The Port River Expressway links major port and rail terminals at the Port of Adelaide with major freight routes to the north and south of Adelaide via opening road and rail bridges over the Port River.
Bridge opening times
Bridges open for a 15 minute duration during the following times if vessels are waiting to pass through the Port River.
- Monday to Friday: 6 am and 7 pm
- Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10 am, 3 pm, 6 pm plus 10 pm during the daylight saving period.
Reporting an emergency
Report emergencies to the Traffic Management Centre duty bridge operator by:
- telephone 1800 018 313, or
- VHF marine radio channel 68 - call sign 'Traffic Management Centre'.
Emergencies can include a vessel breakdown or collision within the navigation pass.
Facts about the Port River Expressway
The Port River Expressway road and rail bridges have been designed as opening structures to maintain the inner harbour as an active waterway and provide flexibility for future development opportunities. The opening regime balances the needs of the public, freight, industry and mariners.
Opening times will generally not exceed 15 minutes and will depend on the number of vessels (marine traffic) passing under the bridges. If all marine traffic cannot pass through during the allocated 15 minutes, the bridges will close to allow road traffic to clear and then re-open for a further ten minutes.
The Traffic Management Centre remotely operates the bridges.
Road signs, located on the approaches to the expressway inform motorists of the bridge’s status (eg. open or closed).
If the road bridge is opening, barriers and flashing warning lights will warn and halt motorists.
More information
On this website Opening the Port River bridgesOn other websites Building the Port River Expressway The Department for Transport Energy and Infrastructure