From there, the R550 goes south-east for 15 kilometres, following the Klip River, to reach a T-junction near the Klipriver Business Park.

At this junction, the R550 turns eastwards and meets the R59 highway at an interchange just after.

[1] From the R59 interchange, the R550 goes eastwards for 20 kilometres, crossing the Klip River, meeting the M61 metropolitan route and passing through Garthdale (Kliprivier), skirting the southern border of Katlehong and forming the northern border of the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, to reach an interchange with the N3 highway north of Heidelberg.

[1] From the R23 junction, the R550 goes eastwards for 10 kilometres, forming the southern border of the townships of Tsakane and Duduza, to meet the southern terminus of the M63 metropolitan route at a T-junction in the town of Nigel.

The 3 routes become co-signed eastwards from this junction for 2 kilometres, forming the northern border of Nigel's CBD, up to the junction with Balfour Road, where the R51 & R550 split from the R42 to become Balfour Road towards the south-east.