Khaberni - The Ministry of Public Works and Housing will begin, in the next few days, implementing the toll alternative roads project on the Al-Haraneh–Al-Omari road, which has been newly reconstructed and fully rehabilitated, funded directly by the ministry's budget, to serve as the first practical model for the concept of alternative roads in the kingdom.
The Director of the Roads Department in the ministry, Waseem Al-Adwan, said that this project is part of the ministry's plan aimed at developing the national road network and enhancing its efficiency, which ensures higher traffic fluidity, and enhances the quality of services provided to road users.
He explained that the road underwent a comprehensive rehabilitation that included removing old asphalt layers, and implementing a new asphalt mix according to the highest international technical specifications, in addition to enhancing traffic safety elements along the route. The works also included maintenance of the concrete bridge in the industrial area at Al-Muwaqqar, and equipping it with solar-powered lighting poles, in line with environmental sustainability standards.
Al-Haraneh–Al-Omari road serves as a practical model for implementing the concept of toll alternative roads, as it was selected after completing comprehensive development works for its infrastructure, and for the free alternative road represented by Al-Azraq–Al-Zarqa–Al-Omari road, which had also undergone a comprehensive rehabilitation project, including its expansion to four divided lanes by a median strip and equipped with lighting, making it ready to handle traffic efficiently and without any fees.
The ministry stated in an announcement on Saturday that the operation of the Al-Haraneh–Al-Omari road project will be managed entirely by its staff, after appointing and training a number of youths from local areas surrounding the site, supporting local development and providing employment opportunities.
The Ministry of Public Works also confirmed that the toll alternative roads project does not mean imposing fees on the current roads used by citizens, as these roads will remain completely free and will not be included in the project, noting that the goal is to create a new system of modern roads that offer drivers multiple options, with a free alternative ready for use available for every toll road.
The ministry clarified that the Al-Haraneh–Al-Omari experiment represents the first step towards implementing the concept of toll alternative roads, as technical and financial studies for similar future projects are currently being prepared, to be an attractive model for investment in the transport and infrastructure sector.
Implementing this project comes within the government's directions towards smart and sustainable road management, enabling users to choose the most suitable path according to their priorities in terms of time and cost, and helps in reducing the burden on main roads, reducing fuel usage and carbon emissions.
Implementing the concept of toll alternative roads represents an important step towards stimulating investments in the sector, expanding the national roads network, and achieving developmental progress in the areas through which these projects pass.
The ministry concluded by confirming that no currently open and used roads will be part of the toll roads, and that future projects within the alternative roads program will be limited to creating new roads or completing major ring road projects, such as the Amman Developmental Road and Irbid Ring Road, which enhance the transport infrastructure and serve the economic and logistical development goals in the kingdom.
