Jordan Times
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
King examines GAM's
5-year plan
By Mahmoud Al Abed
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah visited the
Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) on Tuesday where he was briefed on the
municipality's 2006-2010 strategic plan that seeks to make Amman a regional hub.
The King commended GAM's achievements particularly as Amman expanding rapidly
and witnessing many large-scale investments.
Amman Mayor Nidal Hadid told the King the strategy includes plans for traffic
and environment management, as well as cultural activities to liven up the
capital and bring the community in touch with City Hall.
GAM is also currently working with the World Bank on the Cities Development
Programme to overhaul Amman's “outdated” master plan.
A primary objective is to build and maintain a safe, efficient and comfortable
transportation network.
The plan calls for annual asphalting of over 7.5 million square metres of roads
at a cost of JD18 million.
The plan targets the completion of the “inner-ring road,” as work progresses on
the construction of Prince Hashem Street and the Abdoun Bridge, and work on the
Fourth Circle intersection will begin after Ramadan.
In August, the municipality announced it would install an automated traffic
signal control system at 32 intersections of the city.
Meanwhile, a current study of the traffic situation is under way in order to
develop a model for Amman's road network for the next 20 years.
The study is expected to identify priorities for implementing traffic
improvements on major intersections. GAM already has completed contstruction or
renovations on all 22 intersections recommended by a 1999 traffic study. Plans
are set for another 25 intersection projects in the next five years.
The JD7 million Raghadan Bus Terminal will be ready by January.
Meanwhile, the north transportation terminal — a 30,000-square-metre project
under construction on Al Urdun Street — will be the replacement for the
overcrowded and rundown Abdali terminal.
On the drawing board are environmental projects and plans to improve ongoing
processes including pest and stray animal control, monitoring and testing of
food and water quality and burial facilities at Sahab cemetery.
GAM also plans to develop a minimum of 10 public parks each year throughout the
strategy. Such projects are being undertaken by the Amman Beautification
Committee, created in February 2005.
During the King's visit to GAM yesterday, he was acquainted with a plan to build
a modern park adjacent to the Royal Palaces in Amman on 450 dunums which the
King himself donated to the municipality.