It is a two-lane highway, except from Mitchell to the eastern edge of Steinbach, where it is a divided, four-lane road.

It heads east, passing a weigh station as it travels along the border with the Rural Municipality of De Salaberry for few kilometers before having a short concurrency (overlap) with PR 216 just north of Kleefeld.

PTH 52 enters the city of Steinbach along Main Street and immediately passes through a major business district.

It makes a sharp turn to the southeast, where it has an intersection with PTH 12 (Brandt Street / MOM's Way) before passing straight through the center of downtown.

The highway exits downtown and travels through neighborhoods for a few kilometers, where it makes a sharp curve to the east, before leaving Steinbach and narrowing to two-lanes.