Jordan plans new city to ease congestion

[Saif al-Arab]

Jordan plans new city to ease congestion

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It will be built on a major highway linking the country to Iraq and Saudi Arabia

Published: 16:17 November 6, 2017

AFP

Jordan has announced plans to build a new city east of the capital, Amman, in order to ease rising population density and traffic congestion.

The project to build the city some 30 kilometres from Amman was part of a drive to stimulate the economy and attract long-term investment, the government said in a statement published on Sunday.

Touted as “environmentally friendly, sustainable and smart”, the new city would be built on a major highway that links Jordan to Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

The project was aimed at finding “drastic solutions to rising population density and traffic congestion” in Amman and the northeastern city of Zarqa, said the statement carried by the official Petra news agency.

Amman is home to four million people while 1.3 million make up the population of Zarqa and, according to the statement, their combined populations are due to reach 10 million by 2050.

The project would “invest in clean and renewable sources of energy and water treatment” as well as provide affordable housing, the statement said.

It would be built in five phases, with the first one ready by 2030 and the last expected to be completed in 2050.

“State institutions and ministries will be moved to the new city throughout the project’s various stages,” it added.

Cash-strapped Jordan hopes the project will attract private and foreign investors.

The tiny desert kingdom is devoid of natural resources and has been severely affected by wars in its neighbours Syria and Iraq with refugees from both countries seeking haven in Jordan.

The United Nations says Jordan is hosting more than 650,000 refugees from Syria alone, while the kingdom puts their number at 1.4 million.

http://gulfnews.com/news/mena/jordan/jordan-plans-new-city-to-ease-congestion-1.2119651

@Ahmed Jo

 

[Ahmed Jo]

Location of the new city

They still don’t have a name for it , unless we’re actually calling it the “New City.” But I am in favor of this project because of the job opportunities it will create, in addition to creating a purpose built administrative capital with architecture and design that reflects Jordan’s history and heritage, something which I feel the current administrative buildings in Amman don’t do (with the exception of the royal court). And similar to NEOM, it will be funded in large part with investor funds (hence the economic growth opportunities).

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Location of the new city

View attachment 435438View attachment 435439

They still don’t have a name for it , unless we’re actually calling it the “New City.” But I am in favor of this project because of the job opportunities it will create, in addition to creating a purpose built administrative capital with architecture and design that reflects Jordan’s history and heritage, something which I feel the current administrative buildings in Amman don’t do (with the exception of the royal court). And similar to NEOM, it will be funded in large part with investor funds (hence the economic growth opportunities).

A lovely project by all accounts.

The new city and Amman might morph together in the future eventually due to the relatively close proximity. On the other hand you don't want to built a new city in the middle of nowhere.

BTW it's fair to say that it will be connected to NEOM one way or another due to proximity.

 

[Ahmed Jo]

A lovely project by all accounts.

The new city and Amman might morph together in the future eventually due to the relatively close proximity. On the other hand you don't want to built a new city in the middle of nowhere.

BTW it's fair to say that it will be connected to NEOM one way or another due to proximity.

NEOM would be about 5 hours away if I’m not mistaken. However, the new city is practically right on the Saudi border.

This may seem petty, but I have always struggled to understand why these news articles always describe Jordan as “tiny desert kingdom.” I mean, were not Bahrain or something (sorry, Bahrain lol). Meanwhile, people who actually visit Jordan describe it as “vast, rugged and often wild country.“ http://wilfulwanderlust.com/2017/10/01/hashemite-kingdom-jordan/ Just a minor point.