Moroccan roads renumbered

[Rafke]

Morocco has started to renumber their routes (again). From now on you'll see signs with the numeration RP or RR or RN. You can find the official document here (from page 3012) to practice your Arabic:

http://www.sgg.gov.ma/Portals/1/BO/2...-29-155624-277

RN (Routes Nationales):

RN1:
Tanger,Assilah,Ksar Kebir,Souk Arbaah Lgharb,Kenitra,Sale,Rabat,
Temara,Skhirat,Bouznika,Casablanca,Azzemour,Sidi Ismail,Essaouira,
Agadir,Tiznit,Goulmim,Tantan,Tarfaya,Laayoune,Bouj dour,Dakhla

RN1A:
Larache,Ksar El kebir

RN1B:
Dakhla

RN2:
Tanger,Tetuan,Chefchauen,Bab Berred,Issaggeun,Targuist,
Ait Kamra,AlHoceima, Driouch,Seluane,Berkane,Ahfir

RN3:
Aousserd, Aghounit

RN4:
Kenitra, Sidi Slimane,Sidi Kacem,Fes,Sefrou,Boulemane,Missour,Bouarfa,Figuig

RN5:
Laayoune,Boukraa,Geultat Zemmour

RN6:
Sale,Tiflet,Khmisset,Meknes,Fes,Taza,Geurcif,Taour irt,El Aioun,Oujda

RN7:
Sidi Ismail,Sidi Bennour,Tamensourt,Marrakech,Tahannaoute,Taroudant ,Tata

RN7A:
Safi,Echemmaia,Marrakech

RN8:
Essaouira,Chichaoua,Marrakech,El Kalaa Esraghna,Beni Mellal,Kasba Tadla,
Zaouia Cheikh,Khenifra,Mrirt,Azrou,Ifrane,Imouzzer Kandar,Fes,Taounate,Targuist,Cala Iris

RN9:
Mohammedia,Berrechid,Settat,Ben Geurir,Marrakech,
Ait Ourir,Ouarzazate,Zagora,Mhamed El Ghizlane

RN10:
Agadir,Inezgane,Ait Melloul,Taroudant,Taznakht,Ourzazate,
Kalaat Mgouna,Tinghir,Tinejdad,Goulmima,Er Rachidia

RN11:
Settat,Sidi Bennour,Youssoufia,Chichaoua,Agadir

RN11A:
Agadir

RN12:
Berrechid,Ben Ahmed,Khouribga,Oued Zem,Bejaad,Kasba Tadla,Imlchil,Tinghir

RN13:
Chefchaouen,Ouazzane,Jorf El Melha,Zaggota,Moulay Idriss Zerhoun,
Meknes,Boufekrane,El Hajeb,Azrou,Timahdite,Zaida,Midelt,Er Rachidia

RN14:
Tantan,Es smara,Laayoune

RN15:
Melilla,Nador,Seluane,Saka,Missour

RN16:
Tanger,Fnideq,Mdiq,Tetuan,Oued Lao,Jebha,Al Hoceima,Nador,Saidia

RN17:
Saidia,Ahfir,Oujda,Ain Bni Matar,Bouarfa,Bouanan,Er Rachidia,Erfoud,Rissani,Alnif,Zagora,Mhamid,
Foum Zguid,Tata,Assa,Mahbass,Esmara,Gueltat Zemmour,Mijik,Aghounite,Bir Gandouz

RN17A:
Rissani-Taouz

RN17B:
Es Smara-Amghala

RN17C:
Gueltat Zemmour-Mauritanian border

RN17D:
Mijik (south)-Mauritanian border

RN17E:
Aghounite (nord-est)-Mauritanian border

RN17F:
Aghounite (south)-Mauritanian border

RN19:
Nador,Seluane,Taourirt,Debdou,Tendrara(algerian border)

RN21:
Sidi Ifne,Goulmim,Assa

RN23:
Bouznika,Benslimane,El Gara,Ben Ahmed,El Borouj,Demnate,Ourzazate

RN25:
Rabat, Ain Al Aouda,Rommani,Ezzhiliga,Oued Zem,Fkih Ben Salah,Souk Sebt Oulad Nemma,Azilal,Demnate
RN27:
Moulay Bouselham,Souk Arbaa Gharb,Mechra Bel Ksiri,Sidi Kacem,Meknes

RN29:
Kassita,Aknoul,Taza,Imouzer Marmoucha,Almis Marmoucha,Zaida,Khenifra,Aguelmouss,Ezzhiligha

RR (Routes Regionales):

RR101
from Laayoune to Ahmed laaroussi

RR102
from bouznika to Fam El Hisn

RR103
from Tantan to Zag via Labouirat

RR104
Sidi Ifni to Tafraout

RR105
Ait Melloul to Tafraout

RR106
Aferni to Assaki

RR107
Tafraout to tindouf

RR108
Taznakht to Tinghir

RR109
Tarfaya to El Marsa via Foum El Oued

RR109A
Tarfaya to RN1

RR110
Tafinghoult to Anzal ?

RR111
Taznakht to El Mhamed

RR112
Taliouine to Ighrem n’Ougdal

RR113
Bigoudine to Tamri(ex P1002)

RR114
Ait Melloul to Ait Iaaza

RR114A
Amskroud to Taroudant

RR115
Lakhnafif to Tiznit (ex P1007?)

RR116
Ighrem to Algerian border via Tata

RR117
Geulmim to Ida ou Gougmar

RR118
Sidi Ifni to El Ouatia

RR119
could not find relevant city or village

RR201
Sidi Bou Othmane to Tamelelt

RR202
Safi to Sidi Bennour

RR203
could not find relevant city or village

RR204
Ait Ourir to Tahannout

RR205
Safi to Oulad Ayach

RR206
Safi to El Kelaat Es-Sraghna

RR207
Skhour Rehamna to Sidi Bennour

RR208
Tamelelt to Demnate

RR209
Chichaoua to Ouirgane (ex P2022)

RR210
Marrakech to Demnate

RR212
Marrakech to Imintanoute

RR214
Imintanoute to Smimou

RR301
El Jadida to Essaouira

RR302
Ouarzazate to Zaouia Ahansal

RR303
Bir Jdid to Sidi Bennour

RR304
Khouribga to RN25

RR305
Tit Mellil to Benslimane

RR306
Ouarzazate to El Ksiba

RR307
Bzou to Tanant

RR308
Settat to Kasba Tadla

RR309
El Gara to Ezzhiligha

RR310
Mohammedia to Dar Bouazza

RR311
Oued Zm to Sebt Ait Rahou

RR312
Khouribga to Beni Mellal

RR313
Mohammedia to Benslimane

RR314
Boulaouane to El borouj

RR315
Lahraouyine to El Gara

RR316
Jorf Lasfar to Ben Ahmed

RR317
Azilal to Kelaat M'Gouna

RR318
El Jadida to Berrechid

RR319
Khenifra to Itzer (probaly ex P7306)

RR320
Casablanca to El Jadida

RR321
Settat to Sidi Rahal Chatai(ex P3607)

RR322
Casablanca(Ain sebaa) to Rabat

RR323
Berrechid to Casablanca

RR401
Tetuan to Ksar Sghir(ex P4701?)

RR402
Khemisset to Sefrou

RR403
Temara to Khouribga

RR404
Khemisset to Benslimane

RR405
Kenitre to Sidi Allal El Bahraoui

RR406
Oued Laou to Dar Akoubaa (ex P4105)

RR407
Sidi Allal El Bahraoui to Khenifra

RR408
Souk Arbaa Lgharb to Taounate

RR409
Sidi Slimane to Khemisset

RR410
Ksar El Kebir to Chefchaouen

RR411
Mechra Bel Ksiri to Maaziz

RR412
Chefchaouen to RN2

RR413
could not find relevant city or village

RR414
Mechra Bel Ksiri to Beni Malek

RR415
Sidi Yahya du Gharb to Sidi Allal El Bahraoui

RR416
Ben Slimane to Ain Aouda via Tamesna

RR417
Larache to Fnideq

RR418
Sidi Allal Tazi to Karia Ba Mohamed

RR419
Ourtzagh to Chefchaouen

RR501
Fes to Ghouazi

RR502
Jbarna to RN15

RR503
Taounate to Giata Al Gharbia

RR504
Bir Tam Tam to Geurcif

RR505
Messassa to Ribat El Kheir

RR506
Karia Ba Mohamed to Tissa

RR507
Ifrane to Ighzrane

RR508
Tissa to Jbarna

RR509
Khlalfa to Issaguen

RR510
could not find relevant city or village

RR511
Msoun to Ben Tayeb

RR601
Missour to Boudnib

RR602
Laaouinate to Oujda

RR603
Hassi Berkane to Sidi Lahsen (via ex P6003)

RR605
Ait Kamra to Ajdir

RR606
Boulmane to Ain Bni Mattar

RR607
Berkane to Jerrada

RR608
Algerian border to RN17

RR610
Bni Abdellah to Nador

RR612
Nador to Berkane

RR701
Meknes to Moulay Bouazza

RR702
Ait Hani to Merzouga
Foum Zguid to M'hamed Ghizlane
RR703

RR704
Boulmane to Er-Rich

RR705
Sidi Slimane to Meknes

RR706
Midelt to Anemzi

RR707
El Hajeb to Boulmane

RR708
Er-Rich to Bouanane

RR710
Khenifra to Bejaad

RR712
Boufekrane to Mrirt

RR716
Hajeb to Fes

Cheers,
Raf

[Tim Cullis]

Sorry, but I think you are mistaken. I've had a brief scan and can't see any changes from the current road numbering. I've checked 40 or more road numbers I know from memory and they are all unchanged.

When the document refers to RN, RR or RP, the leading 'R' merely means route, and it has always been shown like that in documents, but on signposts and kilometre posts the leading 'R' is dropped and your first example of RN1 will be listed just as N1.

A is the highest designation which is autoroute (motorway) and has a two digit number in the range A1 to potentially A99.

N is the highest non-motorway designation, means NATIONAL and is in the range N1-N99. Kilometre posts with red top.

R is the next and means REGIONAL and is in the range R101-R999. Kilometre posts with yellow top.

P is the last and means PROVINCIAL and is in the range P1001-P9999. Kilometre posts with blue top.

[Rafke]

Hi Tim,

I didn’t went through all the road numbers so it could be that not much has changed.

However, the document clearly states that this are the new names from May 29 on, and I have already seen the new RN - RR - RP signs appearing along the roads. It will of course take some time before all the signposts are changed.

FWIW

Raf

[Tim Cullis]

Do you have any idea how many kilometre posts there are in Morocco?

The N12 by itself has over 800 of them, so I would guess tens of thousands and each has the road number on it.

Has someone in government just bought a kilometre post manufacturing company?

[Rafke]

Do you have any idea how many kilometre posts there are in Morocco?

More or less, I live there 6 months a year but I didn't count them I was talking about the signposts that are already slowly changing, not the kilometre posts, but...

Has someone in government just bought a kilometre post manufacturing company?

... I wouldn't be surprised

Anyway, over at openstreetmap.org we are already discussing how to take on the work... maybe I shouldn't have bothered to post this before I have seen radical changes in the numbering, not the naming which indeed just means an R of Route before Nationale, Régionale or Provinciale.

Cheers,
Raf

[Rafke]

Don't want to be pedantic, but just to let you know that some numbers have changed too. I was starting to rename the southern roads and the first one I took on (Tan-Tan - Labouirat - Zag) has been renamed and even "upgraded" from P1600 to RR103.

FWIW

Cheers,
Raf

[Tim Cullis]

I can understand that road numbers will change from time to time. The second phase of the National Program of Rural Roads (NPRR-2) resulted in 15,000 km of new tarmac and the resulting road network was jointly reassessed by provinces and municipalities as to the strategic value. In the case you've identified it looks like responsibility for that road has been reallocated to the decentralised Regional Roads Directorates.

I only covered about 1200 km on my short trip a week or so back but didn't see any signs of changes on signs or km posts.

[Rafke]

I can understand that road numbers will change from time to time.

Everything is relative, but this is a major overhaul published as such by the Moroccan government. http://www.sgg.gov.ma/BO/Ar/2018/BO_...-29-155624-277 from page 3011. So I thought it was of interest.

I only covered about 1200 km on my short trip a week or so back but didn’t see any signs of changes on signs or km posts.

Fair enough, Rome wasn’t build in a day, let alone Moroccan signposts. I can assure that RN, RR, RP signposts are slowly showing up, on the exit signs along the autoroutes first apparently. I have no doubts that many, I guess even the majority of signposts won’t change at all.

For clarity I’ve listed more details of the changes, for the Routes Nationales only, below.

RN1: Tanger - Guerguarat
Minor change between Souk-Tnine-de Sidi-el-Yamani and Ksar-el-Kebir, formerly R415.

RN1A: Larache - Ksar-el-Kebir
New. Formerly N1.

RN1B: RN1 (“PK40”) - Dakhla
New. Formerly P1100.

RN2: Tanger - Ahfir
Shortened. Formerly Tanger - Ahfir - Oujda. Ahfir - Oujda now part of RN17.

RN3: El Argoub - Aghoninit
Extended. Formerly El Argoub - Aoussard. Theoretic (berm).

RN4: Kénitra - Figuig
Extended. Formerly Kénitra - Fès. Fès - Sefrou - Boulemane - Missour formerly R503 and P5108. Missour - Bouârfa probably formerly R601, R604 and P1604 or maybe a new road under construction visible on satellite imagery. Bouârfa - Figuig formerly N17.

RN7: Sidi-Smaïl - Tata
Extended. Formerly Sidi-Smaïl - Marrakech. Marrakech - Tahanaoute - Taroudant (Tizi-n-Test) formerly R203. Taroudant - Tata formerly R109.

RN7A: Safi - Marrakech
Via Chemaïa. New. Formerly R204.

RN8: Essaouira - Al Hoceima
Changed and extended. Essaouira - Chichaoua formerly R207. Taounate - Targuist formerly R509. Agadir - Chichaoua formerly N8, now RN11.

RN11: Settat - Agadir
Via Sidi-Bennour - Youssoufia - Chichaoua. Completely changed. Formerly R316, R202, R201, N8.

RN12: Berrechid - Tinerhir
Via Ben Ahmed - Khouribga - Oued-Zem - Boujad - Kasba Tadla - Imilchil.
Completely changed. Formerly N11, R312, R317, R703.

RN14: Tan-Tan - Laâyoune
Via Smara. Extended. Tan-Tan - Smara formerly R101.

RN17: Saïdia - La Gouira
Via Ahfir - Oujda - Aïn-Benimathar - Bouârfa - Bouânane - Ar-Rachidia - Erfoud - Rissani - Alnif - Zagora - Mhamid - Foum Zguid - Tata - Assa - Al Mahbas - Smara - Galtat Zemmour - Mijek - Aghoninit - Bir Gandouz. Extended and changed. The King’s dream. Formerly (parts of) P6000, N2, N10, N13, N12, R108, N9, P1801, R103, N14, … some unnamed pistes and a berm. Still needs a more thorough review. Curious if one can drive the whole new RN17 one day.

RN17A: Rissani - Taouz
New. Formerly N13.

RN17B: Smara - Amgala, RN17C: Galtat Zemmour - frontière mauritanienne, RN17D: Mijek - frontière mauritanienne, RN17E: Aghoninit - frontière mauritanienne (Nord-Est), RN17E: Aghoninit - frontière mauritanienne (Sud)
All new. See note RN17.

RN21: Sidi Ifni - Assa
New. Formerly N12 - R103.

RN23: Bouznika - Ouarzazate
Via Ben-Slimane - El Gara - Ben Ahmed - El-Borouj - Demnate. New. Formerly R305 and other.

RN25: Rabat - Demnate
Via Âin-el-Âouda - Rommani - Ez-Zhiliga - Oued-Zem - Fkih-Ben-Salah - Souk-Sebt-des-Oulad-Nemâa - Azilal. New. Formerly R401, R309, R304.

RN27: Moulay-Bousselham - Meknès
Via Souk-el-Arba du-Rharb - Mechra-Ben-Ksiri - Sidi-Kacem. New. Formerly R406, R413.

RN29: Kassita - Ez-Zhiliga
Via Aknoul - Taza - Imouzzèr-des-Marmoucha - Almis-des-Marmoucha - Zeida - Khénifra - Oulmès. New. Formerly R505, R507, R407 and other.

RN5: Laâyoune - Galtat Zemmour, RN6: Salé - Oujda - frontière algérienne, RN9: Mohammedia - Mhamid, RN10: Agadir - Ar-Rachidia, RN13: Chefchaouen - Ar-Rachidia, RN15: Melilla - Midelt, RN16: Tanger - Saïdia, RN19: Nador - frontière algérienne
No changes that I am aware of.

Raf

[Chris Scott]

I've just looked over the 2019 edition of the Reise KnowHow map and notice they've included the old road numbers alongside the new. Nice touch.
There are other improvements alongside the usual errors.
Map reviewed here, fyi.
But bafflingly, I am told 2024 the RKH road numbers do not match what appears on OSM.
Who know the source of OSM data.

Many years later here is my 2024 PoV on new road numbers.

Unlike in the UK and Europe, in southern Morocco road numbers rarely appear on road signs, be they at junctions or showing distances. So knowing – or wondering if – you’re on the R504 now called the RN4 will be near impossible to ascertain on the ground and therefor of little value. Of course a road sign saying ‘Foum Zguid 87 [km]’ will be what you want to know. But your nav device may tell you that anyway.
Infrequent and often weathered mileposts dating from the colonial era? may show a road number. Example: the R203 Marrakech – Taroudant road via Tizi n Test, now called the RN7. I presume these will disappear as roads get widened/rerouted.
Afaict, in most cases in the 2018 shake up, only the prefix changed so the ‘N10’ became the ‘RN10’ and so on, but elsewhere if there was a new number, I've not seen updated mileposts and road signs. I think this renumbering has more value at a local administrative rather than navigational level.
Another problem is the numbering of pistes like RPs and RR gives an outdated impression on their actual utility. The little used Jebel Ouarkaziz piste (MW1) RR103/P1600 is one example. The RP1504 (MH5) still appears like the main route through the area on the Michelin map (and annoyingly, OSM) some 20 years after it was bypassed and has become virtually impassable.
The problem is most casual travellers in Morocco will navigate with Google Maps which, years later, have not adopted the new numbering. And almost certainly locals will use the old number, if they even know it.

[Tim Cullis]

The only road I saw renamed on my Jan/Feb trip was the R203 over the Test pass which in some places was still shown as R203 and in others as the N7.

[TheWarden]

I was surprised on my spring trip just how many had been renumbered. Guess they are getting through it with some efficiency.

OSM has had the new number since at least March which was when I last downloaded a mapset. Getting a bit confusing telling people to take a road using the old numbers when their maps have the new.