Road Photos & Information: South Australia

Adelaide Road, Old Princes Highway, Karoonda Road, Tailem Bend-Loxton Road, Alawoona Road, Kingston-Loxton Road & Bookpurnong Road (B55)

Statistics:

• Length: 201 km
• Northern Terminus: Old Sturt Highway (B201) at Berri
• Southern Terminus: Princes Highway (South East Freeway) (M1) at Murray Bridge
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Text

Route Numbering:

• Current:  
• Former: 
• Road Authority Internal Classification: 07500 1

General Information:

B55 is a connector route linking 2 somewhat important Murray River towns - Berri and Murray Bridge. It's rural road standard for the most part, and the section from Murray Bridge East to the Princes Hwy (South East Fwy) (M1) at Murray Bridge, is what was once part of the Princes Hwy.

In 2006, Loxton Waikerie Council joined a push to have the B55 route named as Karoonda Highway. 2

History:

• 1879: Murray Bridge over the Murray River completed. 3
• 1922: Official proclaimation of the Princes Highway. It was named in honour of Edward (1894-1972) Prince of Wales (who toured Australia for three months in 1920). 4
• 1953: The Princes Hwy section of the route was defined as the portion of the main road from Adelaide to Melbourne which extended as far as the Victorian border. 4
• 1972: South Eastern Fwy extended from Callington to Murray Bridge area.
• 1979: Swanport Bridge was completed, which was built five kilometres downstream from Murray Bridge, creating a bypass of the Murray Bridge town centre. 3



Berri to Murray Bridge			Murray Bridge to Berri
Preview:	Description:		Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Old Princes Hwy at Murray Bridge East, approaching Old Princes Hwy (B55) and Karoonda Rd (B55), October 2009. Image © Paul Rands			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Adelaide Rd in Murray Bridge, approaching the junction with Mannum and Swanport Roads, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign on Old Princes Hwy at Murray Bridge East, approaching Old Princes Hwy (B55) and Karoonda Rd (B55), October 2009. Image © Paul Rands			Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign on Adelaide Rd in Murray Bridge, approaching the junction with Bridge St (B55), Mannum and Swanport Roads, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Mitchell Street Intersection: Old Princes Hwy at the junction with Mitchell St at Murray Bridge East, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands			Bridge St / Mannum Rd / Swanport Rd Junction: Signalised junction of Bridge St (B55), Adelaide Rd (B55), Mannum Rd and Swanport Rd in Murray Bridge, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Murray Bridge: Murray Bridge and floodplain, taken from a lookout at Murray Bridge East, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands			Murray Bridge: The deck of Murray Bridge, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Approaching Murray Bridge: Old Princes Hwy approaching Murray Bridge, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Old Princes Hwy (B55) at Murray Bridge East, approaching Old Princes Hwy (unnumbered) and Karoonda Rd (B55), October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Murray Bridge: The deck of Murray Bridge, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Murray Bridge CBD: Looking southeast in Murray Bridge along Bridge Street, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Bridge St in Murray Bridge, approaching the junction with Adelaide Rd (B55), Mannum and Swanport Roads, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Black Intersection Directional Sign: Black ID sign with remnant ALT-NR1 shield on Adelaide Rd (B55), just after the intersection with Standen St, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands

1 Transport SA State Route Numbers Map, May 2003
2 ABC News, Council backs highway name change, 22 June 2006
3 The Rural City of Murray Bridge - About Murray Bridge
4 State Library of South Australia, Place Names of South Australia - P