Light vehicles only and speed limit as Booky Road reopens

DAILY detours for most Riverlanders commuting between Loxton and Berri are set to end with the imminent reopening of a major road linking the two towns.    

The Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) today announced Bookpurnong Road would reopen tomorrow at 9am, after strength testing and bridge structural assessments confirmed it was safe for use by vehicles less than 4.5 tonnes and with a 60km/h speed limit in place.

Vehicles over 4.5 tonnes will need to continue to use the existing detour route, via Stanitzki Road to the Sturt Highway, through Paringa and Renmark and onto the Old Sturt Highway, Berri.

A DIT spokesperson said while the detour was "inconvenient, heavy vehicle operators are urged to continue to obey restrictions and not put themselves, other road users or the condition of the road at risk". 

"The decision to reopen initially only to light vehicles will limit any potential damage to the road surface and bridges along the road," the spokesperson said. 

"This provides an opportunity to assess how the road performs under traffic to ensure that it remains stable and safe after being driven on

"The department continues to plan for the re-opening to heavy vehicles, however this timing is dependent on how the road performs under light vehicle traffic over the coming weeks and subsequent pavement and bridge assessments.

"The department will be inspecting Bookpurnong Road frequently for any defects and failures. Further restrictions or a closure at short notice may be required if defects occur." 

Road users are urged to stay off the road shoulder which may still be saturated and soft under traffic.

Traffic management staff will be onsite, with traffic cones in place to keep vehicles off the shoulder in certain areas.

It is understood trimming and removals are expected to commence in the next fortnight on trees near the road that have been identified as unstable. 

Longer-term resilience works are also currently being scoped to improve the condition of Bookpurnong Road and its ability to withstand future flooding events.