Route Departementale 52 (RD-52) is a departmental road and major regional highway in northwestern Haiti, running from the southern edge of Môle Saint-Nicolas in the Northwest Department to Route Nationale 5 in the city of Port-de-Paix. Spanning approximately 66 kilometers (41 miles), the route traverses a diverse landscape of remote mountain terrain, coastal hamlets, and several key population centers. It serves as a vital east–west corridor for local commerce, travel, and agriculture, connecting the Môle Saint-Nicolas peninsula to the Trois-Rivières Valley and the broader regional road network. A portion of the route—specifically between Route 102 and the Jean-Rabel town line—is locally known as Rout Mawouj (Route Mare Rouge).
Route Description[]
Route Departementale 52 begins in the southern outskirts of Môle Saint-Nicolas, near Morne Blanc and the rural Plaine d’Orange area close to the Bombardopolis border. From this quiet backcountry setting, the route heads eastward, climbing gently through rolling terrain as it leaves the coastal hills behind.
At approximately 11 km, Route 52 crosses into the commune of Jean-Rabel, marking the start of Boulevard Louverture. Roughly 1 km later, the route reaches Carrefour Marck, a four-way junction where Route 52-A splits off to the northwest via Rue Sainte-Anne. At this intersection, Route 52 turns right onto Rue de la Liberté and continues east for about 500 meters before curving left onto Route de la Vieille Terre. Thirty-five meters later, the route bears right at a fork and continues into the rural outskirts.
By the 11.4 km mark, Route 52 passes a local landmark, the Piramid gas station, and begins traversing a series of upland hamlets, Renard, Grande-Source, and Nan Sable. Shortly afterward, the route crosses the Jean-Rabel River near Nan Coicou, reaching a key intersection at 20.7 km that marks the boundary between the communal sections of Grande-Source and Dessources. Here, Route 52 continues straight along Route de Coicou, while a right fork leads to Route du Poirier.
Entering the urban perimeter of Jean-Rabel at 21.4 km, the road becomes increasingly developed. At a Y-intersection 600 meters later, Route 52 veers right onto Rue Sténio Vincent (the left fork leads to Route de Morne Pasteur). At 22.6 km, the route makes a sharp left turn onto Rue Charlemagne Péralte and approaches Hôpital Notre-Dame de la Paix. Just beyond the hospital, the route takes a right fork to cross a bridge over the Jean-Rabel River. Immediately after the bridge, a T-intersection at 23.0 km marks the junction with Route 102-A, which leads southward toward Anse-Rouge. Route 52 turns left onto Route Lot Bo Dlo, continuing northward.
About 1.4 km later, the route turns right at Nan Foache and proceeds to a junction with Route 151 at 25.3 km, connecting to the Route du Bord de Mer de Jean-Rabel. The road climbs gently past the hamlet of Colette, then begins its ascent into the highlands. Along this stretch, Route 52 passes Église Morne Chrétien and Nan Guillette before crossing two mountain rivers—Rivière Catinette at 35.3 km and Rivière Dispute at 36.1 km. These rivers merge just downstream to form the Rivière Lacoma.
At 36.9 km, the route splits at the Gros Bassin intersection. The southerly alignment, which is more direct and well-established, passes through Fond Lecturne and Vieux Place before rejoining the main route at La Rivière. The northerly alignment is less defined and may be unreliable; it passes through Lotest and the upper reaches of the Lacoma section before rejoining the main route near La Rivière Cola and Morne Bourrique. The route converges fully again at 44.6 km.
Continuing east, Route 52 passes through Cabaret and shortly after crosses into the commune of Port-de-Paix. The road passes by Route Nan Remy at 46.0 km, then skirts the northern base of Morne Rond, a steep hill just off the main route. The climb continues through Mare Plate and Chérubin, eventually reaching Rivière Moustiques at 55.2 km.
From here, the route threads through the upland localities of Poste Métier and Bamboo La Selle at 56.0 km. A small fork appears at 59.7 km, near Morne Palmiste and Parc de la Paix. The road curves around Morne Cayo at 61.6 km, where it also passes the OFATMA Hospital. Route 52 then makes its final descent into the Trois-Rivières Valley and crosses the Trois-Rivières River at 66.1 km. The route terminates shortly afterward at Carrefour Trois Rivières, a major junction with National Route 5 and Departemental Route 51, near the eastern entrance to the city of Port-de-Paix.
Route 52 elevation chart
Map of the RD-52
Junction list[]
| RD-52 Direction: East 🔽 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borough | Municipality | km | Locale | Notes |
| Môle Saint-Nicolas | Môle Saint-Nicolas | 0.0 9.9 |
Morne Blanc Platon Mare-Rouge |
JCT  . |
| 10.9 | Border-MSN / JNR | |||
| Jean-Rabel | 11.4 11.8 14.4 16.2 17.3 19.9 23.0 24.8 26.4 31.4 33.7 33.9 35.3 36.1 36.9 38.0 45.5 |
Piramid Gas Carrefour Marck Renard Grand-Source Nan Coicou Riv. Jean-Rabel Ville de JR Nan Foach Colette Morne Chretien Nan Guillette Gros-Bassin Rivière Catinette Rivière Dispute Gros Bassin Lacoma Cabaret |
Gas Station JCT  . . . ~ ~ ~ JCT  JCT  . . . . . . . . . | |
| 45.8 | Border JNR/PDP | |||
| Port-de-Paix | Port-de-Paix | 48.2 50.6 53.4 55.2 56.0 59.7 61.6 66.1 66.3 |
Morne Rond Mare Plate Chérubin Rivière Moustique Poste Métier Morne Palmiste OFATMA Hospital Les Trois Rivières Carr. Trois Rivieres |
. . . ~ ~ ~ . . . ~ ~ ~ JCT  
|