Dubai’s new colour-coded street signs across 186 areas: Where will the changes begin?
More than 2,000 signs will be installed in five neighbourhoods in the first phase, with new house number plates and QR codes also planned
Dubai’s roads are about to get a new look – the familiar black and white road signs around neighbourhoods will soon give way to a new design, after Dubai’s Supreme Committee for Urban Planning, launched a new visual identity for the emirate earlier this week.
The new visual identity, launched in coordination with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Municipality, is aimed at enhancing the addressing system for areas across Dubai.
Which areas will get the new signs?
The new system will cover 186 areas distributed across 19 sectors, including:
- internal streets
- house number plates
- commercial districts
Why the new road signs?
The new system, which has been developed through a specialist consultant in wayfinding and addressing design, is meant to move the road signs beyond their traditional wayfinding role and become a part of the visual identity of areas in Dubai.
When will the new signs be put up?
The implementation will be done in phases, beginning in the last quarter of this year and continue through to 2030.
The first phase will include the installation and replacement of more than 2,000 signs across:
- Za’abeel 1
- Za’abeel 2
- Nad Al Sheba
- Al Khawaneej 1
- Nazwa
Five different colours
The new visual identity for the road signs will mean that neighbourhood street signs may have five different colours, designed to reflect the character and geographic features of the area. For example, areas closer to the sea will have blue street signs, while those closer to the desert will be in gold.
According to the announcement made by the Government of Dubai Media Office, the project will subsequently also extend to signs at bus stops, smart applications and area map boards, along with the introduction of QR codes, which will provide information about the sectors and areas, the meanings behind street and area names, points of interest, and other relevant location-related content.
New house plates
New house plate designs will be approved by the RTA and Dubai Municipality and will feature each property's Makani number and corresponding QR Code, with colours matching the designated colour for the area.