Source: www.7days.ae
Frustrating phone calls to delivery men and cab drivers as you try and direct them to your door could soon be a thing of the past.
That’s because hundreds of Dubai streets that are currently only identified by numbers – and the odd unusual landmark – are to be given names.
During the next three years, thoroughfares with confusing monikers such as ‘3b’ and ‘34a’ will be renamed to make it easier to get round the city.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said yesterday that the project will be rolled out acrosss large parts of Dubai and completed in 2015 but gave no indication of what names might be used.
Maitha bin Edai, CEO of traffic and roads at the RTA, said: “The great development in Dubai’s urban and real-estate sector requires a fast and accurate street naming system that facilitates mobility and accessibility. It will help people in narrating addresses of their homes, offices and shops. Studies have shown the public can recall and retrieve names more easily than numbers.
“Moreover, repetition of the same street numbers in more than one area would confuse road users.”
The move was welcomed by Dubai’s under-pressure cabbies.
One driver, Manej, said: “Dubai is not easy to navigate. There are places with a 3b street on the right and a 3b on the left in the same area. Names will help.”
Another driver, Tahir, said the new system will help cabbies get streetwise. He said: “This is good. Customers get angry when I don’t find places. If they know a name I will find the way.” Residents on unnamed streets in Umm Suqeim, Dubai Marina and Al Sufouh will be the first to benefit from the new system, with renaming in these areas beginning before the end of the year.
Streets in six other areas – Al Nahda, Muhaisna, Oud Muteena, Nad Al Sheba, Al Thanaya and Dubai Investments Park – will be rebranded next year, then Al Warqa, Al Khawaneej, Al Quoz and Al Barsha in 2014. More info
