Khaberni - The Greater Amman Municipality confirmed on Saturday that sidewalks are for pedestrians, and that rehabilitation works target providing a safer and easier environment for movement, especially for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, reducing their need to use the street due to obstacles on the sidewalks.
The Amman Municipality continues the rehabilitation of sidewalks, removal of obstructions and illegal barriers in residential and commercial areas, ensuring safe and continuous pathways for pedestrians, thus elevating the level of public safety and quality of life in the capital.
The works include rehabilitating old sidewalks and improving the connectivity of pedestrian pathways, alongside studying sites where technical and regulatory conditions allow for the widening of sidewalks, providing adequate space for movement and increasing safety levels.
The Municipality also works on removing illegal obstructions, including vehicle parking on sidewalks, barriers, street vendors, commercial extensions, and using pedestrian paths as private parking or for valet parking services "valet".
In regard to trees and plants that obstruct pedestrian movement, the Municipality affirmed that dealing with these is based on a technical assessment of each location, with a priority to preserve them wherever possible, and pruning obstructing branches when pruning is sufficient to secure the passage. In cases where relocation of trees or plants is permissible and it is not possible to provide a safe pathway by other means, removal is considered.
The works also include rehabilitating sites from where obstacles have been removed in a way that aligns with the nature of the sidewalk, and considering the selection of planting sites and types of trees suitable for the available spaces when constructing new sidewalks or developing them.
The Municipality emphasized the application of the sidewalk policies and the procedures adopted on the illegal obstructions, monitoring sites to prevent recurring violations, confirming that using sidewalks for purposes other than designated, obstructing pedestrian movement, or jeopardizing their safety is considered a violation that requires rectification.
Within the framework of regulating the use of public spaces, the Municipality also monitors cases of reserving public parking spots or preventing citizens from using them in front of certain shops and establishments, taking into account private and designated parking and the existing traffic restrictions.
The Municipality reaffirmed its commitment to keeping citizens informed about the sites of work, stages of execution, and achieved results, and to addressing observations and complaints received, contributing to the sustainability of improvements and maintaining sidewalks safe and accessible for pedestrians.
