Road signs in Qatar to be standardized under Ashghal’s new strategy

In a bid to make it easier for residents and citizens of Qatar to navigate through the country’s roads, The Public Works Authority, Ashghal, yesterday launched the Directional Sign Development Strategy, under which road signs across Qatar will be standardized.

The Strategy will see a complete review and replacement of all existing road signs with new signage. Currently in its design stage with Parsons International as the consultant, the strategy design is expected to complete by the end of this year, reported Gulf Times.

فيديو تعريفي حول اللوحات الإرشادية كجزء من الحملة الاعلامية التي تنفذها #أشغال بالتزامن مع توقيع عقد استراتيجية اللوحات الارشادية #قطر https://t.co/FOzMsr5xZH

— هيئة الأشغال العامة (@AshghalQatar) March 11, 2019

The implementation of the Strategy will significantly aid in improving traffic flow within the country and enhance connectivity between main and local roads.

The new, standardized signs will make it easy for road users to follow and read and ensure their road safety.

The Strategy was officially launched by Dr Eng Saad Bin Ahmad Al Muhannadi, President of Ashghal who signed the contract for the project with Garold Adams, President of Parsons International, in the presence of a number of other senior officials.

The project which comprises reviewing, updating and further developing all existing directional signs, is said to facilitate road users to determine their routes in advance, and gradually and safely make adjustments as they approach the intended exit without the need to make a last-minute change, minimizing risks for the driver and others on the road, according to The Peninsula. 

The upcoming signs will match modern international standards, with placement in key locations to make them easy to read for drivers be it day or night.

Under this new plan, the names of areas, roads, streets, symbols, and some identifying colors are added to the directional signs on main roads and expressways as a way of categorizing different roads and improving accessibility to reach a specific destination by using only the code of the road and number of exit.

An interesting and significant feature of the futuristic road signs would be the letter “Q.” This will be part of the identification and numbering of expressways that cross main areas in the country from all directions.  For instance, expressway symbol: Q2 and Q4 would symbolize Al Majd Road, according to Qatar Tribune.

The symbol D will be used to identify the main roads, which cross the main areas and intersect with the expressways Q. Example of the main roads symbol: D6 would represent Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor.

Other symbols are also used to identify important destinations and places of interest such as the ball symbol, which denotes the football stadiums, and the plane symbol, which indicates Hamad International Airport.

In certain cases, some destinations are to be marked on the surface of the asphalt road where it may be difficult to add road signs.

Additionally, some of the directional signs are to be equipped with intelligent transport systems (ITS) showcasing some information of interest to the driver such as: lane closed, busy road – used alternative road, etc.

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Cover Image Credit: The Peninsula