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7Th
Traffic Safety Conference
Title:
Walking safe: what Amman is doing to improve walkability
By : Architect / Rula Khashman
Road Directorate/ GAM
Abstract
Walkability has become a growing focus in cities across the globe. More attention is given to the
planning and design of walkable communities for its multi advantages to public health,
sustainability, economy and social life. Walkability is considered as a key for sustainable and livable
cities, cities are meant to be designed for people not for cars.
‘Walkability’ in its simple definition describes the extent to which the built environment is walking-
friendly, it takes into consideration urban design elements, walking and pedestrian facilities, street
conditions, land use patterns, community participation and support. Well-designed walkability urban
elements of sidewalks and crossings contribute and guarantee pedestrian and traffic safety.
Amman, like other urban growing cities, is paying great attention to the issue of walkability as a
practical mode of mobility, and is beginning to take effective steps to develop the essential
infrastructure and urban elements to enhance the walkability environment and urban design.
This paper highlights the relation between the design of sidewalks and pedestrian urban elements
and their impact on traffic safety, Greater Amman Municipality role in the development of urban
environment for pedestrians, actions that have been taken in the field of sidewalks and related
urban elements to guarantee the safety of pedestrians and ambitious plans to enrich walkability in
the city.
The discussion will be conducted through a quick review to the existing condition, description and
analytical observations to some cases which support the purpose from this paper and illustration to
legislations and action plans adopted by GAM in the field of sidewalks.
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1- Introduction
Growing cities face critical urban challenges because of rapid increase in population, shortage
in fuel and the great expansion of urban area. Cities need to develop the quality of urban
context to face these challenges and to get more interaction between the humans and the city
to improve the quality of life. One of the main challenges affect directly the quality of life in
cities is related to the urban mobility, where designing livable, comfortable and sustainable
communities require good aspects of built environment, urban facilities and pedestrian
networks to control how people can move about, interact and manage their business. Thus,
Cities started to draw more attention to walkability as an urban tool for better livable cities.
1.1 Walkability
‘Walkability’ in its simple definition describes the extent to which the built environment is
walking-friendly, it takes into consideration urban design elements, walking and pedestrian
facilities, street conditions, land use patterns, community participation and support.
Walkability includes three key principles; physical facilities and infrastructure, places and
proximity. Physical access and infrastructure implies that people need to be able to get from
one place to another physically. This needs well designed sidewalks and crossing points, not
narrow or cracked nor exposed to speed traffic. Sidewalks suitable for all people to use either
they are able-bodied or handicapped. The second principle focuses on places, once the city
provide physical roots to walk on it needs a heading destination accordingly. A sensible Mix of
destinations makes the walkability process more useful. A neighborhood with adjacent
workplace, commercial center, school, leisure urban space and transit stops encourage its
residents to more walking to fulfill their needs rather than driving. The third principle stands
for the proximity which means how far the services is from home or in other words what is the
convenient distance for the human to walk. Standards set that a mix destinations within one
half kilometer or a 10-20 minutes’ walk from the doorstep is the most appropriate distance to
be considered as walkable community.
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1.2 Walkability and Cities
Cities recently go for the new urbanism approach in planning which raises the concept of
making communities more walkable. This great attention is given to the planning and design of
walkable environment for its multi advantages to public health, sustainability, economy and
social life in cities. Walkability returns urban communities to scale, pattern and good mix of
sustainability of resources either natural or economic. Cities go for walkability during their
striving to achieve sustainability, where the crucial task is to reduce the dependence of private
automobile and vehicles and to increase walkability and use of public transport; this will
preserve the consumption of energy, reduce gas emissions and sustain the environment.
Walkability nowadays is considered as a key principle for livable cities, because the real joy to
experience a city is through walking where the one can catch its sights, sounds and smell. A
city that doesn’t provide an appropriate pedestrian infrastructure to its residents is a city
lacking to social interaction either between its dwellers themselves or the interaction
experience between them and their city. Walkability contributes in the issues of health in
cities and has a significant role in improving the quality of life.
1.3 Walkability, Urban Design and Traffic Safety
Many urban factors and elements have a significant impact on the walkability process;
regulations, land use planning and pedestrian infrastructure. Urban Form affects walkability,
where its elements of pedestrian permeability, connections to destinations and strategic
planning play an important role in walkability. To design a walkable community, you should
provide at least convenient pedestrian infrastructure of sidewalks and crossing points, in
addition to bike lanes and well-designed parking lots to encourage people to park and walk to
their destination. This physical pedestrian network should take into account the issue of
pedestrian safety, where pedestrians in most times use part of the urban space of streets.
Well-designed sidewalks ensure safe mobility for pedestrians. Meanwhile, streets are the most
valuable assets in any city. Not only for mobility purposes but also as a place allowing people
to communicate, interact and having some fun. Good urban design of streets could make any
city more livable. Many cities struggle to compromise between the needs of mobility and
livability, especially with the tremendous increase in vehicles.
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2- Paper Objective
This paper highlights Greater Amman Municipality role in the development of urban
environment for pedestrians, actions that have been taken in the field of sidewalks and
related urban elements to guarantee the safety of pedestrians and ambitious plans to enrich
walkability in the city.
3- Methods
This paper adopts two main approaches; the first approach is through a critical review to
Greater Amman Municipality legislations, strategic plans and actions in the field of
walkability and pedestrian urban design, the other approach is a qualitative approach based
on researcher’s observations to find out the obstacles that affect the walkability process in
Amman and related to pedestrian safety.
3.1 Literature Review
This literature review deals with two main parts, the first part highlights GAM strategies and
legislations while the second part focuses on field observations.
3.1.1 Amman Comprehensive Plan
Greater Amman Municipality published in 2008 a comprehensive development plan for
Amman. This document presents an approach to metropolitan, urban, and community
planning in the city which supposed to be achieved by 2025.
One of Amman Master Plan main aspirations is to make
Amman a city for pedestrians. This aspiration requires a
network of sidewalks, pedestrian shopping streets, alleys,
souks, urban stairs, and hiking trails. Achieving this needs
a paradigm shift in thinking, initiatives, urban pedestrian
strategies and pioneer projects.
Some actions mentioned in Amman Master Plan as first
steps to enhance walkability in the city is through two
initiatives; the first “ Wakalat Pedestrian Promenade” in
2006 to be the first pedestrian shopping, car-free urban
public street in Amman. But unfortunately this project
Fig. 1 Wakalat Street
Source : Amman comprehensive
Plan
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have been rehabilitated in 2014 and opened for car services but s:ll can be men:oned as the
first multi-use street in Amman. [fig.1].
The second initiative was to start with “ Removing Pedestrian obstacles/ Olive Trees “, GAM
started to remove thousands of olive trees from sidewalks to provide more continuity and
safety for pedestrian movement in addition to maintining health to Amman citizens.
3.1.2 Transport and Mobility Master Plan for Amman (TMMP)
Transport and mobility strategy for Amman
issued in 2010 by Greater Amman Municipality
takes into consideration to develop an
integrated and comprehensive urban transport
strategies designed to discourage dependence
on private cars and to promote the
development and use of public transport,
together with securing safe and convenient
pedestrian movements; this means a great
focus on key principles including pedestrian
movement and road safety.
The Pedestrian Strategy included in this document states the need of walkability as an approach
to make Amman more walkable and livable. It also shows the main principles behind this
strategy, to encourage citizens for more walking, more dependence on public transportation
and less dependence on private cars. It has a key objective of increasing the number of trips
made by walking. The document also suggests how to deliver this strategy into action, illustrates
the issues of priority, network accessibility and infrastructure.
Pedestrian basic infrastructure is an essential requirement for delivering an accessible and safe
pedestrian network across Amman. This network of sidewalks and crossing points should also
be accompanied with well-designed streetscaping elements of shelters and vegetation. [fig.2]
Fig. 2 TMMP Strategy Plan
Source : TMMP document/ GAM
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3.1.3 Greater Amman Municipality ( GAM ) Sidewalks Legislations
Greater Amman Municipality constructs city sidewalks according to sidewalks regulation in
reference to the Law of Municipalities No. 13 of the year of 2011 / ar:cle No. 40.
The sidewalks regula:on No. 19 /2014 has been published in the official newspaper in 16th
of
February 2014. Its main focus is to regulate the construction of sidewalks in Amman with
special concentration to maintain the use of sidewalks only for pedestrian walkability. This
regulation illustrates the definition of terms, responsibilities related either for the
municipality or the citizens themselves.
GAM issued a set of sidewalks instructions in reference to the sidewalks regulation
mentioned above. It shows further illustrations to definitions, responsibilities and
accompanied with design tables and certificates that should be followed during obtaining the
building license. It also regulates the width of sidewalks with the width of street space, in
addition to typical design details for sidewalks construction, planters, materials and car
ramps.
3.1.4 Observa5ons
Field observations for this paper focus on sidewalks obstacles investigated from different
places in Amman; obstacles that affect pedestrian safety, photos were taken by the
researcher to document the existing situation of Amman sidewalks. Observations of
obstacles were on two levels:
- The physical environment which deals with physical elements and construction of
sidewalks.
- The social behavior which shows the behave of road users and citizens towards the
sidewalks and its street furniture.
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3.1.4.1 Physical Environment
Fig. 3 No sidewalks for pedestrians
Source : Researcher
Fig. 4 Absence of organiza:onal borders
between street and pedestrian movement
Source : Researcher
Fig. 5 No con:nuity for sidewalks because of
car ramps.
Source : Researcher
Fig. 6 No con:nuity for sidewalks because of
construction of stairs
Source : Researcher
Fig. 7,8 exis:ng trees interrupt the con:nuity of sidewalks.
Source : Researcher
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Fig. 9,10 bad condi:ons of sidewalks with split levels and no con:nuity for pedestrians
Source : Researcher
Fig. 11 No existence for safe crossing points
Source : Researcher
Fig. 12 the dominance of car traffic on
pedestrian movement
Source : Researcher
Fig. 13 bad condi:on and design for street
furniture
Source : Researcher
Fig. 14 bad condition of footbridges
Source :http://alarabalyawm.net/?p=35277
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3.1.4.2 Social behavior
Fig. 15 Using sidewalks for advertising
products
Source : Researcher
Fig.16 Using sidewalks as car parking
Source : Researcher
Fig.17 car parking on crossing paths
Source : Researcher
Fig.18 Using sidewalks for valet parking
Source : Researcher
Fig.19 plan:ng flower beds on sidewalks
Source : Researcher
Fig.20 blocking handicapped ramps by cars
Source : Researcher
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4- Results
- The existence of different modes of public transportation encourages more walkability.
- The dominance of private cars affects the process of walkability and people trips to reach
to different services.
- Activation of city strategies and legislations increase the chances to make the city more
walkable.
- Good implementation of sidewalks regulations and instruction guarantee more continuity
of sidewalks and more safety to pedestrians.
- The need of good separation between automobile traffic and pedestrian movement.
- Design of roads and sidewalks contributes in pedestrian safety.
- The need of safe crossing points to ensure the safety of pedestrians.
- Sidewalks should be well-designed and free of obstacles (trees, signs, poles,…) to ensure
the safety of pedestrians.
- The need to raise community awareness among citizens towards the issues of using
roads, crossing streets and social behavior.
5- Discussion
“What Amman is doing to improve walkability “
From all above mentioned literature review, observations and results, we should notice
that Greater Amman Municipality has taken pioneer steps to encourage walkability and to
be a pedestrian-friendly city. But still the city faces big challenges in this domain, especially
in the field of sidewalks construction and rehabilitation to be more walkable.
GAM geographical area expands over approximately 800 km2, and witnesses a rapid
growth in the urban area which makes of regulating the construction of sidewalks a top
priority.
One of the most important recent actions have been taken in the field of legislations is the
modification of regulations and instructions of sidewalks. The new sidewalks instructions
issued in 2014 , reregulating this process, it gives more detailed definitions to sidewalks
Fig.20,21 Bad use and behavior towards footbridges.
Source : www.khaberni.com
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terms and responsibilities either for the first construction or rehabilitation process,
commercial and residential sidewalks in addition to clarifying the design details to ensure
the sidewalks continuity, quality of constructions, design details and pedestrian safety.
The widths of sidewalks have been determined according to the organizational capacity of
the street. [fig.22,23,24].
It also shows the area assigned to planters and street furniture related to sidewalk width
according to the best international practices to ensure pedestrian safety.
Fig.22,23,24 widths of sidewalks related to street width.
Source : Sidewalks regula:ons 2014, GAM
The instructions show the requirements of
materials and trees used for sidewalks;
materials of non-slip finish such as exposed
aggregate, stamped concrete or interlock
tiles, types of trees suitable for sidewalks with
slim high trunk and wide canopy are the
preferable kinds. The instructions state the
required certificates that should be obtained
during the building license, such as sidewalk
certificate, infrastructure permissions to
regulate the sidewalk profile and quality
control.[fig. 25,26]
Fig. 25,26 examples of sidewalks cer:ficates
Source : Sidewalks regula:ons 2014, GAM
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Greater Amman Municipality annually constructs about 250000m2 of sidewalks with a
proximate budget of 800000 JD through different types of tenders. Sidewalks construction
serves several goals; sidewalks within residential neighborhoods and commercial districts to
provide a separation between car traffic and pedestrian movement and to establish a
suitable infrastructure network for walkability.[fig.27]
Sidewalks are established also to regulate traffic flow; intermediate medians, circles and
islands for light signals.[fig.28].
Besides the sidewalks, GAM constructs about 10 crossing bumps with a proximate budget of
10000 JD to calm car speed and to provide safe crossing for pedestrians.[fig.29]
Talking about safe crossing, we should mention the most important element of crossing
which is a pedestrian footbridge. GAM constructs annually approximately 6 footbridges with
a budget of 300000 JD either from iron or precast concrete with iron rail underneath along
the street to provide more safety.[fig.30]
Fig.27 sidewalks in neighborhoods
Source : Construction Dept./GAM
Fig.28 sidewalks to regulate traffic flow
Source : Construction Dept./GAM
Fig.29 crossing bumps
Source : Construction Dept./GAM Fig.30 Pedestrian footbridges
Source : Construction Dept./GAM
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In the field of community awareness, GAM launched a series of initiatives and forums to raise
the public awareness towards the right of roads and sidewalks use.
The first forum in 2010 under the :tle “Towards
Contemporary and Safe Roads” has a main theme to
share knowledge, raise public awareness and build
partnerships with different public, private and academic
sectors towards the issues of roads, sidewalks and
latest practices and technologies in this field.[fig.31].
This forum was followed by an ini:a:ve in 2012 under
the title “My Road…A Community Responsibility” to
activate the role of community and raise its
responsibility towards roads and street furniture.
The latest ini:a:ve launched by GAM was in June 2014 under the :tle
“Sidewalk…A pedestrian Right” to focus on the theme that is sidewalks are for and only for
pedestrians and to spread the new sidewalks regula:ons.[fig.32,33]
6- Recommendations
- Cities should draw more attention to walkability to make their environment more livable
and sustainable.
- Cities should work hard to reduce the dominance of cars and to increase number of trips
achieved by walkability.
- Amman should develop different modes of public transportation to encourage more
walkability.
- Amman needs to set actions to activate the implementation of modified sidewalks
regulations and instructions.
Fig.31 Forum brochure
Source : Construction Dept./GAM
Fig.32,33 ini:a:ve messages and brochure
Source : Construction Dept./GAM
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- Amman needs extra effort to rehabilitate the existing sidewalks to ensure pedestrian
safety and walkability.
- Amman needs to draw more attention and more construction of crossing points and foot
bridges to guarantee pedestrian safety.
- Amman should work on social campaigns to raise community awareness towards
different issues related to roads and pedestrian safety.
- References
- Speck, J. (2013), "Walkable City, How Downtown Can Save America One Step at a Time
", (1st ed.), New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
- Jacobs, J. (1961 ), "The Death and Life of Great American Cities ", (1st ed.), New York:
Random House
- Beatley, T. (2012), “Green Cities of Europe, Global Lessons on Green Urbanism ", (1st
ed.), Washington: Island Press.
- Gehl, J. (2013), “Cities for People ", (1st ed.), Washington: Island Press
- The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP).(2011). Better Streets,
Better Cities.India
http://www.itdp.org/documents/BetterStreets111221.pdf
- Siu,k.Wan,P.( 2008 ). Roles of Street Furniture in a Constructed Environment. The
International Journal of the Constructed Environment, Volume 1, Issue 3, pp.183-204.
Article: Print (Spiral Bound). Article: Electronic (PDF File; 2.549MB).
- Amman Master Plan,2008. Greater Amman Municipality.
- Greater Amman Municipality/ Road Directorate/ Construction Dept.
- Greater Amman Municipality/ Transport Directorate.