A new platform that will help the public propose names for roads and streets across Dubai has been launched. The Street Designation Proposal is being spearheaded by the Dubai Road Naming Committee (DRNC) under the supervision of Dubai Municipality.
It is part of an effort to improve community participation in submitting proposals for naming roads and streets in the emirate. The aim is to revive heritage names, highlight national identity and social and cultural characteristics that reflect the emirate’s history, heritage, values, social and cultural wealth, and consistency with future development and orientation.
“The new platform serves as a digital system, allowing the public to suggest names for streets and roads across Dubai,” explained Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality. “[It keeps] in mind a comprehensive method and specific criteria that reflects our identity and interrelationship between past, present and future of Dubai.”
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
The public can contribute by proposing names for roads and streets through the platform link: https://roadsnaming.ae
The committee has completed naming roads in the Al Khawaneej 2 area in a trial phase, which included names inspired by local trees, plants, and flowers, such as Ghaf Street. Other names of trees were also used for streets such as Sidr, Reehan, Faghi, Samer, and Shareesh.
The naming process allows people to connect the mental image of a place with its names, signs, and location details. With this new approach, street names will possess a unique and distinct character, making it easier to reach destinations seamlessly using the new addressing system.
Method of Naming Roads
The DRNC has come up with a method for proposing names for roads based on specific classifications for each area. These include names linked to Arabic and Islamic design and architecture, along with those associated to art, culture and Arabic poetic prosody.
It will also cover names of natural phenomena, local plants, trees, flowers, marine, and wild plants, along with the names of wild and marine birds. Additionally, it will also cover names related to environmental sustainability, ships, marine tools, fishing, winds, and rain.
The classifications will also include names of squares, forts, ancient castles, archaeological sites, local and ancient jewellery, and horse and Arabian camel names and descriptions. It will also include names of types of palms and date palms, names of farming and agriculture professions, as well as those inspired by industrial and artisanal professions and their tools, names of gemstones, and names related to inventions and modern technology.
The Dubai Road Naming Committee was established by Executive Council Resolution No. (35) of 2021 and is led by the Director General of Dubai Municipality. It includes the Director General of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, CEO of the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center, CEO of the Traffic and Roads Agency at the RTA, and four experienced and expert representatives of Dubai citizens – Mr. Abdullah Thani Al Mataroushi, Mr. Hameed Sultan Al Matyouai, Mr. Juma Bin Thalith, and Mr. Rashid Boukhash.
“ [It keeps] in mind a comprehensive method and specific criteria that reflects our identity and interrelationship between past, present and future of Dubai.”