US 17 Charleston-Florence; US 601 north of Florence 1933 Official

US 52 replaces US 17 and US 601 1935 Official

Adjustments: In 1936 (bridge date), US 52 was removed from S-13-62 Rocky Hill Rd/Brocks Mill Rd between Cheraw and the state line. Also in 1936, US 52 was removed from today's Piggly Wiggly Rd and S-10-39 Meeting St and placed on new constructed Rivers Ave to connect back to King St. Between 1936-1940, US 52 was placed on Longstreet St around the west of Kingstree, leaving behind SC 175 ALT (now S-45-8) 3rd Ave/Kelly St/Academy St and a bit of US 521 (now SC 261) Main St.

US 52 bypasses central Kingstree 1940 Williamsburg County

In 1947, US 52 was rerouted to leave Rivers Ave via Carver Ave to Meeting St all the way to US 17-701 Lee St, replacing some of SC 525 (which had been US 52 ALT). The old route via King St remains US 78 to Coming St.

US 52 follows US 78 King St 1940 Charleston County

US 52 moved to Meeting St 1952 Charleston County

Also around 1947, US 52 was put on its current routing through Florence, replacing US 52-Y on Irby St. US 52 had been using Coit St and Palmetto to Irby. Coit St is now US 52 CONN and Palmetto remains part of US 76.

US 52 on Coit 1940 Florence County

US 52 replaces US 52-Y on Irby 1950 Florence County

About 1949, US 52 was straightened out west of Kingstree through the Black River Swamp, leaving behind abandoned (but still partially driveable when it is dry) routing to the south.
In 1971, US 52 was moved onto new alignment between Strawberry and Moncks Corner, avoiding Oakley. The old route became S-8-791.

US 52 through Oakley 1968 Berkeley County

US 52 on new alignment 1976 Berkeley County

About 1973, US 52 was placed on new construction as a bypass west around Darlington, leaving behind US 52 Business.

US 52 through Darlington 1971 Darlington County

US 52 Bypasses Darlington 1973 Darlington County

In 2001, US 52 was placed on some new alignments leaving behind abandoned routing at SC 375 and Dickie Swamp, plus Old US 52 near the RR south of US 521.
Improvements: US 52 was fully paved on designation except for Cheraw to North Carolina, which wasn't fully paved until 1939.
The first piece of US 52 to be 4-lane was in place by 1939, from the US 78 EB split north to Durant Ave. in North Charleston.
In 1941, US 52 was 4-laned out to US 176 Goose Creek.
By 1946, US 52 was 4-laned from Florence to Darlington.
About 1961, US 52 was 4-laned on its US 1 multiplex
In 1963, US 52 was 4-laned from Florence south to SC 51.
Also, By 1963 US 52 was 4-lane below S-10-32 Spruill Ave.
In 1968 or 1969, US 52 was 4-laned from US 176 north to Mount Holly. Also, US 52 was 4-laned from SC 51 to Effingham.
In 1971 (dates of bridges), US 52 was 4-laned from Mount Holly to Moncks Corner.
In 1973, US 52 was 4-laned from Kingstree to Lake City.
In 1974, US 52 was 4-laned from Lake City to Effingham. Also in this timeframe, US 52 was 4-laned on the Darlington Bypass.
In 1975, US 52 was 4-laned through Moncks Corner to the US 17 ALT NB split.
In the early 1980s, US 52 was 6-laned from Durant Ave north to the I-26 CONN, and 8 laned from there to the US 78 WB split.
In 1987 or 1988, US 52 was 4-laned from US 17 ALT north about halfway to Bonneau.
By the early 1990s, US 52 was 6-laned through Goose Creek.
Between 1998-2000, US 52 was 4-laned through Bonneau and St. Stephen.
In 2001, US 52 was 4-laned from St. Stephen to Kingstree.
This makes US 52 4-lane continuous from the US 78 EB split to north of Darlington. Maps show US 52 as 4-lane between Spruill Ave and US 78 but 95% of this is still 2-lane.
Comment: US 52 serves as a major route from Charleston to Florence, carrying a number of 60 MPH speed limit zones.
US 52 is signed as E-W and N-S in various parts of the state.
There is a signed US 52 TRUCK in Cheraw using Manor Rd, Cash Rd, and Front St. Been around at least 10 years.
There is also a signed US 52 TRUCK in Florence, using US 301 and Church St. This one goes back to at least the 1990s.