{{Short description|State highway in Georgia, United States}} {{Use American English|date=May 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox road |state=GA |type=SR |route=52 |map={{maplink-road|from=Georgia State Route 52.map}} |map_custom=yes |map_notes=SR 52; mainline in red, alternate route in blue |length_mi=124.697 |length_ref=<ref name="GDOT-GIS"/> |length_round=2 |established= |direction_a=West |tourist=[[File:Georgia Scenic Byway.svg|25px]] [[Cohutta–Chattahoochee Scenic Byway]] |terminus_a={{jct|state=GA|I|75}} in [[Dalton, Georgia|Dalton]] |junction={{Plainlist| *{{jct|state=GA|US|41|US|76|SR|3}} in Dalton *{{jct|state=GA|US|411|SR|2|SR|61}} in [[Chatsworth, Georgia|Chatsworth]] *{{jct|state=GA|SR|2}} in [[Ellijay, Georgia|Ellijay]] *{{jct|state=GA|US|19|SR|60}} in [[Dahlonega, Georgia|Dahlonega]] *{{jct|state=GA|US|129|SR|11}} southwest of [[Clermont, Georgia|Clermont]] *{{jct|state=GA|US|23|SR|365}} northwest of [[Lula, Georgia|Lula]] }} |direction_b=East |terminus_b={{jct|state=GA|SR|98}} in [[Maysville, Georgia|Maysville]] |counties=[[Whitfield County, Georgia|Whitfield]], [[Murray County, Georgia|Murray]], [[Gilmer County, Georgia|Gilmer]], [[Dawson County, Georgia|Dawson]], [[Lumpkin County, Georgia|Lumpkin]], [[Hall County, Georgia|Hall]], [[Banks County, Georgia|Banks]], [[Jackson County, Georgia|Jackson]] |previous_type=SR |previous_route=51 |next_type=SR |next_route=53 }}
'''State Route 52''' ('''SR 52''') is a {{convert|124.697|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} [[State highway (US)|state highway]] that travels west to east through portions of [[Whitfield County, Georgia|Whitfield]], [[Murray County, Georgia|Murray]], [[Gilmer County, Georgia|Gilmer]], [[Dawson County, Georgia|Dawson]], [[Lumpkin County, Georgia|Lumpkin]], [[Hall County, Georgia|Hall]], [[Banks County, Georgia|Banks]], and [[Jackson County, Georgia|Jackson]] counties in the [[North Georgia|northern part]] of the U.S. state of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. The highway extends from its western terminus at [[Interstate 75 in Georgia|Interstate 75]] (I-75) in [[Dalton, Georgia|Dalton]] to its eastern terminus at [[Georgia State Route 98|SR 98]] in [[Maysville, Georgia|Maysville]].
==Route description== [[File:Georgia State Rotue 52 in Whitfield County.JPG|thumb|Georgia State Route 52 in Whitfield County, with [[Grassy Mountain (Georgia)|Grassy Mountain]] in the background]] From its western terminus at exit 333 on [[Interstate 75 in Georgia|I-75]] in Dalton, SR 52 runs due east along Walnut Avenue into and through downtown Dalton in [[Whitfield County, Georgia|Whitfield County]], curving northeast at Walnut Square Mall to come to its junction with [[U.S. Route 76 in Georgia|US 76]], where it becomes concurrent with US 76. The two routes continue east into [[Murray County, Georgia|Murray County]] and the northern parts of [[Chatsworth, Georgia|Chatsworth]], where they briefly become co-signed with [[U.S. Route 411 in Georgia|US 411]]/[[Georgia State Route 2|SR 2]]/[[Georgia State Route 61|SR 61]], and all five routes travel south into downtown Chatsworth, where SR 52 and SR 2 depart and together continue east into and through [[Fort Mountain State Park]], where the routes are also called Woody Glenn Highway. The routes climb from around 800 feet elevation to above 2,500 feet, before curving to the southeast, passing into and out of [[Gilmer County, Georgia|Gilmer County]] twice for very short portions, before finally crossing and staying in Gilmer County, and forming part of the southern border of the [[Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest|Chattahoochee National Forest]], then descending into [[Ellijay, Georgia|Ellijay]]. In Ellijay, the two routes cross the [[Ellijay River]] together, then SR 52 splits from SR 2 as the route first crosses the [[Cartecay River]] just north of where it and the Ellijay River combine to form the [[Coosawattee River]]. The route then crosses [[Georgia State Route 5|SR 5]]/[[Georgia State Route 515|SR 515]] and continues southeast, still parallel with the southern reaches of the Chattahoochee National Forest, and runs through rural portions of Gilmer County and northern [[Dawson County, Georgia|Dawson County]].<ref name="GDOT-GIS"/><ref name="Google"/><ref name="GeoTRAQS"/>
Just west of [[Amicalola Falls State Park]], the route assumes an easterly routing at the junction with [[Georgia State Route 183|SR 183]], and passes into [[Lumpkin County, Georgia|Lumpkin County]], soon thereafter leaving behind the Chattahoochee National Forest. To the west of [[Dahlonega, Georgia|Dahlonega]], SR 52 becomes co-signed with [[Georgia State Route 9|SR 9]], and the two routes continue east to Dahlonega, bypassing its downtown to the south and east. Shortly after a brief concurrence with [[U.S. Route 19 in Georgia|US 19]] and [[Georgia State Route 60|SR 60]], SR 52 departs and continues east. After a brief concurrency with [[Georgia State Route 115|SR 115]] southeast of Dahlonega, the route again assumes a southeasterly course and crosses into [[Hall County, Georgia|Hall County]]. After passing the community of [[Clermont, Georgia|Clermont]] to its south, and crossing [[U.S. Route 129 in Georgia|US 129]]/[[Georgia State Route 11|SR 11]], the route makes a brief turn to the northeast, then curves sharply southeast again, crosses [[U.S. Route 23 in Georgia|US 23]]/[[Georgia State Route 13|SR 13]], and passes through [[Lula, Georgia|Lula]] into [[Banks County, Georgia|Banks County]], forming part of the county line between Hall County and Banks County. SR 52 continues southeast through [[Gillsville, Georgia|Gillsville]], and heads to its eastern terminus in Maysville in [[Jackson County, Georgia|Jackson County]] at its intersection with [[Georgia State Route 98|SR 98]].<ref name="GDOT-GIS"/><ref name="Google"/><ref name="GeoTRAQS"/>
===National Highway System=== The following portions of SR 52 are part of the [[National Highway System (United States)|National Highway System]], a system of routes determined to be the most important for the nation's economy, mobility, and defense: *From its western terminus at I-75 in Dalton to the eastern end of the US 76 and US 411/SR 61 concurrencies in Chatsworth<ref name="NHS Dalton">{{cite map |url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/nhs_maps/georgia/dalton_ga.pdf |title=National Highway System: Dalton, GA |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]] |date=May 9, 2019 |access-date=October 17, 2019 }}</ref> *From US 76/SR 2/SR 5/SR 515 in East Ellijay to the eastern end of the SR 115 concurrency east of Dahlonega<ref name="NHS Georgia">{{cite map |url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/nhs_maps/georgia/ga_georgia.pdf |title=National Highway System: Georgia |publisher=Federal Highway Administration |date=May 8, 2019 |access-date=October 17, 2019 }}</ref>
===Traffic=== The [[Georgia Department of Transportation]] [[average annual daily traffic]] (AADT) numbers for the year 2011 show a variety of average daily traffic load numbers as the route travels across northern Georgia. Daily vehicle averages start at the western terminus at I-75 with averages ranging from around 19,000 to a high of 27,600 vehicles per day going from I-75 into and through downtown Dalton, where the route represents the most direct route into Dalton. Averages stay around 25,000 and see their route maximum as SR 52 becomes concurrent with US 76 in Dalton, where nearly 29,000 vehicles travel the route on a daily basis. As the routes travel east to Chatsworth, averages come down to between 15,600 and 18,700 vehicles, and reduce further to 13,600 as the routes meet US 411. East of Chatsworth, as SR 52 starts into the Chattahoochee National Forest, and leaves residential areas, numbers drop drastically, going from 4,600 down to a route low of 620 vehicles as the route traverses Gilmer County.<ref name="GeoTRAQS"/>
Vehicle load remains well below 1,400 until the route approaches Ellijay, where numbers climb to just above 8,000 vehicles, going to a high of 10,500 as the route crosses SR 5. East of SR 5 the vehicle load drops quickly again down to around 2,700 vehicles as the route crosses into Dawson County, and falls further to just below 1,000 vehicles east of SR 183. As SR 52 crosses into Lumpkin County and approaches Dahlonega, averages again increase to around 2,000 west of Dahlonega, rapidly increasing to just over 10,000 vehicles where the route is concurrent with SR 9. Numbers again drop to around 6,000 east of US 19, then again rapidly drop to around 1,500 into Hall County. Vehicle load increases once more around US 23 to reach 4,000 vehicles per day, drop back down to 1,000 vehicles in Banks County, and see numbers of just over 3,000 at the route's eastern terminus in Maysville.<ref name="GeoTRAQS"/>
==History== The first portion of the roadway that is signed as SR 52 today makes its appearance on Georgia state road maps in 1920, when the {{convert|13.4|mi}} portion of the current route from its western terminus to Chatsworth, which is concurrent with US 76, was already in existence, and signed as part of [[Georgia State Route 2|SR2]].<ref name="1920 map"/> In 1921, a roadway designated as SR 52 is mapped - covering what today is signed as [[Georgia State Route 28|SR 28]] in the [[Augusta, Georgia|Augusta]] area in east-central Georgia (excluding the portion of SR 28 in northeastern Georgia today). In addition, the {{convert|15.6|mi}} portion of the current route from Dahlonega, southeast to where it intersects today with US 129, was extant and signed as [[Georgia State Route 43|SR 43]] at the time.<ref name="1921 map"/> By the beginning of 1932, the western portion of the route was extended to now feature a new {{convert|22.6|mi}} section from Chatsworth to Ellijay, also signed as SR 2. In addition, the part of the route between Dahlonega and US 129 was improved to be covered in hard surface, and the part of the route between Dalton and Chatsworth was partially improved at the time.<ref name="1932-01 map"/> By mid-1932, another major addition had been graded, namely the portion of the route between Ellijay to southwest of Dahlonega. This section was also designated as SR 43, which meant that between the portions of SR 2 and SR 43 that correspond to today's routing, the entire stretch from its western terminus to US 129 in the vicinity of Clermonth was extant.<ref name="1932-05 map"/>
The roadway around Augusta, which had carried the designation of SR 52, had been re-signed as SR 28 by the middle of 1938.<ref name="1938-08 map"/> However, it was not until early in 1942 that the section of the route from Ellijay east to Dahlonega, and continuing to US 129, had been re-designated as SR 52, the first appearance of this designation in northwestern and northern Georgia. In addition, a {{convert|6.2|mi}} portion of roadway had been graded and designated as part of SR 52, running southeast from US 23/SR 13 in Lula to Gillsville in Banks County. As far as road conditions were concerned, hard surface had been added to the portion of the route between Dalton and Chatsworth, and for portions of the route west of SR 183 and west of Dahlonega.<ref name="1942-01 map"/> The remaining gaps in the route were closed in 1948, when the section of the route between US 129 near Clermont, and US 23/SR 13 in Lula, was graded, and the route was extended from Gillsville to Maysville. With the exception of the new portion between Clermonth and Lula, and small section of the route in Gilmer and Dawson counties, the route had been finished in hard surface at the time.<ref name="1948 map"/> It was then just one more year before the portion of the route between Dalton and Ellijay was re-designated as SR 52, completing the routing and designation of this state highway.<ref name="1949 map"/>
==Major intersections== {{Mileposts}} {{jcttop|state=GA|length_ref=<ref name="GDOT-GIS"/>}} {{GAint |county=Whitfield |cspan=3 |location=Dalton |lspan=2 |type= |mile=0.000 |road={{Jct|state=GA|I|75|name1=[[Georgia State Route 401|SR 401]]|road|Walnut Avenue west|city1=Atlanta|location2=[[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]]}} |notes=Western terminus; roadway continues as Walnut Avenue. }} {{GAint |type=concur |mile=5.722 |road={{Jct|state=GA|US|41|US|76|dir2=west|SR|3|city1=Calhoun|city2=Ringgold|name3=Dalton Bypass}} |notes=Western end of US 76 concurrency }} {{GAint |location=none |type= |mile=7.146 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|286|dir1=east|city1=Eton|name1=Lower Dawnville Road}} |notes=Western terminus of SR 286 }} {{GAint |county=Murray |cspan=4 |location=none |type= |mile=9.238 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR-Alt|52|dab1=Chatsworth|dir1=east|city1=Chatsworth}} |notes=Western terminus of SR 52 Alt. }} {{GAint |location=Chatsworth |lspan=3 |type= |mile=10.914 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|225|city1=Calhoun}} }} {{GAint |type=concur |mile=14.006 |road={{Jct|state=GA|US|411|dir1=north|SR|2|dir2=west|SR|61|dir3=north|city1=Eton|name3=Hill Street}} |notes=Western end of US 411/SR 61 and SR 2 concurrencies }} {{GAint |type=concur |mile=15.412 |road={{Jct|state=GA|US|76|dir1=east|US|411|dir2=south|SR|61|dir3=south|name3=3rd Avenue|SR-Alt|52|dab4=Chatsworth|dir4=west|name4=West Fort Street|city1=Fairmount|city2=Dalton|location3=[[Southern Highroads Trail]]}} |notes=Eastern end of US 411/SR 61 and US 76 concurrencies; eastern terminus of SR 52 Alt. }} {{GAint |county=Gilmer |cspan=2 |location=Ellijay |lspan=2 |type=concur |mile=40.151 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|2|dir1=east|city1=Chatsworth|name1=1st Avenue}} |notes=Eastern end of SR 2 concurrency }} {{GAint |mile= |road={{jct|state=GA|road|Greenfield Road north|to2=y|SR|5|SR|515|name3=[[U.S. Route 76 in Georgia|US 76]] / [[Georgia State Route 2|SR 2]]|city1=Jasper|city2=Blue Ridge|location3=[[Southern Highroads Trail]]|location4=Chieftains Trail}} |notes=Southern terminus of Greenfield Road }} {{GAint |county=Dawson |location=none |type= |mile=63.088 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|183|dir1=south|city1=Dawsonville|name1=Elliot Family Parkway}} |notes=Northern terminus of SR 183 }} {{GAint |county=Lumpkin |cspan=6 |location=none |type=concur |mile=73.863 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|9|dir1=south|city1=Dawsonville|name1=Dawsonville Highway}} |notes=Western end of SR 9 concurrency }} {{GAint |location=Dahlonega |lspan=3 |type=concur |mile=78.218 |road={{Jct|state=GA|US|19|dir1=south|SR|60|dir2=south|name2=South Chestatee Street|to3=y|SR|400|city1=Gainesville|location2=[[University of North Georgia|Univ of N Georgia]]|extra=hospital}} |notes=Western end of US 19/SR 60 concurrency; Dr. John H. Owen Intersection; provides access to Chestatee Regional Hospital }} {{GAint |type= |mile=78.962 |road={{Jct|state=GA|US-Bus|19|dab1=Dahlonega|dir1=north|SR-Bus|60|dab2=Dahlonega|dir2=west|name2=East Main Street}} |notes=Southern terminus of US 19 Bus.; eastern terminus of SR 60 Bus. }} {{GAint |type=concur |mile=79.237 |road={{Jct|state=GA|US|19|dir1=north|SR|9|dir2=north|SR|60|dir3=north|name3=Morrison Moore Parkway|city1=Suches|city2=Blairsville}} |notes=Eastern end of US 19/SR 60 and SR 9 concurrencies }} {{GAint |location=none |type=concur |mile=83.791 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|115|dir1=west|name1=Long Branch Road|city1=Cumming}} |notes=Western end of SR 115 concurrency; Jean Anderson Intersection }} {{GAint |location=none |type=concur |mile=85.968 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|115|dir1=north|name1=Dahlonega Highwaycity1=Cleveland|location2=[[Smithgall Woods Center]]}} |notes=Eastern end of SR 115 concurrency; Dean Bryant Intersection }} {{GAint |county=Hall |cspan=9 |location=none |type=concur |mile=90.735 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|283|dir1=south|name1=Mt. Vernon Road}} |notes=Western end of SR 283 concurrency }} {{GAint |location=none |type=concur |mile=91.069 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|283|dir1=north|name1=Clermont Highway}} |notes=Eastern end of SR 283 concurrency }} {{GAint |location=none |type= |mile=93.327 |road={{Jct|state=GA|US|129|name1=[[Georgia State Route 11|SR 11]] / Cleveland Highway|city1=Gainesville|city2=Cleveland}} }} {{GAint |location=none |type= |mile=94.906 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|284|name1=Clarks Bridge Road|city1=Gainesville|city2=Cleveland}} }} {{GAint |location=none |mile= |road={{jct|state=GA|SR|283|dir1=south|city1=Clermont}} |notes=Northern terminus of SR 283 }} {{GAint |location=none |type= |mile=104.347 |road={{Jct|state=GA|US|23|SR|365|city1=Gainesville|city2=Cornelia|city3=Clarkesville|location4=Jaemor Farms}} }} {{GAint |location=Lula |type= |mile=105.680 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|51|dir1=east|name1=Old Cornelia Highway|city1=Lula|city2=Homer}} |notes=Western terminus of SR 51 }} {{GAint |location=none |type=concur |mile=112.289 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|323|dir1=west|name1=Gillsville Highway|city1=Gainesville}} |notes=Western end of SR 323 concurrency }} {{GAint |location=Gillsville |type=concur |mile=113.505 |road={{Jct|state=GA|SR|323|dir1=east|city1=Homer}} |notes=Eastern end of SR 323 concurrency }} {{jctco|state=GA|county=Banks}} {{GAint |county=Jackson |location=Maysville |type= |mile=124.697 |road={{jct|state=GA|SR|98|dir1=east|name1=Maysville Road east|city1=Commerce}}<br/>{{jct|state=GA|SR|98|dir1=north|name1=Homer Street|city1=Homer}}<!-- SR 98 is signed east and north. --> |notes=Eastern terminus }} {{jctbtm|keys=concur}}
==Special routes== {{Multiple issues|section=yes| {{Expand section|date=December 2013}} {{One source section|date=February 2016}} }}
===Chatsworth alternate route=== {{Infobox road small |state=GA |type=SR-Alt |route=52 |location=Chatsworth |length_mi=5.320 |length_round=3 |length_ref=<ref name="GDOT-GIS"/> }}
'''State Route 52 Alternate''' ('''SR 52 Alt.''') serves as an [[alternate route]] from just west of [[Chatsworth, Georgia|Chatsworth]] into the heart of the city, while the mainline takes drivers through the northern and western parts of the city. It travels from the SR 52 mainline just east of the [[Whitfield County, Georgia|Whitfield]]–[[Murray County, Georgia|Murray]] county line southeast to [[Georgia State Route 225|SR 225]], then east into downtown Chatsworth, where it ends at the [[Concurrency (road)|concurrency]] of [[U.S. Route 76 in Georgia|US 76]]/[[U.S. Route 411 in Georgia|US 411]]/[[Georgia State Route 2|SR 2]]/SR 52/[[Georgia State Route 61|SR 61]]. The highway also passes by the [[Chief Vann House Historic Site]].
{{Jcttop|state=GA|county=Murray|length_ref=}} {{GAint |location=none |mile= |road={{jct|state=GA|US|76|SR|52|nolink2=y|city1=Dalton}} |notes=Western terminus }} {{GAint |location=none |mile= |road={{jct|state=GA|SR|225|city1=Calhoun|city2=Cleveland|location3=Chieftains Trail|location4=[[Vann House Historic Site]]}} }} {{GAint |location=Chatsworth |mile= |road={{jct|state=GA|US|76|dir1=east|US|411|dir2=south|name2=[[Georgia State Route 61|SR 61]] south / 3rd Avenue|city1=Fairmount}}<br/>{{jct|state=GA|US|76|dir1=west|US|411|dir2=north|SR|2|dir3=west|SR|52|nolink4=y|dir4=west|name4=[[Georgia State Route 61|SR 61]] north / 3rd Avenue|city1=Eton|extra=hospital}}<br/>{{jct|state=GA|SR|2|dir1=east|SR|52|nolink2=y|dir2=east|name2=Fort Street|city1=Ellijay|location2=Chieftains Trail|location3=[[Fort Mountain State Park]]}} |notes=Eastern terminus; US 76 west/US 411 north/SR 2 west/SR 52 west/SR 61 north provides access to Murray Medical Center. }} {{Jctbtm}} {{Clear}} <!-- ===Dahlonega business loop=== {{Infobox road small |state=GA |type=SR-Bus |route=52 |location=[[Dahlonega, Georgia|Dahlonega]] |length_mi= |length_round=3 |length_ref= }} {{Empty section|date=May 2016}}
{{-}} -->
==See also== * {{Portal-inline|Georgia (U.S. state)}} * {{Portal-inline|U.S. roads}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em|refs= <ref name="GDOT-GIS">{{cite web |title=County GIS Base map shapefiles/geodatabases (varies by county) |publisher=Georgia Department of Transportation |url=https://data.georgiaspatial.org/index.asp?body=search |access-date=January 22, 2013 }}</ref> <ref name="Google">{{Google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=from:+corner%20of%20I-75/GA-401%20and%20GA-52%20@34.760935,%20-85.000792+to:+corner%20of%20GA-98%20and%20GA-52%20@34.252889,%20-83.56169 |title=Overview map of SR 52 |access-date=November 8, 2012 }}</ref> <ref name="GeoTRAQS">{{cite map |title=Geographic Transportation Reporting Analysis and Query System (GeoTRAQS) |publisher=Georgia Department of Transportation |url=http://www.dot.state.ga.us/maps/geotraqs/Pages/default.aspx |access-date=January 18, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227130309/http://www.dot.state.ga.us/maps/geotraqs/Pages/default.aspx |archivedate=December 27, 2012 }}</ref> <ref name="1920 map">{{Cite GDOT map |year=1920 |access-date=January 18, 2013 }}</ref> <ref name="1921 map">{{Cite GDOT map |year=1921 |access-date=January 18, 2013 }}</ref> <ref name="1932-01 map">{{Cite GDOT map |date=1932-01 |access-date=January 18, 2013 }}</ref> <ref name="1932-05 map">{{Cite GDOT map |date=1932-05 |access-date=January 18, 2013 }}</ref> <ref name="1938-08 map">{{Cite GDOT map |date=1938-08 |access-date=January 18, 2013 }}</ref> <ref name="1942-01 map">{{Cite GDOT map |date=1942-01 |access-date=January 18, 2013 }}</ref> <ref name="1948 map">{{Cite GDOT map |year=1948 |access-date=January 18, 2013 }}</ref> <ref name="1949 map">{{Cite GDOT map |year=1949 |access-date=January 18, 2013 }}</ref> }}
==External links== {{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
[[Category:State highways in Georgia (U.S. state)|052]] [[Category:Transportation in Whitfield County, Georgia]] [[Category:Transportation in Murray County, Georgia]] [[Category:Transportation in Gilmer County, Georgia]] [[Category:Transportation in Dawson County, Georgia]] [[Category:Transportation in Lumpkin County, Georgia]] [[Category:Transportation in Hall County, Georgia]] [[Category:Transportation in Banks County, Georgia]] [[Category:Transportation in Jackson County, Georgia]]