Qatar Traffic Manual

Volume 1
Part 4
Guide Signs
VOLUME 1 PART 4
GUIDE SIGNS
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Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved.

VOLUME 1

‫‪VOLUME 1 PART 4 ‬‬
‫‪GUIDE SIGNS ‬‬
‫تنويه‬
‫قامت وزارة املواصالت ي دولة قطر بتوف ﺮ دليل تصميم الطرق لدولة قطر )‪ (Qatar Highway Design Manual ‐ QHDM‬ودليل‬
‫قطر للتحكم املروري )‪ (Qatar Traffic Control Manual ‐ QTCM‬ع ى شبكة اإلن ﺮنت وكنسخ مطبوعة باعتبارها اإلصدار رقم‬
‫)‪ (1.0‬من هذﻩ األدلة‪ ‬وذلك دون ادنى مسؤولية ع ى وزارة املواصالت‪.‬‬
‫ُ‬
‫يجب التأكيد ع ى إن وزارة املواصالت‪ ،‬وتحت أي ظرف من الظروف‪ ،‬ال تج أو تتعهد أو تصادق ع ى أن تكون املعلومات املتضمنة ي هذين‬
‫الدليل ن خالية من أي نوع من األخطاء أو العيوب‪.‬‬
‫إن استخدام هذﻩ األدلة ألي عمل ال يعفي املستخدم من إتباع العناية الواجبة أو الفائقة واملمارسة الهندسية السليمة‪ ،‬كما أنه ال يخول‬
‫ُ‬
‫للمستخدم املطالبة أو استالم أي نوع من التعويض عن األضرار أو الخسائر ال يمكن أن تعزى إ ى هذا االستخدام‪.‬‬
‫سوف تكون أي تغي ﺮات او تعديالت متاحة ومتوفرة ع ى موقع اإلن ﺮنت الخاص بالوزارة‪ .‬ويتوجب ع ى املستخدم ن التحقق بشكل متواصل بأن‬
‫لد م أحدث إصدار من هذﻩ األدلة‪.‬‬
‫مالحظة‪ :‬ستقوم وزارة املواصالت بمواصلة تحديث وتعديل ِكال الدليل ن مع األخذ بع ن االعتبار االكتشافات الجديدة والتكنولوجيات الحديثة‬
‫ُ‬
‫واملواضيع املستجدة ال تتعلق بتخطيط وتصميم وتشغيل وصيانة النقل والطرق واملرور‪.‬‬
‫ُ‬
‫إن الوزارة تشجع املستخدم ن‪ ‬ع ى تقديم املالحظات واالق ﺮاحات والتعليقات وردود األفعال‪ ،‬خالل سنة من اصدار ِكال الدليل ن‪ ،‬وذلك من‬
‫خالل موقع الوزارة حيث سوف يتم مراجعة هذﻩ املالحظات واالق ﺮاحات ومن ثم تقييمها وإدراجها ضمن اإلصدار القادم من األدلة‪ .‬‬
‫‪ ‬‬
‫‪ ‬‬
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‫‪PAGE II ‬‬ ‫‪VOLUME 1 ‬‬
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VOLUME 1 PART 4
GUIDE SIGNS
Contents Page
Acronyms and Abbreviations ....................................................................................................v
1 General Introduction ......................................................................................................1

1.1 Classification for Signing Purposes .............................................................................. 1
1.2 Strategic Routes – Expressways, Rural Freeways, and Major Urban Arterials ............ 2
1.3 Arterial Routes – Minor Arterials and Boulevards in Urban Areas, Rural Arterials ..... 2
1.4 Local Routes – Collectors and Local Roadways ........................................................... 3
1.5 Size of Signs ................................................................................................................. 3
1.6 Arabic and English Legend ........................................................................................... 3
1.7 Amount of Legend ....................................................................................................... 3
1.8 Longitudinal Sign Spacing ............................................................................................ 4
1.9 Sign Mounting.............................................................................................................. 4
2 Directional Guide Signing ................................................................................................5

2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 5
2.2 Types of Directional Guide Signing .............................................................................. 5
2.2.1 Advance Directional Guide Signs and Far Advance Directional Guide Signs 6
2.2.2 Directional Guide Signs ................................................................................ 6
2.2.3 Route Confirmation Signs............................................................................. 7
2.3 Provision of Directional Guide Signing ........................................................................ 7
2.4 Location and Installation of Directional Guide Signs ................................................... 7
2.4.1 ADS and FADS Requirements for Grade-Separated Interchanges ............... 8
2.4.2 ADS Requirements for At-Grade Intersections ............................................ 8
2.4.3 Directional Guide Signs for Grade-Separated Interchanges ........................ 9
2.4.4 Directional Guide Signs for At-Grade Intersections ................................... 10
2.4.5 Route Confirmation Signs........................................................................... 10
2.5 Design of Directional Guide Signing .......................................................................... 10
2.5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 10
2.5.2 Sign Installation Type ................................................................................. 10
2.5.3 Selection of Sign Installation Type ............................................................. 11
2.5.4 Sign Face Design ......................................................................................... 11
2.5.5 Summary of Sign Face Design Requirements ............................................. 18
2.5.6 Choice of Destinations ............................................................................... 19
2.5.7 Legibility Distance and Character Size........................................................ 19
2.5.8 Roadway Symbols ...................................................................................... 19
2.5.9 Borders ....................................................................................................... 19
2.5.10 Color Coding ............................................................................................... 20
2.5.11 Use of Arrows ............................................................................................. 21
2.6 Additional Signs ......................................................................................................... 22
2.6.1 Intersection Countdown Markers .............................................................. 22
2.6.2 Intersection Merge Signs............................................................................ 23
2.6.3 Route Identification Symbols ..................................................................... 25
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2.6.4 Route Confirmation Signs ........................................................................... 26

2.6.5 Intersection and Interchange Identification Signs ..................................... 26
2.6.6 Permitted Abbreviations for Interchange Identification Signs ................... 27
2.6.7 Gore Exit Signs ............................................................................................ 27
2.6.8 Reference Route Markers........................................................................... 28
2.7 Permitted Use of Regulatory or Warning Legends on Directional Guide Signing ..... 28
2.8 Permitted Use of Other Signs on Directional Guide Signing: Toll Roadways ............ 33
2.9 Typical Layout Drawings ............................................................................................ 34
3 Community and Local Wayfinding ................................................................................ 35

3.1 Street Names ............................................................................................................. 35
3.1.1 Provision of Street Name Signs .................................................................. 35
3.1.2 Design of Street Name Signs ...................................................................... 35
3.1.3 Permitted Abbreviations for Street Name Signs ........................................ 36
3.2 Town or Area Names ................................................................................................. 37
3.3 District Navigation ..................................................................................................... 37
3.4 Facility Navigation ...................................................................................................... 38
3.4.1 Determining the Use of Facility Signs ......................................................... 38
3.4.2 Acceptable Provision of Facility Signs for Permitted Facilities ................... 40
3.4.3 Facilities Signs ............................................................................................. 41
3.4.4 Parking Facilities ......................................................................................... 42
3.4.5 Tourist Signs ............................................................................................... 42
3.4.6 Other Facilities............................................................................................ 43
3.4.7 Service Signs for Rest Areas........................................................................ 43
3.4.8 Summary of Signing Provision for Facilities, Services, and Tourist
Information................................................................................................. 44
3.4.9 Approved Symbols ...................................................................................... 45
3.4.10 Approved Tourist Symbols ......................................................................... 47
4 General Information Signs ............................................................................................ 51

4.1 Permitted Use of General Information Signs ............................................................. 51
4.1.1 New Road Layout Ahead ............................................................................ 52
4.1.2 Signs for Toll Roadways .............................................................................. 52
4.1.3 Signs for Emergency Roadside Telephones ................................................ 53
4.1.4 Signs for Military Purposes ......................................................................... 53
4.1.5 Fire Station Hard Standing.......................................................................... 53
4.1.6 Fire Engine Access — Keep Clear................................................................ 54
4.1.7 Park and Ride .............................................................................................. 54
4.1.8 Electronic Parking Information ................................................................... 54
4.1.9 Abnormal Loads Parking Point ................................................................... 55
4.1.10 Start of Divided Roadway ........................................................................... 55
4.1.11 Private Access Signs .................................................................................... 56
4.1.12 Red Light Camera Sign ................................................................................ 56
4.1.13 Truck Parks ................................................................................................. 56
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4.1.14 Directions to Emergency Exit for Pedestrians from a Tunnel .................... 57

4.1.15 Safety Campaigns ....................................................................................... 57
4.1.16 Advertising Signs ........................................................................................ 57
4.2 Use of Times and Dates on General Information Signs ............................................. 57
4.3 Permitted Abbreviations for Information Signs ........................................................ 58
5 Temporary Signs ...........................................................................................................59

5.1 Emergency Management Signs ................................................................................. 59
5.2 Special Events ............................................................................................................ 60
5.2.1 Special Provision for the 2022 World Cup ................................................. 60
5.3 Use of Dynamic Message Signs ................................................................................. 61
5.3.1 Use of DMS ................................................................................................. 61
5.3.2 Types of DMS Messages ............................................................................. 61
5.3.3 Acceptable Applications ............................................................................. 61
5.3.4 DMS Messages Content ............................................................................. 61
5.3.5 Pictograms and Legends............................................................................. 62
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Tables
Table 1.1 Sign Color by Functional Classification ................................................................ 2

Table 1.2 Minimum Longitudinal Sign Spacing Requirements ............................................ 4
Table 2.1 Provision of Directional GuideSigning ................................................................. 7
Table 2.2 Location and Visibility Distance for ADS .............................................................. 9
Table 2.3 Summary of Sign Face Design Requirements .................................................... 18
Table 2.4 Order of Destinations on Directional Guide Signing ......................................... 19
Table 2.5 Types of Arrows and Permitted Use .................................................................. 21
Table 2.6 Design and Use of Countdown Markers ............................................................ 23
Table 2.7 Design and Use of Intersection Merge Signs ..................................................... 24
Table 2.8 Permitted Abbreviations for Interchange Identification Signs .......................... 27
Table 3.1 Permitted Abbreviations for Street Name Signs ............................................... 36
Table 3.2 Provision of Facilities Signs ................................................................................ 40
Table 3.3 Facilities and Services Information for which Signing is Permitted or not
Permitted ........................................................................................................... 45
Table 3.4 Approved Symbols ............................................................................................. 46
Table 3.5 Approved Tourist Symbols................................................................................. 48
Table 4.1 Requirements for General Information Signs.................................................... 51
Table 4.2 Siting Details for Divided Roadway Ahead Sign G127 ....................................... 55
Table 4.3 Permitted Abbreviations for Information Signs ................................................ 58
Table 5.1 Special Events Signing........................................................................................ 60
Table 5.2 DMS Message Construction .............................................................................. 62
Figures
Figure 2.1 Color Coding Requirements for Directional Guide Signs ................................... 20
Figure 3.1 The Process for Selecting the Provision of Facility Signs ................................... 39
Figure 3.2 Airport Symbol S111 shown on Blue Background Sign G510 ............................ 46
Appendix
Appendix A Typical Layout Drawings .................................................................................... 65
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Acronyms and Abbreviations
ADS advance directional guide signs
DMS dynamic message signs
FADS far advance directional guide signs
km kilometers
kph kilometers per hour
m meter(s)
mm millimeter(s)
QHDM Qatar Highway Design Manual
QTCM Qatar Traffic Control Manual
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1 General Introduction
The primary definitions used in this Part and other Parts of the Qatar Traffic Control
Manual (QTCM) are:
• ‘Must’ is used to indicate a legal requirement which must be complied with

• ‘Shall’ indicates an essential requirement of compliance with this manual
• ‘Should’ indicates a course of action that is strongly recommended
• ‘May’ is used to indicate an option that requires consideration, depending on the
circumstances
This Part deals with guide signs that establish route identification, direct road users to
destinations, and provide general information to road users. The Part is presented in
four sections:
• Directional Signing
• Community and Local Wayfinding
• General Information Signs
• Temporary Signs
The appropriate type of sign and its color and location depend upon the function or
route designation of the roadway, the design speed, the geometry of the roadway, and
the information to be conveyed to those using the roadway. The function, or route
designation, is determined from the roadway functional classification defined in the
Qatar Highway Design Manual (QHDM).
1.1 Classification for Signing Purposes

Within the functional classification specified in the QHDM, there are seven categories
for roadways in urban areas and five for roadways in rural areas, each with different
characteristics that determine the appropriate parameters. When considering
directional and information guide signing, some of these categories were combined and
three main route types exist: strategic, arterial, and local. These are detailed in Sections
1.3, 1.4, 1.5, respectively.
The hierarchy and consistent background color of directional guide signing supports
map making, map reading, and route planning. In addition, routes may be numbered
or display characters or symbols added to assist route identification. Table 1.1 specifies
the sign colors to be used for the functional classification of roadways in both rural and
urban areas.
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Table 1.1 Sign Color by Functional Classification

Urban Roadways
Functional Classification Background Color Legend Color Border Color
Expressway Blue White White
Major Arterial Blue White White
Minor Arterial Green White White
Boulevard Green White White
Collector Distributor White Black Black
Collector White Black Black
Local White Black Black
Rural Roadways
Functional Classification Background Color Legend Color Border Color
Rural Freeway Blue White White
Rural Expressway Blue White White
Rural Arterial Green White White
Rural Collector White Black Black
Rural Local Roadway White Black Black
Sections 1.3, 1.4, and 1.5 give more detail relating to the split in functional classification
for directional and information guide signing purposes.
1.2 Strategic Routes – Expressways, Rural Freeways, and

Major Urban Arterials
Expressway, rural freeway, and major urban arterial routes are of strategic significance.
These roadways carry most trips entering and leaving urban areas or travelling between
inter-urban centers. They serve through-traffic and high operating speeds. These
roadways have grade-separated interchanges, although major urban arterial roadways
typically intersect cross streets at grade. Guide signing associated with these routes has
a blue background, white borders, and white text.
1.3 Arterial Routes – Minor Arterials and Boulevards in Urban

Areas, Rural Arterials
Arterial routes serve as area distributers by linking expressway and freeway routes by
feeding traffic either to each other or into the local route network. In urban areas,
arterial routes offer less mobility than strategic routes and place more emphasis on
land and retail access. Rural arterials connect major land uses within a smaller region.
They are generally divided roadway but may be single roadway in rural areas. Guide
signing associated with these routes has a green background, white borders, and white
text.
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1.4 Local Routes – Collectors and Local Roadways

In both urban and rural areas, collectors distribute traffic between arterials and the
local roadways that serve adjacent land use. In urban areas, a wider range of collectors
serves slightly different functions, but guide signing associated with all these local
routes have black text on a white background with black border.
Guide signs should be designed to be easily readable, permitting road users to make
timely and proper responses. To achieve this, high visibility, large lettering, and short
legends for quick comprehension are required. Standard shapes and colors are required
to enable the signs to be promptly recognized.
1.5 Size of Signs

For most guide signs, the legend is variable so no standardized sign size can be
established. Sign size must be determined primarily by the length of the message, the
size of lettering, and the spacing required for proper legibility.
A guide sign mounted over a roadway lane may have to be restricted in horizontal
dimension to the width of the lane to enable another sign to be placed over an adjacent
lane. The necessity to maintain correct vertical clearance may place a further limitation
on the size of the overhead sign and the message that can be accommodated.
1.6 Arabic and English Legend

On guide signs with bilingual messages, the sizes for the Arabic lettering are determined
first, and the size of English lettering shall be related to the Arabic.
1.7 Amount of Legend

Regardless of letter size, the legend on a guide sign must be kept to a minimum to be
readable at a glance during the few moments a driver can turn his eyes from the
roadway. Guide signs should be limited to six lines of principal legend (three lines in
Arabic and three lines in English). Principal legend is defined as place names, street
names, or route numbers.
If the number of lines of principal legends exceeds six, then approval must be sought
from the Overseeing Organization.
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1.8 Longitudinal Sign Spacing

The recommended minimum longitudinal sign spacing for guide signs on arterials,
expressways, and freeways is shown in Table 1.2.
Table 1.2 Minimum Longitudinal Sign Spacing Requirements

Minimum Longitudinal
Type of Facility Type of Sign Spacing Between Signs
Rural arterial (non-expressway/freeway) Smaller guide signs 100 m
Posted speeds < 80 kph (1 m tall or less)
Urban arterial (non-expressway/freeway) Smaller guide signs 75 m
Posted speeds < 80 kph (1 m tall or less)
Rural arterial (non-expressway/freeway) Larger guide signs 175 m
Posted speeds < 80 kph (>1 m tall)
Urban arterial (non-expressway/freeway) Larger guide signs 150 m
Posted speeds < 80 kph (>1 m tall)
Expressways/ freeways 200 m
All guide signs
Posted speeds 100 kph and under
300 m (250 m for ground-
Expressways/ freeways mounted signs located before
All guide signs
Posted speeds > 100 kph or after overhead signs)
m meter
1.9 Sign Mounting

Guidance on the lateral and vertical positioning of directional and general information
guide signs can be found in Chapter 1, Section 1.8.13 of Part 1, General Information and
Index of Signs.
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2 Directional Guide Signing

2.1 Introduction
A directional guide signing system must perform the following functions:
 Give road users advance warning of their approach to an intersection.
 Provide an indication of the type of intersection that will have to be negotiated.
 Inform road users of the destinations that may be reached from each exit.
 Indicate the point at which road users must turn to reach a destination on a route
other than that on which they are travelling.
 Identify the route and indicate its status within the network.
These functions are fulfilled by a color‐coded system of advance directional,
directional, and route confirmation guide signs. The color indicates the status of the
route as follows:
 Strategic — blue background, white text, and borders
 Arterial — green background, white text, and borders
 Local — white background, black text, and borders
All directional guide signing takes the color associated with the route on which it is
located. Direction is provided to routes of a different classification, this may be
identified with use of color‐coded inlays. Detailed requirements for the color‐coding
of directional guide signs are provided in Section 2.5.10.
All directional guide signing in Qatar is bilingual; the destinations and distances are
displayed in both Arabic and English. The relationships among this bilingual text, the
various symbols, and the ways in which they apply to each sign type are described in
Chapter 10 of Part 7, Design Guide for Traffic Signs.
2.2 Types of Directional Guide Signing

Three types of directional guide signing are used, as follows:
 Advance directional guide signs (ADS) and far advance directional guide signs
(FADS) to give warning of the intersection ahead and route options
 Directional guide signs located at the intersection
 Route confirmation signs — provided after the point of exit to further reassure the
road user that they have successfully navigated the intersection as required and
are proceeding toward their intended destination.
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In addition to these, the following ancillary signs maybe used to assist road users to
navigate the intersection:
1. Intersection countdown markers
2. Intersection merge signs
3. Route identification signs
4. Intersection identification signs
5. Gore exit signs
2.2.1 Advance Directional Guide Signs and Far Advance Directional Guide
Signs
ADS provide destination information before an intersection such that the road user
can identify how to navigate an intersection and move into the required lane before
arriving at the intersection.
ADS are generally provided on all approaches to an intersection to indicate the
destinations that may be reached from each exit.
Each type of ADS fulfills a particular role. By the sign's form and layout, a driver may
determine the type of intersection they will encounter, the alternative destinations,
and in the case of grade‐separated interchanges, the distance to the exit.
FADS are used at grade‐separated interchanges to provide supplementary guidance.
ADS and FADS shall be provided as mandated within Section 2.3.
2.2.2 Directional Guide Signs

Directional guide signs are provided at the point(s) of exit to reassure the road user
that they are navigating the intersection as required to proceed toward their intended
destination.
Directional guide signs shall be provided as mandated within Section 2.3. They shall

show the destination(s) that may be reached from each exit, together with route
number where applicable.
A directional guide sign is located at or close to the intersection based on engineering
judgment, such that:
 It is visible to road users both during their approach and while making any
necessary turning movement.
 It is clear as to which exit the sign refers.
Wherever possible, the signs should be sited immediately beyond the point at which
the turning maneuver must be made.
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2.2.3 Route Confirmation Signs

Route confirmation signs should be provided after the point of exit to further reassure
the road user that they have successfully navigated the intersection as required and
are proceeding toward their intended destination.
The signs should include the same destination(s) as shown on the previous directional
guide signing and the associated distances should be quoted to the nearest kilometer.
Route confirmation signs may also be provided along a route, in which case the signs
should be located so that the maximum spacing should be no more than
10 kilometers (km) apart.
2.3 Provision of Directional Guide Signing

The choice of directional guide sign type used is dependent on the type of
intersection and the speed at which vehicles approach. Table 2.1 indicates the types
of signs that should be used.
Table 2.1 Provision of Directional Guide Signing
At‐grade Intersection Posted Speed
Less than or
equal to >40 to >60 to All Grade Separated
Directional Guide Sign Type Less than or 40 kph less than less than Interchanges
equal to (Strategic or or equal or equal
40 kph Arterial to to 80 > 80
(Local Route) Routes) 60 kph kph kph
Far Advance Directional Guide 

Signs
Advance Directional Guide Signs    
Directional Guide Signs      
Route Confirmation Guide Signs As appropriate     
Countdown Markers 
    
(See note below)
Gore Exit Signs 
Intersection Identification Signs Where intersections have a unique name or number, Displayed on directional
intersection identification signs shall be provided at an guide signs, advance
appropriate location. directional guide signs
and far advance
directional guide signs
Intersection Merge Signs Intersection merge signs shall be provided at all locations of merging traffic.
Route Identification Signs Route identification signs shall be displayed on all directional guide signing and may also
be installed at systematic intervals along the route.
Note: countdown markers are only applicable for roundabouts
2.4 Location and Installation of Directional Guide Signs

To be effective, directional guide signs should provide road users with the right
information at the right time, i.e., at a distance and location appropriate to visibility
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and approach speed, prior to the point of exit (known as the reference point). The
requirements in the following paragraphs apply.
2.4.1 ADS and FADS Requirements for Grade-Separated Interchanges

The ADS shall be:
 Installed 800 m upstream of the intersection reference point
 Gantry mounted for any expressway or freeway consisting of four or more lanes in
the direction in question
 Gantry mounted with lane‐specific information for any interchange that may
involve a reduction of number of lanes on the through route (dedicated lane gain
and drop)
 Otherwise, gantry or ground mounted for any interchange where the number of
lanes on the through route remains constant (no dedicated lane gain and drop)
Grade separated interchanges require the installation of FADS in support of the
primary ADS. FADS provide supplementary destination information in addition to
the ADS.
The FADS shall be:
 Installed 1.6 km upstream of the intersection reference point
 Gantry mounted for any expressway or freeway consisting of four or more lanes in
the direction in question
 Gantry mounted if there is limited verge width
 Otherwise, ground mounted is sufficient
2.4.2 ADS Requirements for At-Grade Intersections

Where provided, the location and unobstructed visibility distance of ADS shall be as
shown in Table 2.2.
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Table 2.2 Location and Visibility Distance for ADS
No of Approach Speed
Lanes
Less than or > 80 to less than
> 45 to less than > 60 to less than
equal to or equal to > 100 kph
or equal to 60 kph or equal to 80 kph
45 kph 100 kph
Location = 50 m Location = 100 m Location = 150 m Location = 500 m

Visibility distance Visibility distance Visibility distance Visibility distance
1 N/A = 100 m = 100 m = 100 m = 150 m

2 N/A Visibility distance Visibility distance Visibility distance Visibility distance
= 100 m = 150 m = 150 m = 200 m

= 150 m = 150 m = 200 m = 250 m

= 150 m = 200 m = 250 m = 300 m

5 or N/A Visibility distance Visibility distance Visibility distance Visibility distance
more = 150 m = 200 m = 250 m = 300 m
Notes:
The location is distance measured in meters upstream of the reference point of the intersection.
The visibility distance is the distance upstream of the sign at which a clear unobstructed line of sight is
provided.
m meter
N/A not available
2.4.3 Directional Guide Signs for Grade-Separated Interchanges

The directional guide signs shall be:
 Installed at the point of exit (reference point of the intersection)
 Gantry mounted for any freeway consisting of four or more lanes in the direction
in question
 Gantry mounted with lane‐specific information for any interchange that involves
reduction of the number of lanes on the through route (dedicated lane gain
and drop)
 Gantry mounted wherever practicable for any interchange where the number of
lanes on the through route remains constant (no dedicated lane gain and drop)
 Cantilever mounted if necessary due to space limitations or restricted visibility
 Where it is impracticable to provide a gantry or a cantilever mounting, a ground‐
mounted “flag” type directional guide sign may be used subject to authorization
by the Overseeing Organization (More details on flag type signs are provided in
Section 2.5.4.).
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2.4.4 Directional Guide Signs for At-Grade Intersections

Where required, directional guide signs shall be provided as follows:
 Roundabouts – map type sign at point of entry and flag type signs at each exit
 Cross‐roadways – “stack” or “lane” type signs at point of entry and flag type signs
on exits as appropriate (More details on stack and lane type signs are provided in
Section 2.5.4.).
 T‐intersections – stack or lane type signs at point of entry and flag type signs on
exits as appropriate (More details on stack and lane type signs are provided in
Section 2.5.4.).
 Interchanges on local routes – flag type signs on each exit for intersections where
a directional guide sign is considered required.

Route confirmation signs should normally be provided after every intersection, even
where traffic can only leave the freeway or expressway (i.e., there are no entry slip
ramps). The exception to this is where it is not practicable to provide a sign between
two intersections that are close together.
2.5 Design of Directional Guide Signing

2.5.1 Introduction
All directional guide signing shall be designed in accordance with the general
requirements defined in Chapter 10 of Part 7: Design Guide for Traffic Signs. Factors
affecting the design of each directional guide sign include the shape and size of the
sign face, its type, and manner of installation.
To be effective, signs should be appropriately installed at locations that support
providing the road user with the right information at the right time, i.e., at a distance
and location appropriate to visibility and speed of approach, prior to the point of exit
(known as the reference point). The following requirements apply.
2.5.2 Sign Installation Type

Directional guide signs can be either mounted on gantries spanning the roadway, on
cantilever arms, or alongside the roadway on supports placed on the ground.
2.5.2.1 Gantry-mounted Signs

Gantry‐mounted signs provide information directly above the running traffic. This has
two specific advantages:
 Sign offset is minimized; therefore, the viewing time for the sign is optimized.
 Information can be provided in a lane‐by‐lane‐specific layout such that
information is provided directly above the lane for which it is relevant. This
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provides an intuitive layout for information that facilitates efficient

comprehension.
2.5.2.2 Cantilever-mounted Signs

Cantilever‐mounted signs have an increased sign offset, compared to gantry‐mounted
signs that reduces viewing time. Cantilever‐mounted signs are also unable to provide
lane‐specific information directly above the running traffic.
2.5.2.3 Ground-mounted Signs

Ground‐mounted signs have an increased sign offset, compared to gantry and
cantilever‐mounted signs, which reduces viewing time, especially for traffic travelling
in the outside lanes (the lane closest to the median) for which offset is maximized.
2.5.3 Selection of Sign Installation Type

For grade‐separated interchanges, selection of sign installation type shall be primarily
based upon the requirements of Section 2.3. If for any reason, gantry‐ or cantilever‐
mounted signs are required but are not practical, and ground‐mounted signs are
preferable, they should be authorized by the Overseeing Organization.
For at‐grade intersections:
 Ground‐mounted signs are recommended to be used for all directional guide
signing.
 Gantry‐mounted signs may be used where appropriate, for example, where lane‐
specific information may be required, or where there is limited ground space.
 Cantilever‐mounted signs may be used where appropriate, for example, where
there is limited ground space.
2.5.4 Sign Face Design
2.5.4.1 Sign Face Design for Gantry Mounted Signs

Where gantry‐mounted signs are to be provided, there are two permitted variants
that should be selected appropriate to the location in question:
1. Lane‐specific destinations
i. Lane‐specific signs (see sign G300) may be used for:
Grade separated interchanges with dedicated lane gain and drop
– At‐grade intersections where each destination or exit has at least one
dedicated lane associated with that exit
ii. Lane‐specific signs may not be used where more than one destination route
can be accessed from any specific lane of the approach.
iii. Each route (through route and exit routes) shall have one panel configured
such that the destination information is provided above and with arrows
pointing to all relevant lane(s) only in accordance with Section 2.5.11.
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iv. For signs located at the exit, a white panel with the exit number (“exit panel”),
a diverge arrow and an interchange name sign with green background shall be
provided. For ADS and FADS, a white exit panel shall be provided along with
an advanced interchange name exit for the preceding interchange.
v. Where no stack side sign is needed and only lane‐specific arrows are present,
the white exit panel is altered to show only a black arrow.
G300
2. Non‐lane‐specific destinations:
i. Non‐lane‐specific signs (see sign G301) may be used for grade‐separated
interchanges where more than one destination route can be accessed from
any specific lane of the approach (i.e., dedicated lane gain and drop).
ii. Non‐lane‐specific signs may not be used for at‐grade intersections.
iii. Each through and exit route shall have one panel configured such that:
– Destination information for the exit route is provided above the relevant
lane(s) from which the exit can be accessed with use of diverge arrows in
accordance with Section 2.5.11.
– Destinations for through routes are displayed above all remaining running
lanes with the use of the up arrow only in accordance with Section 2.5.11.
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G301
For signs G300 and G301 an exit panel is to be used to indicate the presence of an exit
off the mainline roadway.
2.5.4.2 Sign Face Design for Ground Mounted Signs

Where ground‐mounted signs are to be provided, there are four permitted variants
that should be selected appropriate to the location in question:
1. Map signs
i. The layout of the sign is illustrative and representative of the intersection.
ii. Map sign layout may be the following:
Signs G302 and G303 may be used for free‐flow grade‐separated interchanges
where lane‐specific information is not required.
Sign G304 may be used for a four‐arm roundabout.
– Sign G305 may be used for a three‐arm roundabout.
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G302G302

G303G303

G304
04
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G305
2. Stack signs
i. The layout of the sign provides destinations and directions for one or more
routes on one sign with directions indicated by arrows.
ii. Stack signs (see sign G306) may be used for at‐grade intersections where lane‐
specific information is not required and map signs are not suitable.
iii. Stack signs may not be used for grade‐separated interchanges.
iv. The route number block always appears next to the text block.
v. Where the exit is ahead or to the right, the arrow and route number block are
positioned to the right of the text block. Where the exit is to the left, they
appear to the left.
vi. The destinations should appear in the following order, from the top of the
sign down:
Ahead exit
Left exit
Right exit
U‐turn
Use of arrows shall be in accordance with Section 2.5.11.
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G306
3. Lane signs
i. The layout of lane signs is illustrative and representative of the roadway
configuration of the intersection approach.
ii. Lane signs (see sign G307) may be used for at‐grade intersections where lane‐
specific information is required.
iii. Lane signs may not be used for grade‐separated interchanges.
iv. The sign shall incorporate a single arrow for each lane separated by a vertical
dashed line, with the use of arrows in accordance with Section 2.5.11.
v. Destination information shall be provided above the arrow(s) for all relevant
lane(s).
vi. For multi‐lane approaches to roundabouts, a panel displaying the legend
“GET IN LANE” should be mounted directly above sign G307.
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G307

4. Flag signs
i. Flag signs provide destinations and directions for one exit route only on a
single sign.
ii. Flag signs (see sign G308) shall be provided at each exit for all at‐grade
intersections where directional guide signing is mandated by the
requirements of Section 2.3.
iii. Flag signs may be used as directional guide signs for at‐grade intersections.
iv. Flag signs shall not be used for ADS.

G308
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2.5.5 Summary of Sign Face Design Requirements

Table 2.3 presents a summary of sign face design requirements.
Table 2.3 Summary of Sign Face Design Requirements
Sign Type Description May be used May not be used
Lane‐specific Destination information is All directional guide Any intersection without
destinations provided above the signing associated for dedicated approach lanes
running lane(s) to which intersections with at least provided for each signed
the information is one dedicated approach destination
relevant. lane specific to each
Gantry Mounted Signs
Intended for grade‐ signed destination; either
separated interchanges grade‐separated with
with dedicated lane gain dedicated lane gain and
and drop. drop or at‐grade
Non‐lane‐specific Destination information is Grade‐separated Any grade‐separated
destinations provided above the interchanges without interchange where
running lane(s) to which dedicated lane gain and dedicated approach lanes
the information is drop are provided for each
relevant. signed destination
Intended for grade‐ Any at‐grade intersection
separated interchanges
without dedicated lane
gain and drop.
Map signs Layout of sign is Grade‐separated Route confirmation signs
illustrative and interchanges where lane‐
representative of the specific information is not
intersection. required.
Advance directional guide
signs for at‐grade
intersections
Stack signs Destinations and At‐grade intersections Grade‐separated
directions for one or where lane‐specific interchanges
Ground Mounted Guide Signs
more routes are listed on information is not
one sign with direction required
indicated with the use of
arrows.
Lane signs Layout of sign is At‐grade intersections Grade‐separated
illustrative and where lane‐specific interchanges
representative of the information is required
roadway configuration of
the intersection
approach.
Flag signs Destinations and Directional guide signs for Advance directional guide
direction for one and only at‐grade intersections signs
one route are provided Directional guide signs for Route confirmation signs
on a single sign. grade‐separated
interchanges where
gantry‐mounted stack
guide signs are not
practicable

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2.5.6 Choice of Destinations

For directional guide signs, destinations displayed shall be locations that are clear and
unambiguous.
It is recommended that destinations should be limited to names of cities, towns,
regions, and key conurbations. Directional guide signs can also include specific
facilities as permitted within Section 3.4.
Within city centers, the use of street names in place of destinations on directional
guide signing is permitted where it will enhance the ease of navigation. However,
extreme care must be taken to verify that when road users are sent in a particular
direction using a street name, they are able to return to this start point, as travelling
in the opposite direction is not always possible within city centers.
For grade‐separated interchanges, no more than three destinations shall be displayed
for any given direction or route. For example, directional guide Sign 301 in
Section 2.5.4.1 (top and middle variants) shows three ahead destinations (three in
Arabic and three in English), so the number of lines of principal legend is six (three
Arabic + three English). The third (bottom) variant of sign G301 shows two ahead
destinations (two in Arabic + two in English) so there are four lines of principal legend.
For at‐grade intersections, no more than two destinations shall be displayed for any
given direction or route.
Where multiple destinations are displayed, these should be displayed in order of
proximity in accordance with the guidance given in Table 2.4.
Table 2.4 Order of Destinations on Directional Guide Signing
Main Roadway Route Exit Roadway Routes
Closest destination displayed above first Closest destination displayed first (at
Gantry‐mounted lane‐ (right hand lane), and the furthest the bottom of the sign) and the
specific guide signs destination displayed above the outside furthest displayed last (at the top of
(left hand lane). the sign).
Closest destination displayed first (at
Closest destination displayed first (at the
All other directional the bottom of the sign) and the
bottom of the sign) and the furthest
guide signs furthest displayed last (at the top of
displayed last (at the top of the sign). the sign).

2.5.7 Legibility Distance and Character Size

All directional guide signing should be designed with characters of appropriate size to
confirm legibility distance is sufficient to facilitate the desired reading time.
2.5.8 Roadway Symbols

The design of roadway symbols can be found in Chapter 10 of Part 7: Design Guide for
Traffic Signs.
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2.5.9 Borders
Guidance on border widths and corners can be found in Chapter 10 of
Part 7: Design Guide for Traffic Signs.
2.5.10 Color Coding

Signs should be color coded appropriate to the roadway classification on which the
sign is installed with use of destination‐specific color‐coded inlays appropriate to the
classification of the destination route, which is signed. A diagrammatic example is
given in Figure 2.1.

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Origin Route Outline Sign Design Destination Inlay Design Destination
Strategic Route Destination – no inlay Strategic
Main Roadway Destinations Minor Arterial Route Destination – white text
Strategic Minor Arterial
White text or legends on blue sign or legends on green inlay (no border)
(white border)
Local Route Destination – black text or legends
Local
on white inlay (no border)
Strategic Route Destination – white text or
Strategic
legends on blue inlay (no border)
Main Roadway Destinations
Minor Arterial White text or legends on green sign Minor Arterial Route Destination – no inlay Minor Arterial
(white border)
Local Route Destination – black text or legends
Local
on white inlay (no border)
Strategic Route Destination – white text or
Strategic
legends on blue inlay (no border)
Main Roadway Destinations
Local Minor Arterial Route Destination – white text
Black text or legends on white sign Minor Arterial
(black border) or legends on green inlay (no border)
Local Route Destination – no inlay Local
Additional notes:
Direction to a route may be identified with use of the appropriate route identification icon including identifier icons for strategic routes
and the A, B, C, D, and E ring roadways.
Tourist destinations (on any sign) should be signed with white text or legends on brown inlay (no border)
Direction to the city center may be identified with use of the city center icon.
Direction to an approved special district should be signed with colored inlays in accordance with the unique color approved for the
special district in question.
Where a route has been designated a truck route, it may be signed with the use of an appropriately colored inlay (white text or
legends on black inlay).
Figure 2.1 Color Coding Requirements for Directional Guide Signs
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2.5.11 Use of Arrows

The design of arrows used on directional guide signing is limited to the specific types
prescribed in Table 2.5 and shall be used in compliance with the relevant
requirements.
Table 2.5 Types of Arrows and Permitted Use
Directional Guide Signing Arrows
Description Use Permitted for Not permitted for
Down Arrow Gantry Signs G300 (lane‐ All directional guide signing Any ground‐mounted
specific only) that provides lane‐specific directional guide signs
information directly above the
running lane to which the
information refers (including
where the lane in question is
a dedicated exit lane).
Divert Arrow Gantry Signs G300 (lane‐ May only be used for signing a Any intersection, interchange
specific only) where lane ends discontinuous running lane. or any exit lane
and merges into adjacent lane

Up Arrow Stack Signs G306, Lane Signs Signing of through traffic for Any directional guide signing
G301 and Gantry Signs G300 all directional guide signing that provides lane‐specific
(non‐lane‐specific only) that provides lane‐specific information directly above
information offset from the the running lane to which the
running lane to which the information refers
information refers.

Diverge / Free Flow Gantry Signs G301 panel (non‐ Signing of dedicated diverging At‐grade intersections
Arrow lane‐specific only) (exit) traffic for all directional Any directional guide signing
guide signing that provides that provides lane‐specific
lane‐specific information information directly above
offset from the running lane the running lane to which the
to which the information information refers. May not
refers. be used in conjunction with
down arrows.
Turn Arrow Gantry Signs G300 (lane‐ Signing of immediate exits at Grade separated interchanges
specific only) at‐grade intersections. Two
permitted variations (with
arrow rotated at +/‐45
degrees to horizontal) where
arrow angle will assist driver
navigation.
Staggered Turn Arrow Gantry Signs G300 (lane‐ Signing of secondary Grade separated interchanges
specific only) where lane ends (downstream) exits at at‐
and merges into adjacent lane grade intersections. Two
permitted variations (with
arrow rotated at +/‐45

degrees to horizontal) where
arrow angle will assist driver
navigation.
U‐turn Arrow Stack Signs G306 (arrow Signs in advance of signalized/ Grade separated interchanges
should only point to the left) un‐signalized roundabouts
and intersections in advance
of a U‐turn.

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Table 2.6 Design and Use of Countdown Markers
Countdown Markers
Lane Closest to the Median Roadway Lane Closest to the Shoulder
Distance upstream of
intersection reference point =
300 m
W111-R
W111-L
200 m
W110-L W110-R
100 m
W109-L W109-R
Countdown markers shall be color coded in accordance with the requirements defined
in Section 2.5.10.
2.6.2 Intersection Merge Signs

Intersection merge signs shall be provided at all locations of merging traffic on high-
speed roadways, i.e., expressways and freeways. On low speed roadways, such as
urban arterials, intersection merge signs are not be required. This subject is also
included in Chapter 7, Section 7.3.2 of Part 2: General Road Signs.
Intersection merge signs shall be representative of the configuration of merge including

illustration of where traffic joins by either an additional lane (signs G115 and G116) or
through merging into existing lanes (signs G117 and G118).
Where entry ramps merge into existing lanes, mainline intersection merge signs shall
be provided upstream of the merge point and indicate the distance to the subsequent
merge.
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Intersection merge signs shall be designed as illustrated in Table 2.7 below.
Table 2.7 Design and Use of Intersection Merge Signs
Intersection Merge Signs
Sign on Through Traffic Roadway Situation Sign on joining Ramp
Single lane entry ramp

with dedicated lane gain
G115
G116
Single lane entry merge

into continuous running
lane
G118
G117
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2.6.3 Route Identification Symbols

For ease of navigation, the route identification symbols shall be displayed on all
directional guide signing using the appropriate legend detailed below.
Sign G400 for identification of strategic

routes (directional signing and route
identification guide signs).
G400
Sign G401 for identification of freeways

and expressways (directional signing and
route identification guide signing).
G401
Symbol S136 for identification of any of

the Doha ring roads (directional signing
and route identification guide signs).
S136
Symbol S137 for identification of routes

towards the city center (directional
guide signing only).
S137
Where a route, which itself is not classified, leads directly to a numbered route, the
number of that route may be displayed in brackets on the ADS and directional guide
signs associated with the unclassified roadway. This principle is illustrated in Sign G304.
In addition to provision at intersections, route identification signs may be installed at

systematic intervals along the route. Where route identification signs are installed
along the route, the spacing of signs should not exceed 10 km.
Route identification signs may be installed

with a supplementary information panel
as illustrated in sign G402. Permitted
supplementary information is limited to
direction of travel of the route (“North”,
“East”, “South”, and “West”) and
identification of start and end of the route
G402
(“Begin” and “End”).
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Route confirmation signs inform road users that they have successfully navigated the
intersection.
Sign G403 is located after a point of exit

from a roadway to inform road users
that they have successfully navigated
the intersection and are proceeding
toward their intended destination.
Sign G403 should be located on the

right-hand side of the roadway after the
G403 point of exit from an intersection.
2.6.5 Intersection and Interchange Identification Signs

Intersections/Interchanges may be identified by name or number.
Where intersections/interchanges are identified by name, intersection/ interchange

identification signs shall be provided as follows.
Grade separated interchanges shall be

identified with addition of an interchange
identification sign G404 installed on all
directional guide signs.
When sign G404 is located with ADS, it

includes distance information “x km” to
G404
the next interchange ahead below the
interchange name.
At-grade intersections shall be identified

with installation of an intersection
identification sign G405 at locations
where road users have an unobstructed
view of the sign for each intersection
G405 approach.
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2.6.6 Permitted Abbreviations for Interchange Identification Signs

The prescribed abbreviations listed in Table 2.8 are approved for use on interchange
identification signs.
Table 2.8 Permitted Abbreviations for Interchange Identification Signs

Acceptable Abbreviations Meaning
Shk Sheikh
R/A Roundabout
I/C Interchange
Use of any non-prescribed abbreviations is subject to authorization by the Overseeing

Organization.
2.6.7 Gore Exit Signs

The purpose of gore exit signs is to indicate the physical nose of the exit ramp, or to
indicate the physical nose of the split in an exit ramp.
Gore exit signs are used in the following ways:
Sign G314 is to be used at the exit ramps

from freeways and arterial roadways at
interchanges.
G314
Sign G315 is to be used at grade-

separated intersections and where the
exit ramp splits into two branches.
G315
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2.6.8 Reference Route Markers

Reference route markers are intended for the use of the Overseeing Organization and
traffic police.
Route reference marker sign G406 shall

be provided on all numbered routes to
form a Route Referencing System.
The information contained on the sign is

intended for use by the Overseeing
Organization and the traffic police for
their various purposes. Therefore, the
G406
sign should be installed in such a fashion
so as not to distract other road users.
Sign G406 should be mounted on

demarcation posts.
On two lane roadways, sign G406 should

be placed on the right hand side of the
roadway.
On multi-lane roadways, e.g., freeways,

sign G406 should be placed on both
sides of the roadway.
2.7 Permitted Use of Regulatory or Warning Legends on

Directional Guide Signing
There are circumstances where it may be beneficial to include information provided by
regulatory or warning signs on directional guide signing.
This may be achieved by including the relevant regulatory or warning sign legend on
the directional guide sign in question.
When included on directional guide signing, the sign shall be designed to clearly
illustrate the route to which the regulatory or warning sign is applicable:
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1. Map signs – the regulatory or warning sign shall be placed over the route it is
referencing.
2. Stack signs – regulatory or warning signs may only be placed on stack signs if the
message is appropriate to all routes that may be accessed from the lane or
direction for which it is providing direction. In such cases, the regulatory or warning
sign should be placed within the relevant portion of the stack sign.
3. Lane and gantry signs – the regulatory or warning sign should be placed within the
relevant portion of the sign.
4. Flag signs – the regulatory or warning sign should be placed within the flag sign.
Detailed guidance is provided in Part 7: Design Guide for Traffic Signs and the working
drawings of signs contained within Volume 3: Technical Drawings. Permitted use of
regulatory sign legends is limited to the following information:
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No-through-roadway routes may be

signed with a “No Through Roadway”
sign G119 for map type signs and a
traditional “No Through Roadway”
legend for stack and flag type signs.
G119
Vehicle-specific prohibition (such as,

classification, weight, height, width, and
length) may be signed with the
appropriate regulatory sign included on
map, stack, or flag type signs as
appropriate. For this application, signs
R122, R123, R124, R125, R126, R127
R128, R129, R130, R131, and R132 are
R131
permitted for use.
Turning movement restrictions may be

signed with the appropriate regulatory
sign included on map, stack, or flag type
signs as appropriate. For this application,
signs R115-L, R115-R, and R116 are
permitted for use.
R115-L/R
Access restrictions may be signed with

the appropriate regulatory signs R117,
R504, and R510, included on map type
sign only.
R117
Permitted use of warning sign legends is limited to the following information:
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Width constraints, such as narrowing

roads. For this application, signs W203,
W204-L/R, and W205 are permitted for
use.
W203
Height constraints, such as low bridges.

For this application, sign W404 is
permitted for use.
W404
Geometrical or topographical
constraints, such as steep hills. For this
application, signs W402, W403, and
W423 are permitted for use.
W423
Roadway conditions, such as, drifting

sand, uneven surface, slippery roadway,
and risk of falling rocks with permitted
legend as prescribed in Part 2: General
Road Signs. For this application, signs
W411, W413, W420, and W510 are
W420 permitted for use.
General warning signs relating to

different users or transport related
warnings. For this application, signs
W406, W410, W421, W500, W501, and
W508 are permitted for use.
W410
Where deployed, the use of regulatory and warning sign legends shall comply with Parts
2 and 3 of this Manual, respectively. The following is an example of using regulatory
and warning legends on directional guide signing.
The example of a roundabout is used.
1. The route from exit 1 (Industrial Area) is subject to a trucks’ prohibition.

2. The route from exit 2 (Doha) passes under a low bridge.
3. The route from exit 3 (Al Maqran) is a no through roadway.
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A map type sign G309 may be used for directional guide signing on the approach to the
roundabout.
G309
Stack type sign G310 may be used for directional guide signing on the approach to the
roundabout.
G310
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A lane type sign G311 may be used for directional guide signing on the approach to the
roundabout.
G311
A gantry sign could be used if required.
G312
Flag type signs G313, may be used for directional guide signing at the three exits on the
roundabout.
G313
2.8 Permitted Use of Other Signs on Directional Guide

Signing: Toll Roadways
Where directional guide signing provides route information to a toll roadway, this shall
be displayed on the relevant ADS and directional guide signs as appropriate. Toll signs
and their design requirements are included in Chapter 9 of Part 2: General Road Signs
and Section 4.1.2.
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When included on directional guide signing, the toll roadway sign shall be designed such
that it clearly illustrates the route to which the toll roadway sign is applicable, as
follows:
1. Map signs – the toll roadway sign should be placed over the route it is referencing.
2. Stack signs – toll roadway signs may only be placed on stack signs if the message is
appropriate to all routes that may be accessed from the lane or direction for which
it is providing direction. In such cases, the toll roadway sign should be placed within
the relevant portion of the stack sign.
3. Flag signs – the toll roadway sign should be placed within the flag sign.
2.9 Typical Layout Drawings

The requirements of this section are illustrated in a number of layout drawings
contained in Appendix A.
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3 Community and Local

Wayfinding
3.1 Street Names
3.1.1 Provision of Street Name Signs
Street name signs are installed at intersections to enable efficient recognition of the
street name by all road users.
Street name signs shall be provided as follows:
1. Street name signs shall be installed at every intersection.

2. Street name signs are not required for continuous routes at intersections that only
involve traffic joining from adjacent minor routes.
3. It shall be confirmed that street name signs are provided at regular intervals along
the destination route in question.
4. Signs shall be installed at locations where they are clearly visible and conspicuous
for all road users.
5. Design, layout, content, and color combinations of street name signs shall comply
with the requirements of Section 3.1.2.
6. Abbreviations used on street name signs shall comply with the permitted
abbreviations provided in Section 3.1.3.
3.1.2 Design of Street Name Signs

Major street name sign G500 shall be black
text on a white background with black border.
Sign G500 is installed only on signal mast

G500 arms.
Local street name sign G501 shall have a

different border layout from major street
name signs and is used to indicate local
residential streets.
G501
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Residential street name sign G502 is used at

intersections of local residential streets.
G502
Street name signs shall include the street name in both Arabic and English and shall
indicate (where appropriate) the directions for which the street name is appropriate.
Arrows should be provided on the side of the legend representative of the roadway
network (i.e., right arrows should be placed to the right of text, left arrows should be
placed to the left of text). Arrows on street name signs are only provided for the signal
mast-arm-mounted signs.
If a street has the same name on both sides of an intersection, a single street name sign
is sufficient for identification.
If a street changes names across an intersection, then two street name signs should be
provided. In such situations, the street name signs should be installed such that it
appears representative of the roadway network (i.e., the street name sign for the street
to the right should be installed to the right of the street name sign for the street to the
left).
3.1.3 Permitted Abbreviations for Street Name Signs

Abbreviations that are permitted for use on street name signs are detailed in Table 3.1.
Table 3.1 Permitted Abbreviations for Street Name Signs
Permitted Abbreviations Meaning
Shk Sheikh
St Street
Rd Roadway
Ave Avenue
Bvd Boulevard
Use of any non-permitted abbreviations is subject to authorization by the Overseeing

Organization before use.
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3.2 Town or Area Names

Sign G503 indicates to road users the
name of the town or area that they are
entering. The sign should be erected at
the start of the built up area.
G503
Sign G504 indicates to road users that

they are leaving the particular town or
area. The sign should be erected at the
end of the built up area.
G504
3.3 District Navigation
Sign G505 may be used to identify

residential districts within a specific
town or area and shall be installed at
the meeting point between adjacent
zones and municipalities.
G505
Additionally, there is an option for district-specific color-coding of directional guide

signs with the agreement of the Overseeing Organization. If implemented, this option
should include the following:
• Unique color-coded inlays included on all directional guide signing that provides
direction to the district
• Unique color-coded signs (restricted to stack or flag type only) for all signs
associated with wayfinding within the district
The provision of district-specific color-coding of directional guide signs is permitted for

both government and privately operated roadways with the agreement of the
Overseeing Organization.
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If such signing is agreed, district-specific color-coded directional guide signs shall be

provided in compliance with the requirements for directional guide signing.
Before installation of district-specific color-coded signs, the Overseeing Organization

must receive an application for authorization. The Overseeing Organization shall
consider and where appropriate authorize applications. In the case of approved
applications, the Overseeing Organization shall provide confirmation of the color to be
used.
The standard colors (red, blue, green, yellow, and brown) shall not be used as
background colors for district navigation systems.
The design of all signs incorporating district-specific color-coding shall be submitted to

the Overseeing Organization for authorization before installation.
3.4 Facility Navigation

Service facilities that meet the requirements of Section 3.4.8 may be signed with blue
signs with white text or legends and a white border. Sign provision shall comply with
the requirements of Section 3.4.1.
Tourist attractions that meet the requirements of Section 3.4.5 may be signed with
brown signs with white text or legends and a white border. Sign provision shall comply
with the requirements of Section 3.4.1.
All other facilities may be signed with the use of standard directional guide signing as
appropriate. Sign provision shall comply with the requirements of Section 3.4.1.
3.4.1 Determining the Use of Facility Signs

The process for selecting the provision of facility signs is presented in Figure 3.1.
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Figure 3.1 The Process for Selecting the Provision of Facility Signs
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3.4.2 Acceptable Provision of Facility Signs for Permitted Facilities

For facilities that may be signed, provision of signing shall comply with the
requirements shown in Table 3.2.
Table 3.2 Provision of Facilities Signs

Access to Facility is from:
Strategic Route Arterial Route Local Route
Permitted use of relevant
Permitted use of relevant
colored flag style FADS,
colored flag style ADS and
ADS and directional guide Permitted use of relevant
directional guide signs for
signs for intersections
intersections where colored flag style ADS and
Dedicated access where directional guide
directional guide signing is directional guide signs for
route or signing is not required
not required unless intersections where
intersection unless intersection
intersection severity directional guide signing is
severity mandates
mandates ground- or not required
ground- or gantry-
gantry-mounted
mounted directional guide
directional guide signing
signing
Permitted use of relevant Permitted use of relevant Permitted use of relevant
colored inlay included on colored inlay included on colored inlay included on
Shared access relevant intersection relevant intersection relevant intersection
route or directional guide signing directional guide signing directional guide signing
intersection (FADS, ADS, directional, (FADS, ADS, directional, (FADS, ADS, directional,
and confirmation guide and confirmation guide and confirmation guide
signs) signs) signs)
For facilities that are signed by dedicated flag style signs, only the flag type directional
guide sign may include indication of distance to the facility. Permitted formats for the
distance displayed is “X00 m” (distance rounded to the nearest multiple of 100 meters)
or “X km” (distance rounded to the nearest kilometer). Examples of permitted designs
are illustrated below.
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Tourist sign G506 with no distance

displayed
G506
Tourist sign G506 with distance in meters
displayed (rounded to nearest 100 meters)
G506
Tourist sign G506 with distance in
kilometers displayed (rounded to nearest
kilometer)
G506
For facilities that are signed, the directional signing as prescribed in the requirements
in Table 3.2 may be supported by a supplementary information sign.
Supplementary sign G507 should be used for

facilities signed at locations where ADS and FADS
are not required.
The design may be varied to provide a route

number or a place name (as appropriate). In these
cases, the route number or place name should be
consistent with the destination identified for the
relevant route on the directional guide sign for the
G507
intersection in question.
Additionally, “follow” and the street name may be

replaced with to “exit at next intersection” or “exit
at” and the name of the intersection.
3.4.3 Facilities Signs

Facilities signs provide information to the road user on how to find services. Facilities
signs cover public transport, mosques, food, lodging, repairs, fuel, medical, recreational
areas, retail, and general information.
Facility signs for which signing is permitted are detailed in Section 3.4.8.
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3.4.4 Parking Facilities

Parking facility signs are also discussed in Chapter 5,
Section 5.4 of Part 2: General Road Signs.
Parking facilities that are open to the public may be signed

with a blue parking sign G100.
G100 Parking facilities may be signed on directional guide signing as

appropriate. For paid parking facilities with access control,
the parking charges must be clearly displayed at the entrance
to the parking facilities such that road users can choose to
enter or not.
Roadside parking may be signed at the roadside only. Paid

roadside parking must be clearly identified with a
supplementary sign detailing, as a minimum, the hours for
which charging applies and identification of payment
facilities.
3.4.5 Tourist Signs

Tourist signs may be provided for attractions as permitted by Section 3.4.10.
Additionally, tourist signs may be provided only if the following conditions are met; the
facility must:
1. Have tourism as their core business activity and provide a tourism experience.
2. Have all relevant government approvals to operate as a tourist facility.
3. Be open to the public without prior booking during the facility’s normal opening
hours.
4. Be open on weekends and at least 3 other days of the week, as well as public and
school holidays.
5. Be open for a minimum of 7 hours per day on the days the attraction is open.
6. Display clearly at the entry point the days and hours of operation.
7. Provide clean and conveniently located toilets, including toilets suitable for
disabled users.
8. Provide adequate off-street parking, including dedicated spaces for disabled

visitors and for buses or coaches and other large vehicles if such vehicles are ever
expected.
9. Have a parking entrance that is in a safe location and that is designed to appropriate
standards for traffic using it and the traffic volume along the roadway.
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10. Have information about the facility available at nearby and regional tourist
information centers, with hours of operation, admission prices, location, and
directions.
11. Be appropriately signed within the property line, including clear indication about
parking, so that it is easily identifiable to passing road users.
12. Have appropriately trained visitor contact staff on duty throughout hours of
operation of the tourist facility.
3.4.6 Other Facilities

Signing of other facilities identified in Section 3.4.8 shall be as directed in Section 3.4.1.
3.4.7 Service Signs for Rest Areas

Service signs are provided for rest areas, these comprise advance signs to inform road
users of services on the roadway ahead or on a side roadway and position signs to mark
the location of the service or the turn off.
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Sign G508 is an example of a sign giving the

distance ahead to where services for fuel,
parking, light refreshments, and toilets are
available for all vehicles.
This sign should be located on the right hand
side of the roadway at a distance of 50 m from
the facilities for approach speeds of up to 50
G508 kph and 100 m for approach speeds over 50
kph.
Other symbols that may be added to this
particular sign include:
• S127 “wheelchair” symbol (denoting
S127 S139
facilities for disabled people)
• S139 “bed” symbol (denoting hotel or
overnight accommodation)
• S140 “spoon and fork” symbol (denoting
S140 S148
restaurant)
• S148 “information office” symbol
• S151 “shopping area/center” symbol
S151 Signs for services should be shown in both

Arabic and English text.
Sign G509 is a variant of sign G508 where the

services shown on this particular sign are for
truck use only.
The character heights of sign G508 and G509

should be:
• 170 mm aleph-height (100 mm x–height)

for a roadway with an 85th percentile
posted speed of 80 kph
• 255 mm aleph-height (150 mm x–height)
G508 G509 for a roadway with an 85th percentile
posted speed of over 80 kph
3.4.8 Summary of Signing Provision for Facilities, Services, and Tourist

Information
A summary of the facilities, services, and tourist information for which signing is
permitted or not permitted is given in Table 3.3.
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Table 3.3 Facilities and Services Information for which Signing is Permitted or
not Permitted
Should be signed May be signed May not be signed
FACILITY/ SERVICE SIGNS • Airport • Freight ports • Government
State, local authority, • Bus stations (water, air, Buildings
and public services • Rail stations roadway, or rail) • Police Stations
• Tramway stations • First aid station • Fire Stations
• Ferry stations • Places offering • Armed Forces
• Water bus stations services, such as, Facilities
• Hospitals refreshments, • Schools
toilets, and • Mosques without
accommodation specific dedicated
with dedicated parking areas
parking
• Petrol stations and
breakdown services
• Parking facilities
• Weighbridge
• Mosques with
specific dedicated
parking areas
TOURIST SIGNS • Khalifa • Other sporting • Any other private
(BROWN) International facilities that hold sports club or
Tourism, sport, and Stadium and other organized facility
recreation World Cup 2022 competition open
football stadiums for national and
• Khalifa international
International Tennis competitors
and Squash • Souk Waqif
Complex • Public parks,
• Doha Golf Club wildlife reserves,
• Doha Sports City and picnic areas
• Historic and
educational sites
• Hotels
OTHER FACILITIES • Aspire Academy • Shopping malls with • Any other
(TRADITIONAL • Qatar Science Park dedicated parking shopping districts
DIRECTIONAL GUIDE • Qatar University • Significant trade that are not
SIGNING) districts (such as, explicitly permitted
Industrial and Animal and Pet within “may be
commercial Market, Thursday signed”
and Friday Market,
Wholesale Market,
Omani Souk)
3.4.9 Approved Symbols

The symbols listed in Table 3.4 are approved for use in the signing of facilities and
services as prescribed in Section 3.4.8.
When used as stand-alone signs, these symbols shall be placed on blue background sign
G510, an example of which is shown in Figure 3.2.
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Figure 3.2 Airport Symbol S111 shown on Blue Background Sign G510
Those symbols that can be used on blue background sign G510 are specified in column
4 of the table. Otherwise, the symbols can be incorporated into directional guide signs.
For the design of signs with symbols, see Chapter 10 of Part 7: Design Guide for Traffic
Signs.
Table 3.4 Approved Symbols

For use with Sign
Symbol No. Symbol
G510
S103 Bus station Yes
S111 Airport Yes
(See note)
S125 Tram/train station Yes
S127 Disabled access No
S138 Hospital Yes
S139 Hotel or motel Yes
S140 Restaurant Yes
S141 Refreshments Yes
Public parks, wildlife reserves, Yes

S142 and picnic areas
S143 Camp site Yes
S144 First aid station Yes
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For use with Sign

Symbol No. Symbol
G510
S145 Public telephone Yes
S146 Petrol filling station Yes
S147 Breakdown service Yes
S148 Information office Yes
S149 Mosque Yes
S150 Port Yes
S151 Shopping area/ center Yes
S157 Water bus Yes
S158 Ferry Yes
Note:
The airport symbol shall be turned with the nose of the plane following the direction arrow.
3.4.10 Approved Tourist Symbols

The symbols listed in Table 3.5 are approved for use in the signing of tourist facilities as
prescribed in Section 3.4.5. Tourist symbols are used to denote specific tourist
destinations only and care must be taken to make certain that only genuine
destinations are signed using these symbols so as not to devalue their use. Tourist signs
should always have a brown background with a white symbol. When introduced onto
a non-tourist-specific sign the symbol and any accompanying text should be placed
within a brown panel.
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Table 3.5 Approved Tourist Symbols

Symbol No. Symbol
S300 Golf course
S301 Zoo
S302 Cricket ground
S303 Historic fort or historic building
S304 Nature reserve
S305 Horse racetrack
S306 Beach
S307 Marina
S308 Youth hostel
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Symbol No. Symbol
S309 Theme park
S310 Museum
S311 Camel racing
S312 Scenic view
S313 Football stadium
S314 Motor sports
S315 Swimming or water park
S316 Cinema
S317 Theater
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Symbol No. Symbol
S318 Tennis and squash center
S319 Off-road vehicle trails
S320 Windsurfing
S321 Library
S322 Falconry center
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4 General Information Signs

General information signs or other devices that do not have any traffic control purpose
shall not be located where they will interfere with, detract from, or distract attention
away from any traffic control device.
Any unauthorized traffic control device, sign, display, or information board that
provides unnecessary distraction can be removed from the roadway network.
General information signs shall be sized and sited appropriately to the approach speed
of traffic on the route in question, as shown in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1 Requirements for General Information Signs
Symbol or Legend Size (See Note 1) Character Height Minimum Clear

85th Percentile
Aleph-height Visibility Distance
Approach Speed (See Note 2)
Sign Available in Sign Available in (x-height)
(kph)
Two Sizes Three Sizes (mm) (m)
Less than or equal 60

Small Small 85 (50)
to 60
> 60 to less than or 75

Large Medium 130 (75)
equal to 80
> Over 80 Large Large 170 (100) 100
Note 1 Sizes for prescribed legends are defined in Part 7, Design Guidelines for Traffic Signs.
Note 2 Slender obstructions, such as, traffic signal poles and lamp columns may be ignored.
mm millimeter
4.1 Permitted Use of General Information Signs

General information signs may be deployed as described within subsequent sections.
Any general information signs not explicitly permitted within this section are subject to
approval before deployment.
Requests for approval of general information signs should be referred to the Overseeing
Organization.
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4.1.1 New Road Layout Ahead

New roadway layouts may be signed
with a new road layout ahead sign G120.
The new road layout ahead sign should

be installed for a recommended period
of 6 months and not exceeding 1 year.
Site-specific signs can be used to
highlight a new intersection or facility
G120 type. The permitted legends are:
• New road layout ahead

• New intersection ahead
• New pedestrian crossing ahead
• New traffic signals ahead
• New roundabout ahead
• No left turn ahead
• No right turn ahead
• No U-turn ahead
4.1.2 Signs for Toll Roadways
Details of toll roadway signs are also

included in Chapter 9 of Part 2, General
Road Signs. Toll roads may be signed
with a purple sign W430. The color of
the sign should be as specified in the
current version of the Qatar
Construction Specifications.
W430
Toll roadway signs shall be provided on
the approach to all toll roadways and
the first toll roadway signs must be
provided sufficiently upstream of the
last exit point such that an alternative
route can be taken.
Wherever practicable, toll roadway

signs shall be provided on the
directional guide signing for the
intersection from which the toll
roadway route originates.
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4.1.3 Signs for Emergency Roadside Telephones

Where emergency roadside telephones
are provided, sign G121 shall be
provided to highlight the location of
emergency telephones.
Supplementary signs may be provided to

indicate direction to the nearest
telephone. These supplementary signs
may include an indication of the distance
(in meters) to the nearest telephone in
the direction that is signed.
G121
4.1.4 Signs for Military Purposes
Signs G122 and G123 are used to direct

road users to military installations.
Sign G122 is a stack type ADS and sign

G122 G123 is a flag type advance directional
guide sign.
For signs G122 and G123, the format

and use is the same.
However, the use of red borders and

arrows is specific to military installations
G123 only.
4.1.5 Fire Station Hard Standing

Sign G124 is used to inform road users
that there is a hard standing for fire
engines along the edge of the roadway.
G124 Sign G124 should be located at the

beginning of the hard standing in the
direction of travel.
Sign G124 is shown as English text only.
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4.1.6 Fire Engine Access — Keep Clear

Sign G125 is used to instruct road users
to keep the access clear for fire engines.
Sign G125 should be located on the side

of the roadway where accesses for fire
G125 engines occur.
Sign G125 is shown in English text only.
4.1.7 Park and Ride

Sign G213, variant G213.1, and sign G214
are used to inform road users of park-and-
ride facilities in the area in which they are
travelling.
Park-and-ride signs must be in place on all

G213 access routes to the park-and-ride facility.
Sign G213 and its variant G213.1 and sign

G214 should be located on the right hand
side of the roadway on all approaches to
the park-and-ride facility.
G213.1
G214
4.1.8 Electronic Parking Information

For details of signs that provide electronic parking information, refer to the Ashghal ITS
Deployment Manual (2013) and relevant Specifications.
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4.1.9 Abnormal Loads Parking Point

carrying abnormal loads that they
should wait at the point indicated by the
location of the sign.
G126
4.1.10 Start of Divided Roadway

Sign G127 should only be provided in
situations where a single roadway
widens to a divided roadway for a length
of at least 400 m.
Sign G127 should be located on the right

hand side of the roadway in advance of
G127 the transition from a single to a divided
roadway. The siting distance for this
sign, which is normally measured back
from the nose of the central hatch
marking at the start of the divided
roadway, is shown in Table 4.2.
G128 Further advance warning of a distance of

up to 3 km may also be given by sign
G128. This sign encourages road users to
delay overtaking until the divided
roadway is reached.
Table 4.2 Siting Details for Divided Roadway Ahead Sign G127
Distance of Sign from Nose of Hatch Marking
85th Percentile Approach Speed (kph)
(m)
Less than or equal to 45 40 - 50
> 45 to less than or equal to 60 50 - 60
> 60 to less than or equal to 80 100 - 200
> Over 80 200 - 300
m meter
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4.1.11 Private Access Signs

Signs G129 to G132 may be used to
indicate access points for private
premises where there are two or more
accesses to the main roadway.
G129 G130 These signs are normally erected in pairs

with signs G129 and G130 back to back
and signs G131 and G132 back to back.
G131 G132
4.1.12 Red Light Camera Sign

that red light enforcement cameras are
present at traffic signals following on the
route from where this sign is located.
G135 Sign G135 should be located on the right

hand side of the roadway on all
approaches to the red light enforced
traffic signals and may also be located in
the median of a divided roadway, where
applicable, providing that sufficient space
exists for the sign.
4.1.13 Truck Parks
Sign G136 is used to direct truck drivers to

designated parking areas for trucks.
Sign G136 should be located on the right-

hand side of the roadway. The distance
shown on the sign may be varied.
G136
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4.1.14 Directions to Emergency Exit for Pedestrians from a Tunnel
Sign G137 is used to direct pedestrians

leaving vehicles in emergencies, such as
a tunnel fire, to an emergency exit.
A bilingual legend specifying the

distance to the emergency exit may be
added to the sign.
Sign G137 should be positioned at

locations that are clearly visible to all
pedestrians inside the tunnel.
G137
4.1.15 Safety Campaigns

The design and installation of safety campaign signs shall be approved on a case-by-
case basis. Approval shall cover the design, layout, and text on the sign and location of
the signs.
4.1.16 Advertising Signs

Signs are not permitted for purpose of advertisement. Any such signs considered an
unnecessary distraction to road users may be removed.
4.2 Use of Times and Dates on General Information Signs

Where appropriate to the information relayed, use of times and dates is permitted on
general information signs.
Dates shall be displayed as:
• Date he – cardinal number format, the use of ordinals (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) is
prohibited.
• Month – text may be abbreviated in the format prescribed by Section 4.3.
• Year – full four digit cardinal number format shall be used
For example, the 18 December 2012 shall be displayed as either 18 December 2012 or
18 Dec 2012. Use of numbers to refer to months is prohibited; for this example,
18/12/12 or 12/18/12 is prohibited. In addition, use of public holiday names is
prohibited; for this example, Qatar National Day 2012 is prohibited. Unless specifically
required for the message; the use of days of the week shall be avoided.
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Time shall be displayed in the 24-hour clock format with hours and minutes punctuated
by a full stop. For example, 2 p.m. shall be displayed as 14.00.
If a period is to be provided (for example, estimation of journey time or delay), this

should be displayed in number of minutes or hours and minutes as appropriate. For
example, journey time to Doha is “1 hr 30 mins”. Any other format of time (such as
1½ hrs, 1.5 hrs, or 1:30) is prohibited.
4.3 Permitted Abbreviations for Information Signs

The list of acceptable abbreviations for information signs are given in Table 4.3.
Table 4.3 Permitted Abbreviations for Information Signs

Acceptable Abbreviations Meaning
Jan January
Feb February
Mar March
Apr April
May May
Jun June
Jul July
Aug August
Sep September
Oct October
Nov November
Dec December
mins minutes
hrs hours
Use of any non-prescribed abbreviations shall be subject to authorization by the

Overseeing Organization before use.
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5 Temporary Signs
Temporary signs should be identical in design to the permanent sign, but with
incorporation of a yellow background. This requirement is applicable to temporary
signs including regulatory, warning, and guide:
• Regulatory – black text or legend on yellow background within red circular border.
More details of these signs can also be found in Chapter 2 of Part 2: General Road
Signs
• Warning– black text or legend on yellow background within red triangular border.
More details of these signs can also be found in Chapter 3 of Part 2: General Road
Signs
• Guide (including diversion signs) – black text or legends on yellow background with
black border
Examples of yellow background signs are temporary signs for road works and are
covered in detail in Part 9: Traffic Control Devices for Works on Roads and Temporary
Traffic Management.
Sign G600 is used to warn road users that

the traffic signals they are approaching
are temporarily out of service. The sign
must be removed as soon as the signals
become operational.
G600
5.1 Emergency Management Signs

Temporary signs may be used to control traffic and manage congestion in the event of
emergencies. In such circumstances, temporary emergency management signs may be
used only for:
• Securing and making safe the location of the emergency

• Traffic management to facilitate access for emergency response
• Queue protection for traffic approaching the location of the emergency
• Traffic information relating to the emergency
• Traffic diversions if necessary
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Sign G601 may be used by a Traffic

Police Officer to indicate that temporary
restrictions are in operation over a short
length of roadway, e.g., at the scene of
an incident.
G601 The permitted legends are:
• Police – Crash
• Police – Slow
• Police – Fire
5.2 Special Events

Signing for these events is summarized in Table 5.1.
Table 5.1 Special Events Signing

Information for All Road Users
Signing Provide information relating to the event such that road users can plan accordingly:
before the • Date and time of event (start and finish if appropriate)
Event • Indication of expected delay (location, duration and extents)
• Details of roadway closures
Information for Road Users Information for Road Users not Attending the
Attending the Event Event
Signing
during the Provide direction to the event Provide information regarding the nature of the
Event including specific information relating delay (for example, the location, duration, and
to parking facilities (for example, “Car extents of delay) and options for alternative
Park D”, and “Coaches”). routes.
5.2.1 Special Provision for the 2022 World Cup

For the duration of the 2022 World Cup, a number of temporary signs will be dedicated
to providing information in relation to the World Cup.
Permitted signs are prescribed as follows:
• Direction and travel information for match bound traffic, including provision for
color-coding inlays for car parking facilities
• Information for other road users (advance information of closures or delays) and
route signing for diversions
• Special provision for temporary taxi ranks at match venues on match days. (This
signing provision includes directions for taxi drivers as well as signs for pedestrians
directing them to the nearest taxi rank.)
• Official 2022 FIFA World CupTM logos and corporate branding on all world
cup signing.
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5.3 Use of Dynamic Message Signs

5.3.1 Use of DMS
Dynamic message signs (DMS) may be used to provide information, such as, roadway
closures, travel time, and diversion routes for certain applications.
5.3.2 Types of DMS Messages

The two categories of DMS message, tactical and strategic, are summarized as follows:
• Tactical messages – the purpose of tactical messages is to provide the road user
with advance warning of issues in the immediate vicinity of the roadway network
such that the road user can take appropriate action (such as, stop, slow down, or
change lane). Tactical messages shall always focus on providing queue protection
legends that warn of an incident that is immediately ahead.
• Strategic messages – the purpose of strategic messages is to provide the road user
with advance warning of issues on the roadway network (either the roadway on
which they are travelling on or other routes) such that the road user can make an
informed decision (such as route selection) about their onward journey. No
strategic messages shall be displayed within the tactical message signing area until
the incident in question has ended and the relevant tactical signs have
been removed.
5.3.3 Acceptable Applications

Typical applications for which DMS can be used are:
• Crashes
• Road works
• Congestion
• New roadway layouts
• Special events
Additionally, DMS may be used for other initiatives (such as safety campaigns) as
authorized by the Overseeing Organization. All such initiatives shall be authorized by
the Overseeing Organization before implementation.
DMS shall not be used for advertising purposes.
5.3.4 DMS Messages Content

DMS messages shall be authorized by the Overseeing Organization before use.
DMS messages should consist of the elements or statements shown in Table 5.2.
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Table 5.2 DMS Message Construction

Element Purpose Example Requirement
Conveys the type and location of Mandatory
Problem Statement Crash on Route 3.
the problem or incident.
Conveys the consequence of the
Effect Statement Roadway Closed. Desirable
problem or incident.
Attention Conveys a message for an intended Desirable where
Doha Traffic.
Statement group of road users. applicable
Conveys a course of action to be Mandatory
Action Statement Follow Diversion.
taken by road users.
5.3.5 Pictograms and Legends

DMS pictograms and legends may be configured to display white text or symbols on
black backgrounds, or black text or symbols on white backgrounds as appropriate to
the DMS technology that is to be used. Additionally, red roundels and green arrows can
be used.
The following pictograms and legends can be used:
Mandatory posted speed sign E104
E104
Height restriction sign E105
E105
Traffic closure on approach to tunnels

sign E106
E106
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Traffic management on approach to

tunnels sign E107
E107
HGV prohibition sign E108
E108
This is not an exhaustive list of pictograms and legends. For a full set of pictograms and
legends, refer to the Ashghal ITS Deployment Manual (2013).
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Appendix A
Typical Layout Drawings
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Volume 1

Acronyms and Abbreviations ....................................................................................................v

1 General Introduction ......................................................................................................1

2 Directional Guide Signing ................................................................................................5

2.6.4 Route Confirmation Signs ........................................................................... 26

3 Community and Local Wayfinding ................................................................................ 35

4 General Information Signs ............................................................................................ 51

4.1.14 Directions to Emergency Exit for Pedestrians from a Tunnel .................... 57

5 Temporary Signs ...........................................................................................................59

VOLUME 1 PAGE III

Table 1.1 Sign Color by Functional Classification ................................................................ 2

Appendix A Typical Layout Drawings .................................................................................... 65

Acronyms and Abbreviations

ADS advance directional guide signs

DMS dynamic message signs

FADS far advance directional guide signs

kph kilometers per hour

QHDM Qatar Highway Design Manual

QTCM Qatar Traffic Control Manual

This page intentionally left blank.

• ‘Must’ is used to indicate a legal requirement which must be complied with

1.1 Classification for Signing Purposes

Table 1.1 Sign Color by Functional Classification

1.2 Strategic Routes – Expressways, Rural Freeways, and

1.3 Arterial Routes – Minor Arterials and Boulevards in Urban

1.4 Local Routes – Collectors and Local Roadways

1.5 Size of Signs

1.6 Arabic and English Legend

1.7 Amount of Legend

1.8 Longitudinal Sign Spacing

Table 1.2 Minimum Longitudinal Sign Spacing Requirements

1.9 Sign Mounting

2 Directional Guide Signing

2.2 Types of Directional Guide Signing

2.2.2 Directional Guide Signs

Directional guide signs shall be provided as mandated within Section 2.3. They shall

2.2.3 Route Confirmation Signs

2.3 Provision of Directional Guide Signing

2.4 Location and Installation of Directional Guide Signs

2.4.1 ADS and FADS Requirements for Grade-Separated Interchanges

2.4.2 ADS Requirements for At-Grade Intersections

Location = 50 m Location = 100 m Location = 150 m Location = 500 m

Location = 100 m Location = 150 m Location = 200 m Location = 500 m

Location = 150 m Location = 200 m Location = 250 m Location = 500 m

Location = 150 m Location = 200 m Location = 300 m Location = 500 m

Location = 150 m Location = 200 m Location = 300 m Location = 500 m

2.4.3 Directional Guide Signs for Grade-Separated Interchanges

2.4.4 Directional Guide Signs for At-Grade Intersections

2.4.5 Route Confirmation Signs

2.5 Design of Directional Guide Signing

2.5.2 Sign Installation Type

2.5.2.1 Gantry-mounted Signs

provides an intuitive layout for information that facilitates efficient

2.5.2.2 Cantilever-mounted Signs

2.5.2.3 Ground-mounted Signs

2.5.3 Selection of Sign Installation Type

2.5.4 Sign Face Design

2.5.4.1 Sign Face Design for Gantry Mounted Signs

2.5.4.2 Sign Face Design for Ground Mounted Signs

2.5.5 Summary of Sign Face Design Requirements

2.5.6 Choice of Destinations

2.5.7 Legibility Distance and Character Size

2.5.8 Roadway Symbols

2.5.10 Color Coding