Dubai: You may be able to name new roads in Dubai soon as the authorities have decided to invite residents’ suggestions.
The Dubai Road Naming Committee on Tuesday announced a new mechanism to find distinctive names for roads, integrating elements of heritage, identity and futuristic aspirations of the emirate. It will be a combination of names and numbers to identify internal roads for easier access for motorists and visitors.
Dawoud Al Hajri, director general of Dubai Municipality and Chairman of Dubai Road Naming Committee, underscored the usefulness of the naming convention that correlates names with numbers. The Committee had devised a name selection technique in alignment with the Executive Council Decision No. 35 of 2021 on the Dubai Road Naming Committee, he added.
Al Hajri said: “The Committee has devised an innovative and sophisticated methodology to name roads in Dubai, reflecting the city’s excellence and in line with its position as a model for the best cities in the world.”
For the first time, names will also be factored in while designating land use and developmental projects for each sector and region.
Distinctive character
The Committee adopted the concept of inference in developing a naming process that links names, roadside signs, and other features specific to the site to help visitors associate with the location. The new road names will convey the key element of the new title via road signs, which will feature a distinctive character. The new technique will also help locate various destinations and government and private sector establishments seamlessly.
Roads in Al Khawaneej 2 area were named in the first phase of the initiative. The new street names were inspired by local trees and flowers, such as Al Ghaf Street, named after one of the most popular species of trees found locally, and linking the first and second Khawaneej areas. Other streets in the area were named Al Sidr, Basil, Al Faggy, Al Samr, and Al Sharish.
Suggestions from public
The Dubai Road Naming Committee said it is committed to encouraging a spirit of public participation by offering residents a chance to suggest names. Measures to involve community members will begin in the upcoming phases of the initiative.
The Committee was established by the Executive Council Decision No. 35 of 2021 and is chaired by the Director General of Dubai Municipality. Its members include representatives of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), and Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre, besides four representatives with specialised experience from the emirate. The Committee focuses on identifying roads that require names, suggesting possible options and reviewing earlier names.
