west) | ||||
| 23.5 | 37.8 |    US 22 east (US 42 north / West Seventh Street) / SR 3 north | Near western end of US 42 concurrency westbound | |||
| 23.7 | 38.1 |  I-75 north / US 50 west | On ramps only | |||
| 23.9 | 38.5 |    US 42 south / US 127 south (West Third Street) to I-71 south / I-75 south | Eastern end of US 42 / US 127 concurrency | |||
| 25.227 | 40.599 | East Pete Rose Way (US 27) south | Eastern end of US 27 concurrency | |||
| 33.807– 34.207 | 54.407– 55.051 | 72 |  I-275 west to I-471 / Kellogg Avenue – Kentucky | Western end of I-275 concurrency | ||
| Anderson Township | 35.367– 35.687 | 56.918– 57.433 | 71 | I-275 to I-71 – Columbus | Eastern end of I-275 concurrency | |
| 35.937– 36.287 | 57.835– 58.398 | — | Kellogg Avenue west | Modified partial cloverleaf interchange | ||
| Clermont | Pierce Township | 41.657 | 67.040 |  SR 749 east (Ten Mile Road) / Ten Mile Road to Palestine Street | Western terminus of SR 749 | |
| New Richmond | 45.607 | 73.397 |  SR 132 north (Sycamore Street) / Sycamore Street | Southern terminus of SR 132 | ||
| Point Pleasant | 50.587 | 81.412 |  SR 232 east – Bethel, Grant Birthplace | Western terminus of SR 232 | ||
| Moscow | 53.137 | 85.516 |  SR 743 south (Wells Street) | Western end of SR 743 concurrency | ||
| Washington Township | 53.517 | 86.127 | SR 743 north – Point Isabel | Eastern end of SR 743 concurrency | ||
| Chilo | 60.867 | 97.956 |  SR 222 (Green Street) – Felicity | |||
| Rural | 63.657 | 102.446 |  SR 133 north – Felicity | Southern terminus of SR 133 | ||
| Brown | Higginsport | 70.161 | 112.913 |  SR 505 north | Southern terminus of SR 505 | |
| 70.634 | 113.674 |  SR 221 north – Georgetown | Southern terminus of SR 221 | |||
| Ripley | 78.351 | 126.094 |   US 62 east / US 68 north | Western end of US 62 / US 68 concurrency | ||
| Aberdeen | 84.106– 84.111 | 135.355– 135.364 |  US 62 Detour west / US 68 south (William H. Harsha Bridge) | Eastern end of US 68 concurrency | ||
| 86.281 | 138.856 |  SR 41 north (Market Street) / Market Street – West Union | Southern terminus of SR 41 | |||
| 86.546 | 139.282 | US 62 west (Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge) – Maysville | Eastern end of US 62 concurrency; 15-ton limit imposed on Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge | |||
| Adams | Manchester | 97.293 | 156.578 |  SR 136 north (Jack Roush Way) / East Front Street – West Union | Southern terminus of SR 136 | |
| Monroe Township | 102.500 | 164.958 |  SR 247 – Wrightsville, West Union | |||
| Scioto | Friendship | 131.368 | 211.416 |  SR 125 west | Eastern terminus of SR 125 | |
| Washington Township | 135.718– 136.038 | 218.417– 218.932 | Western end of freeway | |||
| — |  SR 239 north – West Portsmouth | Diamond interchange; southern terminus of SR 239 | ||||
| 136.508– 136.998 | 219.688– 220.477 | — |      US 23 Truck south / SR 73 / SR 104 / SR 852 – Hillsboro, Kentucky | Western end of US 23 Truck concurrency; partial cloverleaf interchange fused with other ramps | ||
| Eastern end of freeway | ||||||
| Portsmouth | 138.028– 138.128 | 222.135– 222.295 | US 23 (Chillicothe Street / Gay Street) | Eastern end of US 23 Truck concurrency; northern terminus of US 23 Truck; this is made up of separate one-way intersections | ||
| New Boston | 141.778 | 228.170 |  SR 139 north (Park Avenue) | Southern terminus of SR 139 | ||
| 143.608 | 231.115 | Western end of freeway | ||||
| Sciotoville | 143 |  SR 335 north (Gallia Street) / Winchester Avenue | Eastbound exit only; southern terminus of SR 335 | |||
| 143.938– 144.108 | 231.646– 231.919 | 143 | SR 335 (Gallia Street / Harding Avenue) / Gallia Street – Sciotoville | Westbound exit and entrance only | ||
| 144.838 | 233.094 | 144 |    SR 140 east to SR 823 north – South Webster, Chillicothe | Diamond interchange; western terminus of SR 140; SR 823 and Chillicothe are not signed westbound | ||
| Sciotodale | 145.098 | 233.513 | 145 | SR 823 north – Chillicothe | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; southern terminus of SR 823 | |
| Wheelersburg | 146.718 | 236.120 | 146 | Center Street - Wheelersburg | Diamond interchange | |
| Porter Township | 149.458 | 240.529 | 149 |  SR 522 east / Hayport Road | Diamond interchange; western terminus of SR 522 | |
| Green Township | 152.498 | 245.422 | 152 |   SR 253 west / Gallia Pike to US 23 / AA Hwy (KY 10) – Greenup | Diamond interchange; eastern terminus of SR 253 | |
| 152.968 | 246.178 | 153 |  Old US 52 / CR 1 | Eastbound left exit and westbound left entrance | ||
| Eastern end of freeway; western end of expressway | ||||||
| 157.058 | 252.760 | Haverhill–Ohio Furnace Road (CR 8) – Haverhill | Only intersection between the interchanges to the west and east | |||
| Lawrence | Hamilton Township | 160.008 | 257.508 | — |  CR 1A / CR 23 | Diamond interchange |
| 160.748 | 258.699 | Patrick Street (TR 1117) | These 3 are the only intersections between the interchanges to the west and east | |||
| Hanging Rock | 161.248 | 259.504 | Happy Hollow Road (TR 330) | |||
| 161.848 | 260.469 | Rock Hollow Road | ||||
| 162.628 | 261.724 | — |   SR 650 north / US 52 Bus. east – Hanging Rock, Ironton | Diamond interchange; southern terminus of SR 650; western terminus of US 52 Bus | ||
| Hamilton Township | 163.058 | 262.416 | Noble Hill Road (TR 277) | These 3 are the only intersections between the interchanges to the west and east | ||
| 163.688 | 263.430 | Rock Avenue | ||||
| Upper Township | 164.258 | 264.348 | Deep Cut Road (TR 183) | |||
| Ironton–Upper Township line | 165.288 | 266.005 | Eastern end of expressway; western end of freeway | |||
| — |  SR 93 (Park Avenue / Park Drive) – Ironton, Jackson | Partial cloverleaf interchange | ||||
| 166.388 | 267.776 | — |  SR 141 east (Campbell Drive) / Liberty Avenue – Ironton | Diamond interchange; western terminus of SR 141 | ||
| Coal Grove | 168.468 | 271.123 | — |  SR 243 east / US 52 Bus. west (Marion Pike) – Coal Grove, Ironton | Diamond interchange; western terminus of SR 243; eastern terminus of US 52 Bus | |
| 169.618– 169.648 | 272.974– 273.022 | — | Ashland KY (SR 652 south) | Inverted SPUI/continuous green T hybrid interchange; northern terminus of SR 652 | ||
| Eastern end of freeway; western end of expressway | ||||||
| Perry Township | 170.648 | 274.631 | Crabtree Hollow Road (TR 268) | These 5 are the only intersections between the interchanges to the west and east | ||
| 171.668 | 276.273 | CR 1 / Old US 52 | ||||
| 171.988 | 276.788 |  Lick Creek Road (CR 15) | ||||
| 173.378 | 279.025 | Grandview Avenue (CR 450) | First traffic lights since Portsmouth | |||
| 173.758 | 279.636 |  Delta Lane (CR 60) | Traffic lights | |||
| South Point | 175.448 | 282.356 | — | Solida Road - South Point | Hybrid diamond/dumbbell interchange | |
| Fayette Township | 177.758 | 286.074 | Dallas–Matthew Pike | Intersection | ||
| 178.278 | 286.911 |  Burlington–Macedonia Road (CR 120) | These 4 intersections are all controlled by traffic lights leading to commercial development; US 52 maintains its expressway character with no commercial driveways | |||
| 178.788 | 287.731 | Sam's Wal-Mart Way (CR 410) | ||||
| 179.398 | 288.713 | Sandusky Road (TR 276) | ||||
| 179.868 | 289.469 | Charlie Creek Road (CR 144) | ||||
| Union Township | 180.638– 180.668 | 290.709– 290.757 | — |  SR 7 north – Chesapeake | Trumpet interchange; the roadway continues as SR 7; US 52 east exits onto a two-lane road approaching the bridge; US 52 west merges from the two-lane road; southern terminus of SR 7 | |
| Ohio River | 180.968 | 291.240 |   US 52 east to I-64 / US 60 – Huntington, W VA | Continuation into West Virginia via the West Huntington Bridge | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| ||||||
References
- ^ a b "DESTAPE". Ohio Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Overview map of US 52 in Ohio" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
- ^ Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works (April 1922). Map of Ohio State Highways Showing All Improved Roadways and Indicating System Constructed Under Administration of Gov. Harry L. Davis (PDF) (Map). c. 1:563,200. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works.
- ^ Ohio State Highway Department (1912). Map of Ohio Showing Inter-County Highways (PDF) (Map). c. 1:563,200. Columbus: Ohio State Highway Department. OCLC 13716556.
- ^ Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works (July 1923). Map of Ohio Showing State Routes (PDF) (Map). 1:760,320. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works.
- ^ Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works (August 1925). Map of Ohio Showing State Routes (PDF) (Map). 1:760,320. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works. OCLC 5673562.
- ^ Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works (August 1, 1926). Map of Ohio Showing State Routes (PDF) (Map). 1:760,320. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works. OCLC 5673562.
- ^ Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works (June 1, 1927). Map of Ohio Showing State Routes (PDF) (Map). 1:760,320. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works. OCLC 5673562.
- ^ "Overview Map of US Route 52 in Ohio" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
External links
Media related to U.S. Route 52 in Ohio at Wikimedia Commons
You must be logged in to post a comment.