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Statistics:

• Length: 14 km
• Western Terminus: Interchange with Monaro Hwy (A23) and Hindmarsh Dr (unnumered) at Symonston
• Eastern Terminus: NSW-ACT Border at Beard, and also NSW-ACT border at Kowen
• Miscellaneous: Continues as Kings Highway (B52) in New South Wales
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route: Symonston, Fyshwick, Beard, Harman and Kowen

Route Numbering:

• Current: B52

• Former:

General Information:

The Kings Highway is the main road to the NSW south coast, travelling through Queanbeyan and several small NSW towns, connecting with the Princes Highway on the coast at Batemans Bay.

The ACT section of B52 is quite short, and in 2 pieces.

One section covers just 5 kilometres from the junction with the Monaro Highway and Canberra Avenue at Fyshwick to the NSW-ACT Border at Beard. The other section joins the NSW section of B52, northeast of Queanbeyan, for the remaining 9 km at Kowen, before continuing over the NSW-ACT border again towards Bungendore.

The entire Canberra Avenue alignment is multi-lane dual carriageway. Canberra Avenue was known during the 1930s as Uriarra Road. 1 The Kings Highway section is undivided rural highway standard.

History:

• 20 September 1928: Canberra Avenue name gazetted 2
• 1974: National Route 52 introduced 3
• 30 July 1976: The first stage of the duplication of Canberra Avenue between Fyshwick and the NSW border opened to traffic. 4
• 9 May 1977: New route between Canberra and West Queanbeyan opened to traffic. It runs from the Queanbeyan side of HMAS Harman, crossed the Queanbeyan-Cooma Railway and joined with Kendall Avenue in Queanbeyan. 5
• 16 April 1982: The NSW section of Canberra Avenue, linking Canberra Avenue from Kendall Avenue to Monaro Street in Queanbeyan opened by the then NSW Commissioner for Roads, Mr Bruce Loder. 6
• February 1988: Work started on Eastern Parkway project (Monaro Hwy) with the relocation of Hindmarsh Dr between Jerrabomberra Av and Canberra Av to allow construction of interchange and highway at Canberra Av / Ipswich St junction. 7
• 22 November 1989: Hindmarsh Drive deviation to Canberra Av opened to traffic. 8
• February 2011: Work commences on the Kings Highway southern deviation at Kowen between Queanbeyan and Bungendore. 9
• April 2012: Kings Highway southern deviation completed. 9
• November 2013: B52 appears on roadsigns around Kowen area.
• 2019: B52 re-routed via Hindmarsh Drive to Monaro Highway. 10

Symonston to Kowen			Kowen to Symonston
Preview:	Description:		Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign: Canberra Av (unnumbered) approaching Newcastle St and Hindmarsh Dr at Fyshwick, November 2016. The A23 route number is in error and should be B52. Image © Paul Rands			NSW-ACT Border: Kings Hwy (B52) as it crosses from NSW into ACT at Kowen, November 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Symonston approaching Canberra Av (unnumbered / B52) and Newcastle St, November 2013. Image © Paul Rands			Approaching Sparrow Hill Road: Kings Hwy (B52) approaching Sparrow Hill Rd at Kowen, November 2013. Sparrow Hill Rd is a former alignment of Kings Hwy. Image © Paul Rands
	Canberra Avenue / Newcastle Street Intersection: Corner of Hindmarsh Dr, Canberra Av & Newcastle St at Symonston, November 2013. Image © Paul Rands			Sparrow Hill Road: Kings Hwy (B52) at the junction with Sparrow Hill Rd at Kowen, November 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the corner of Hindmarsh Dr, Canberra Av & Newcastle St at Symonston, August 2010. Image © Paul Rands			Approaching Hibernian Road: Kings Hwy (B52) at Kowen approaching Hibernian Rd (former Kings Hwy alignment), November 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the corner of Hindmarsh Dr, Canberra Av & Newcastle St at Symonston, November 2013. Image © Paul Rands			Hibernian Road: Kings Hwy (B52) at Kowen at the junction with Hibernian Rd, November 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Approaching Hibernian Road: Kings Hwy (B52) at Kowen approaching Hibernian Rd (former Kings Hwy alignment), November 2013. Image © Paul Rands			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Kowen approaching the HQJOC, November 2013. HQJOC, short for The Australian Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC), is the Australian Defence Force's (ADF) operational level headquarters responsible for the command and control of ADF operations worldwide. Image © Paul Rands
	Hibernian Road: Corner of Kings Hwy (B52) and Hibernian Rd at Kowen, November 2013. Image © Paul Rands			Distance Sign: Reassurance directional sign at Symonston, August 2010. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: Reassurance directional sign after Hibernian Rd at Kowen, November 2013. Image © Paul Rands			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Symonston approaching the Monaro Hwy (A23) interchange, August 2010. Image © Paul Rands
	Approaching Sparrow Hill Road: Kings Hwy (B52) approaching Sparrow Hill Rd at Kowen, November 2013. Sparrow Hill Rd is a former alignment of Kings Hwy. Image © Paul Rands			Monaro Highway Interchange: Corner of Hindmarsh Dr (B52 and unnumbered) and Monaro Hwy (A23) at Symonston, August 2010. This is the western terminus of B52. Image © Paul Rands
	Sparrow Hill Road: Corner of Kings Hwy (B52) and Sparrow Hill Rd at Kowen, November 2013. Image © Paul Rands			Monaro Highway Interchange: Corner of Hindmarsh Dr (B52 and unnumbered) and Monaro Hwy (A23) at Symonston, August 2010. This is the western terminus of B52. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of B52 in New South Wales

1 ACT Memorial, Stanley George Murray Gillespe
2 ACT Planning & Land Authority, Place Name Search, Canberra Avenue
3 Sam Laybutt (ozroads.com.au)
4 Canberra Times, Page 3, 30 July 1976
5 Canberra Times, Page 7, 6 May 1977
6 Canberra Times, Page 6, 16 April 1982
7 Canberra Times, Page 9, 6 February 1988
8 Canberra Times, Page 5, 22 November 1989
9 Hewatt Group, Completed Projects
10 ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services, Guide Signs, Municipal Infrastructure Standards 12, April 2019

Last updated: 12-Aug-2020 23:43

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