Burj Khalifa signs go up on Dubai's roads

A new sign for the Burj Khalifa on Sheikh Zayed Road.

DUBAI // Workers have installed the first road signs bearing the new name of the world's tallest tower, Burj Khalifa. Two signs, one on Sheikh Zayed Road and the other between Al Wasl Road and the Defence Interchange, were installed overnight on Saturday, apparently the first to point the way to Burj Khalifa after its name was changed from Burj Dubai at its January 4 inauguration.

The change caught many residents and officials by surprise, including the Roads and Transport Authority, which was suddenly faced with replacing dozens of road signs and possibly renaming the tower's newly opened Metro station. Motorists spotted the two new signs yesterday after they were erected overnight. Both are brown, the colour used for signs indicating points of interest such as heritage sites and tourist attractions.

Motorists said the new road signs could cause some confusion for tourists who were unaware of the tower's change of name. "I noticed it this morning but it's like anything here in Dubai: roads change almost daily and there is a new tower or junction around every corner," said Richard Cartwright, 31, a chef from Australia. "But it will be tourists who have seen it on websites or heard about it and may see it on old maps as Burj Dubai and will end up confusing taxi drivers or themselves," he said.

The RTA has so far not announced what will happen to the name of the adjoining Metro station, until yesterday still known as Burj Dubai station. Yesterday evening, however, the F16 feeder bus to the Burj Dubai Metro station displayed Burj Khalifa as its final destination. [e-mail]