TRANSIT-ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN NEIGHBORHOOD SELECTION, ANALYSIS, AND URBAN DESIGN URBAN DESIGN CONSULTANT THE WORLD BANK www.worldbank.org Team: Jon Kher Kaw, Hogeun Park, Ban Edilbi QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP www.worldbank.org/programs/ quality-infrastructure-investment-partnership GREATER AMMAN MUNICIPALITY URBAN DESIGN TEAM: ECOSISTEMA URBANO www.ecosistemaurbano.com Team: Jose Luis Vallejo, Belinda Tato, Marco Rizzetto, Elena Castillo, Jorge Izquierdo Cubero, Vicky Vlachodimou, Lily Liebes, Jose Anelo Romero, Fernando Sanzana Agass, Julia Casado. INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT: Myriam Ababsa Rev:2.0 - June 2024 © 2024 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank Translations—If you create a translation of this work, please add the following disclaimer along with the attribution: This translation was not created by The World Bank and should 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433 not be considered an official World Bank translation. 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All queries on rights and licenses should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; email: pubrights@ Rights and Permissions worldbank.org. Cover design: Ecosistema Urbano Acknowledgments This work is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo. Under the Creative Commons This report was authored by a World Bank team led by Jon Kher Kaw (senior urban devel- Attribution license, you are free to copy, distribute, transmit, and adapt this work, includ- opment specialist), Hogeun Park (urban specialist), and Ban Edilbi (young professional). ing for commercial purposes, under the following conditions: Identification of potential neighborhoods for transit-oriented development was carried out in collaboration with the Greater Amman Municipality. The neighborhood spatial Attribution—Please cite the work as follows: Jose Luis Vallejo, Belinda Tato, Marco analytics and concept urban design proposals were carried out by Ecosistema Urbano. Rizzetto, Jon Kher Kaw, Hogeun Park, and Ban Edilbi. 2024. Transit-Oriented Neighbor- The urban design team included: Jose Luis Vallejo, Belinda Tato, Marco Rizzetto, Elena hoods in Amman: Neighborhood Selection, Analysis, and Urban Design. Washington, DC: Castillo, Jorge Izquierdo Cubero, Vicky Vlachodimou, Lily Liebes, Jose Anelo Romero, World Bank. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO Fernando Sanzana Agass, and Julia Casado, with the help from independent consultant Myriam Ababsa. The Greater Amman Municipality contributed valuable inputs to this report. The development of neighborhood urban design concepts received funding support from the Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) partnership program. INDEX URBAN VISION 5 TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT & NEIGHBORHOOD URBAN DESIGN 8 URBAN VISION STRATEGIES 10 PEDESTRIAN ACCESSIBILITY SIMULATION 15 BENEFICIARIES AND TARGET POPULATION LONG-LIST OF PROJECTS 16 LONG-LIST OF PROJECTS SELECTION CRITERIA 18 LONG-LIST OF PROJECTS AL-YARMOUK STREET 19 LONG-LIST OF PROJECTS SWEILEH TERMINAL SHORT-LIST OF PROJECTS 20 AL-YARMOUK BASINS PRIORITIZATION 22 AL-YARMOUK STREET DESIGN GUIDELINES 23 STREET TYPOLOGIES DESIGN GUIDELINES 24 STAIRS DESIGN GUIDELINES 26 HEJAZ RAILWAY DESIGN GUIDELINES 28 AL-YARMOUK SELECTED BASINS 36 SWEILEH SELECTED PROJECTS 5 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - URBAN VISION URBAN VISION Amman, with a population of 4.3 million—nearly half of the national to- CLIMATE-CONSCIOUS URBAN PLANNING tal—is the economic heart of Jordan, contributing 60% of the GDP and Climate-conscious urban planning is critical as climate-related shocks housing 80% of the country’s large firms. After decades of urban sprawl, are predicted to greatly impact economic growth and quality of life. Amman is a low-rise city on a hilly plateau with an average elevation Located at the limit of the Arabian desert, Amman is particularly vul- NEIGHBORHOOD URBAN DESIGN of 950m. The city suffers from major traffic congestion as residents nerable to climate change and natural disasters. Within a span of eight and commuters use cars (33%) or taxis (9%), walk (26%), and only 14% years, the average surface summer temperature of the entire city has use public transport. On average, people in Amman can reach only 18% gone up from 45°C in 2013 to 46,8°C in 20214. of total available jobs in under 60 minutes using public transport and Since 2010, Amman has implemented environmental policies and is walking1. the first Arab city to adopt a Climate Plan, intending to become carbon The city has developed major structural inequalities in its layout, with emissions-neutral by 2050, fostering solar energy, rainwater harvesting, vulnerable populations concentrated in the Eastern part of the city, green areas development, solid waste sorting and reduction, and public in dense self-built neighborhoods. Commuting distances for residents transport. from East Amman to jobs are twice as long as those from affluent A quarter of Amman’s residents live more than an hour’s walk from any neighborhoods. Access to education, health facilities, and green space public space or park, while another tenth of residents require over two differs across neighborhoods, reflecting income segregation2. hours to reach such areas. Amman lacks green spaces with only 11,7 km2 of green areas, barely 2,7 m2 per inhabitant. Amman Green Action Plan BUS RAPID TRANSIT LINES IN INTEGRATED 2021 calls to limit urban sprawl and to create green corridors along the DEVELOPMENT AND URBAN PLANNING valleys and main roads, including the BRT lines. TRANSIT-ORIENTED In order to improve traffic and the urban layout, the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) has adopted integrated urban planning methods, combining a Transportation strategy to its Master plan in 2010. The main component has been the construction of two Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines connecting the north-eastern and north-western districts to the city center. It has been operational since 2021 (Phase 1). GAM is now working on Phase 2 to connect the eastern and southern districts of the city to the center, with a future link planned between Zarqa and Amman (Phase 3). The policy objectives are to increase public transportation use (from 14% to 40%) while promoting transit- Projected Floor Area Demand Over Areas with oriented development with housing and economic growth along core Projected Employment Change (%) Maximum Allowed by Zoning (Ratio) ratios above 1.0 indicate that the BRT Lines transportation corridors. demand for floor area is above km Spatial analysis suggests that expanding the BRT network would zoning limits. improve access to jobs and services leading to productivity growth and Figure 6: Employment Change and Projected Floor Area demand for additional floor area in neighborhoods in the northwest Demand Over Allowable Floor Area Under Current Zoning Employment Change and Projected Floor Area Demand Over Allowable (Sweileh District) and south of Amman. There is a strong opportunity Resulting from the Implementation of the BRT Network Floor Area Under Current Zoning Resulting from the Implementation of the to complement these infrastructure investments with more responsive Source: BRT Kleineberg and others 2022. Network land use and neighborhood improvements to leverage on these Source: Kleineberg, Tatjana, Sally Beth Murray, Yulu Tang, and Jon Kher Kaw. 2024. The Welfare and Productivity Effects of Transit dynamics to further improve city productivity and livability3. Table 2: Pathways in Improvements forAmman. Washington, Integrated Transport DC: World Investments Bank. and Land Use Reforms Aggregate Pathway 1: BRT Phase 1 Pathway 2: Extend BRT network effects on city infrastructure through Phase 2 productivity impacting access to greenery, biodiversity, short span of eight years, the average and food systems (see Figure 11). summer surface temperature of the entire The city faces risks from climate change, city has gone up from 45 °C in 2013 to 46.8 6 TRANSIT natural disasters, and ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS man-made shocks, degreesIN AMMAN in 2021. - URBAN To complicate VISION the matter including floods, soil erosion, urban heat further, the heat intensification is highly islands, and drought. Heavy rain causes uneven. Eastern Amman has seen the most flooding disrupting access to services, and dramatic temperature increases of over 11 heatwaves impact health and businesses. degrees at the upper extremes, whereas Spatial analysis suggests that these events western Amman has gotten cooler by up to impact vulnerable populations more nine degrees (see Figure 13). Still, most of disproportionately in Amman: Amman experienced noticeable temperature 1. Alam, Muneeza Mehmood, and OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSIT-ORIENTED Green Areas (ha) within Lisa Bagnoli. 2023. Ten-thousand Walking Distance Steps in Her Shoes: The Role DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC SPACE ENHANCEMENTS, km of Public Transport in Women’s AND NEIGHBORHOOD REGENERATION Economic Empowerment – Evidence from Egypt, Jordan, and This report examines the potential for urban design solutions to (a) Lebanon. Washington, DC: World facilitate Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in Sweileh District, Bank. and (b) enhance first-last mile connectivity along the Al-Yarmouk 2. Kaw, Jon Kher, Hogeun Park, and neighborhood, an area marked by low-income households, limited Ban Edilbi. 2024. Future Amman green and public spaces, heat islands, substandard urban environments, Positioned at a Juncture: Three and poor access to planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) stops due to hilly Strategies Toward Climate-Smart terrain. Spatial Transformation. Washington, DC: World Bank. License: Creative The aim is to turn mobility challenges into opportunities for innovative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 public space enhancements at various scales, involving community IGO participation. The key areas of focus are publicly owned or vacant land and properties to address issues such as safety, greenery, heat islands, 3. Ibid. 4. Ibid. access, walkability, and services. The concept proposal encompasses a comprehensive urban vision that Figure 10: Green Areas Within Walking Distance Bottom Left: Access to Education combines social, environmental, and connectivity strategies to create km Source: World Bank n.d. Facilities, Healthcare Facilities, and an urban network of interconnected, accessible streets Predicted and public Note: Walking distance is defined as 400m radius from green areas. Distribution Public Spaces. of Building Qualitywhile 18 Source: Lall, Somik V., Jon Kher spaces that provide safe and pleasant access to new infrastructure FUTURE AMMAN: POSITIONED AT A JUNCTURE Regular Buildings Kaw, Forhad J. Shilpi, and Sally Beth addressing other deficiencies in the targeted areas. The approach aims Low-Quality Buildings Murray. 2023. Vibrant Cities: On to embrace an integrated strategy with a holistic understanding of the Refugee Camp Areas the Bedrock of Stability, Prosperity, complex interactions taking place in the city and their co-benefits for and Sustainability. Washington, DC: World Bank. all stakeholders. Figure 8: Distribution of Low-Quality Housing and Refugee Camp Areas Source: Robinson and others 2022. Top Right: Green Areas Within Walking Distance, Educational facilities (K-12) Health care facilities and elderly Parks and public spaces Source; World Bank n.d. Walking and school-aged population population (65 and older) and total population distance is defined as 400m radius from green areas. Bottom Right: Distribution of Low-Quality Housing and Refugee km Camp Areas Source: Robinson, Caleb, Anthony Predicted Distribution of Building Quality Ortiz, Hogeun Park, Nancy Gracia, Regular Buildings Jon Kher Kaw, Tina Sederholm, Ra- Low-Quality Buildings hul Dodhia, and Juan Lavista Ferres. Refugee Camp Areas 2022. “Fast building segmentation from satellite imagery and few local labels.” 10.48550/arXiv.2206.05377. Figure 8: Distribution of Low-Quality Housing and Refugee Camp Areas Figure 9: Access to Education Facilities, Healthcare Facilities, Parks, and Public Spaces Source: Robinson and others 2022. Source: Lall and others 2023. Educational facilities (K-12) Health care facilities and elderly Parks and public spaces 7 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - URBAN VISION Left: Summer Surface Temperatures NEIGHBORHOOD SELECTION in Amman (2021). Source: Su, Rui, Ross Eisenberg, Steven Rubinyi, As mentioned before the two selected areas of interest are the Al-Yar- Zheng Jia and Jon Kher Kaw. 2022. mouk Street corridor and the area surrounding the Sweileh Terminal. Jordan Urban Climate Risk Analysis. The Al-Yarmouk Street area is a 6,5 Km long urban corridor charac- Background Paper. Washington, DC: terized by very a complex and diverse urban and social context. It is World Bank. located in the southeast of the city that will host one of the new BRT Right: Areas of interest within the lines planned for the second phase. Greater Amman context. The area around the Sweileh Terminal is a consolidated urban area in the north of the city that hosts an existing BRT terminal and plays an Notes: The proposals in this report are exploratory in nature and do not important role in Amman mobility. The main challenge in this area is to necessarily reflect the actual plans improve pedestrian mobility and public space quality. by GAM. Summer Surface Temperature (2021) in degrees Celcius km Figure 13: Summer Surface Temperatures in Amman (2021) 21 Su and others 2022. Source: 8 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - URBAN VISION The selection of a set of a transit oriented typologies of spaces provides PARKS AND GREEN AREAS a framework for the possible interventions. This allows a more gener- OPEN FROM A MOBILITY CHALLENGE TO alized analysis and the development of a design methodology that can EMPTY SPACES - SPACES PUBLIC PROPERTY be applied to different areas of the city. In the case of the selected areas in Amman, leveraging on the improvement of existing assets is key. The neighborhoods affected by the new transit system are consolidat- A PUBLIC SPACE OPPORTUNITY ed urban areas in which is not possible to propose urban designs from PUBLIC PUBLIC FACILITIES scratch. The challenge is to identify networks of public spaces connect- BUILDINGS ed to the BRT, and improve them to encourage pedestrian mobility and URBAN VISION STRATEGIES: improve accessibility to the BRT stations. ROADS MAIN ROADS In the selected areas, eight types of public spaces were identified, each BUS STOPS of them poses different challenges and offers new opportunities for improvement. CAR ORIENTED STREETS 1. CONNECTION STRATEGIES STREETS Pedestrian connections are one of the most significant part of the PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED STREETS proposed transit oriented neighborhoods that needs to be improved around the new BRT infrastructure. After a comprehensive analysis of the selected areas around the new BRT lines it was possible to detect NARROW SECTIONS a set of issues with pedestrian mobility and accessibility. In general RAILWAY WIDE SECTIONS most of the streets have a car oriented design that reflects Amman car centric mobility system, this approach is reflected in the section of the streets but also in their itinerary which is not optimized for pedes- STAIRS S trian connections. In many cases sidewalks are not continuous or not STAIRS STAIRS M completely accessible, in other cases the sidewalks are often occupied STAIRS L by cars of other elements that limit their accessibility. There is also a general lack of safe pedestrian crossings. There are also cases when alternative pedestrian routes are commonly used but haven’t been for- SLOPES malized and therefore are not accessible at all. RESIDUAL VACANT LOTS SPACES We identified four main strategies to improve connections: 1. Improve existing connections 2. Formalize informal pathways BUS BRT 3. Create new connections 4. Create vertical connections STOPS 9 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - URBAN VISION 2.ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES While defining the new transit oriented neighborhoods is also import- ant to consider that this transformation is a great opportunity to imple- ment environmental oriented strategies. The strategies under this topic relate to increasing the presence of nature, minimizing the impacts of extreme climatic events like floods, supporting urban ecosystems, and improving urban services like sewage or energy systems to minimize their impacts while making the city more livable. These four strategies must be considered in the design of every sub-project and the transfor- mation of every area: The environmental strategies are: 1. Biodiversity 2. Climatic comfort 3. Water management 4. Metabolism 3.SOCIAL STRATEGIES The last set of strategies that must drive all design decisions is related to the social framework. A key goal of the project is to increase the access for everyone, regardless of their capabilities or condition, to the new mobility system. Doing so will improve many aspects of the life of Amman’s citizens, increasing the inclusiveness of the city and fostering the sense of community. These initiatives, together with the implemen- tation of safer spaces, will also contribute to the improvement of public health conditions and a more equitable society. In terms of public space design is important also to consider the importance of beauty in improving the quality of life. The social strategies are: 1.Inclusion 2. Community 3. Health 4. Equity 5. Safety 6. Beautification 10 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - URBAN VISION BRT STOPS CATCHMENT BASINS LOCATION OF BRT STOPS The Amman BRT Phase 2 Preliminary Technical Assessment and The analysis of the initial stops proposal1, with one stop every ~1000 Financing Options report, suggests BRT stops along Al-Yarmouk street m, shows six large basins evenly distributed along Al-Yarmouk. The approximately every 1000 m and considers placing stops every 500 m a walking time between stops along Al-Yarmouk is generally less than 10 possible alternative. In order to be able to design and prioritize correct- minutes. ly the interventions and projects along Al-Yarmouk St. it was necessary to estimate the overall impact of the stops placement. The “catchment When placing stops every ~500m these criteria were followed: basins” approach was adopted to provide a data driven analysis tool • Proximity to main streets and pedestrian connections PEDESTRIAN ACCESSIBILITY that can be used to quickly estimate the impact that the stops place- ment has on the overall accessibility to the BRT. • Prioritization of densely populated areas The definition of a catchment basin is borrowed from hydrology and, • Conformity with existing BRT preliminary studies in this case, refers to an area where, starting from any point, all most convenient paths converge to a BRT stop. Paths cost is calculated using • Results of pedestrian accessibility simulations the averaged walking time that has been presented in the previous The same analysis obtained ensuring that stops are placed every ~500m paragraph. shows a significant reduction in basins size, indicating that the walking Each basin is a subnet of the whole network that refers to a specific distance to each stop was significantly reduced. stop. If a person wants to reach the most convenient BRT stop, i.e. the Given that the project aims to generate transit-oriented neighborhoods, one that takes less time to reach, from any point belonging to a basin a spatial organization centered around the future BRT stops and their should go to the stop in which the basin converges. corresponding catchment basins is the most logical approach. This Basins are a very useful way to visualize -and organize- the structure prioritizes interventions in areas with the highest potential ridership, of the areas around the BRT infrastructure. In this project this spa- ultimately ensuring equitable access to the public transportation sys- SIMULATIONS tial organization has two main purposes, the first one being aid in the tem for all residents within these catchment areas. optimization of the stops number and position, and the second one the selection of the projects. 1 WSP (2023) Amman Bus Rapid Transit Phase II, Preliminary Technical Assessment and Financing Options - Final Report 11 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - URBAN VISION Basins corresponding to each stop ESTIMATION OF THE IMPACT OF ACCESSIBILITY along Al-Yarmouk street. Stops are approximately 1 Km apart. Grey IMPROVEMENT WITHIN 15 MINUTES FROM THE basins refer to stops outside of the BRT STOPS ALONG AL-YARMOUK STREET considered area. Using the street network model with the weighted segments, it was possible to simulate within a certain degree of precision the walking times(and distances) from each point of the network. These simulations give a clear view of the impact that certain factors have on the accessi- bility to the BRT stops. Using different combinations of factors -BRT stops location and pedes- trian accessibility- it was possible to generate three different scenarios. Scenario A BRT stops are placed every 1 Km approximately. The location of the stops is based on the preliminary studies for the second phase of the BRT2 - Line 4. Only existing and formal streets are considered in this scenario. Infor- mal paths, informal stairways, shortcuts, and the paths along the Hejaz railway are excluded from the simulation. This partially reflects the actual situation, in which routes and streets are designed for cars and not optimized for pedestrians. Basins corresponding to each stop along Al-Yarmouk street. Stops are approximately 0,5 Km apart. Grey Scenario B basins refer to stops outside of the BRT stops in this scenario are placed every 1 Km, like in scenario A. considered area. The considered street network is now completed with all available con- nections. This takes into account the improvement of existing informal paths and stairways, the integration of the Hejaz railway as a pedestrian corridor, and the creation of new connections where necessary. Scenario C BRT stops in this scenario3 are placed every ~500 m. The placement of the stops is based on the BRT phase 2 proposal and is adjusted taking into account the pedestrian mobility in proximity of the stops. The considered street network is the same as in Scenario B. 2 Ibid. It is important to notice that this is a preliminary study and that the final placement of the stops is still subject to more in-depth studies. 3 Ibid. A proposal for line 4 with stops at 500m intervals is considered in the final report. This project proposal considers a slightly modified version of the WSP proposal, optimized for pedestrian accessibility. 12 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - URBAN VISION Scenario A As expected, there is clearly an improvement in the accessibility times Spatial analysis of the walking times in the three scenarios. The first scenario can be considered the one that from each of the proposed BRT likely represents the implementation of the BRT line in the Al-Yarmouk stops along Al-Yarmouk street. segment without any improvement to public spaces and transit orient- Simulation with stops every 1 Km ed accessibility. approximately. The B scenario represents the option where the BRT is implemented This simulation only takes into ac- with stops at 1000 m intervals, but with a consistent investment in pe- count the existing “formal” streets, destrian mobility, accessibility and public space improvement. informal connections and paths are not considered. The C scenario maximizes the pedestrian accessibility to the BRT line 4 along Al-Yarmouk street. Stops placed at 500 m intervals offer an im- proved access to the public transport system, reducing the walking time significantly, at least in the areas closer to Al-Yarmouk street. Between the scenarios B and C, the benefits in terms of accessibility are greater in the areas closer to the line in scenario C and decrease walking away from it. This could be explained considering that with starting points further away from the stops it’s easier to find alternative routes that Scenario B minimize the walking distance and that the final segment represents a Spatial analysis of the walking times smaller portion of the complete route. from each of the proposed BRT stops along Al-Yarmouk street. It is important to point out that in some areas adding a new stop or Simulation with stops every 1 Km opening new connections brings a significant improvement in terms approximately. of pedestrian accessibility and access time. The impact of these local- ized improvements might be canceled out when looking at the greater This simulation takes into account picture but it is important to consider its importance at the pedestrian all streets, paths and new proposed connections. It can be considered neighborhood scale. Localized interventions can drastically improve as a snapshot of the final situation pedestrian accessibility in certain areas. with all the projects in the long list implemented. 13 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - URBAN VISION Scenario C Spatial analysis of the walking times from each of the proposed BRT stops along Al-Yarmouk street (white line). Simulation with stops every 500 m approximately. This simulation takes into account all streets, paths and new proposed connections. It can be considered as a snapshot of the final situation with all the projects in the long list implemented. 14 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - URBAN VISION SWEILEH TERMINAL ACCESSIBILITY Queen Rania Street that continues towards Jordan University and the city center, and King Abdullah II Street, which continues to the For the Sweileh terminal area the accessibility analysis must be consid- South and eventually connects with the Airport Road. Because of its ered from another perspective. The Sweileh terminal is an important position, Sweileh has been one of the main gateways to the capital for node for private and public transport at a metropolitan scale and at the those coming from the North, and it is a very congested intersection. same time it is a lively and popular commercial area in the center of a Its importance as a mobility hotspot makes Sweileh a strategic and popular area. crucial node in metropolitan Amman: the area around the terminal is also a stop for many coasters and service taxis. As a consequence of its Sweileh Terminal is one of the main infrastructures built for the first importance as a transit node, the surroundings of the terminal are also phase of the Amman BRT. It is, in fact, the end of the line for the two very crowded by people waiting for buses or changing from one line existing BRT lines, and in the future it will be the end of a new line that to another. Because of its popularity, the whole neighborhood is lively, connects it to Luminus College. It is located at the intersection between with many small shops, commerce along the main streets, and numer- the Jerash Highway, an important artery entering Amman from the ous vendors on the sidewalks. A downside of this popularity is that the north, the Salt Highway, which enters the city from the northwest, whole area around the intersection is devoted to vehicle traffic. Gen- erally, cars have priority over pedestrians and jaywalking is a common practice. Improving pedestrian accessibility around the terminal is especially important, as the area will be an even more central node of Sweileh terminal rises in a strategic interchange in the future. location, which is important at the metropolitan and local scales. The The activities related to this function -the metropolitan node- are street network around it is inter- limited to a very short range around the terminal, this range is deter- connected enough to create a large mined by the organization of local bus stops and taxis waiting areas potentially walkable and pedestrian friendly urban area. that generates a constant flow of people to and from the terminal and the surrounding commercial activities. This micromobility has to be managed at a very local scale and does not affect directly the surround- ing neighborhoods. On the other hand, Sweileh terminal is also located in the center of a large neighborhood with many public facilities and lively commercial areas. Around the terminal in a 250m radius, there are four schools and a large public park that is a vital infrastructure in a city like Amman that has a chronic scarcity of green spaces. Improving the accessibil- ity and the connections between these infrastructures and the dense neighborhoods, which have a healthy mix of residential areas and neighborhood scale commercial activities, would generate a virtuous example of the 15 minutes city. 15 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - URBAN VISION AFFECTED POPULATION AL-YARMOUK STREET Calculating the population affected by the BRT is not a trivial task, ob- ESTIMATED PEOPLE ESTIMATED PEOPLE ESTIMATED PEOPLE viously there are many possible approaches: estimating the population LIVING WITHIN A 5 LIVING WITHIN A 10 LIVING WITHIN A 15 that will actually use the BRT, estimating the vulnerable population MINUTES WALKING MINUTES WALKING MINUTES WALKING that most likely will benefit from a better access to public transport, DISTANCE FROM A DISTANCE FROM A DISTANCE FROM A BRT STOP IN THE AL BRT STOP IN THE AL BRT STOP IN THE AL estimating the population that will have access to the BRT using the YARMOUK CORRIDOR YARMOUK CORRIDOR YARMOUK CORRIDOR feeders bus system, or estimating all the population living within a cer- BENEFICIARIES AND TARGET tain distance from any of the stops. This proposal focused on this last SCENARIO A: 27.777 SCENARIO A: 86.256 SCENARIO A: 205.000 approach because the goal of the project is to enhance existing urban SCENARIO B: 33.344 SCENARIO B: 130.775 SCENARIO B: 234.136 infrastructures and create new public spaces to enable transit oriented 20% INCREMENT 52% INCREMENT 14% INCREMENT neighborhoods. This approach would benefit the whole population of a neighborhood and not only the population that would use the new BRT SCENARIO A: 27.777 SCENARIO A: 86.256 SCENARIO A: 205.000 SCENARIO C: 51.619 SCENARIO C: 154.655 SCENARIO C: 250.860 infrastructure. For this reason considering the population living within 15 minutes from any bus stop can provide a good estimation of the citi- 86% INCREMENT 79% INCREMENT 22% INCREMENT zens that will benefit from this proposal. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SUGGESTED INTERVENTIONS ALONG THE AL-YARMOUK CORRIDOR WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC For the Al-Yarmouk Street analysis the affected population is distrib- TRANSPORT SYSTEM AFFECTING MORE THAN 200.000 PEOPLE WITHIN A 15-MINUTE WALKING DISTANCE uted along the 6,5 Km spanning from the Al-Mahatta terminal area to the Ash-Sharq Al-Awaat Interchange. The population that has access to SWEILEH TERMINAL the BRT stops depends on the stops position and distance (Scenario A and B consider stops every 1 Km, scenario C every 500 m) and on the 43.697 POP. UNDER 15 pedestrian accessibility improvements that are implemented (Scenario MINUTES A considers only existing streets, while B and C consider also the new and improved connections). 20.218 POP. UNDER 10 POPULATION MINUTES In the Sweileh area, the terminal is considered the main attractor in a large urban area that is densely populated and has a rich and diverse commercial tissue. The main challenge in this dense area is to improve 3.065 POP. UNDER 5 pedestrian safety and accessibility, especially in the area close to the MINUTES terminal. Isochrone areas around the Sweileh Terminal. Population is estimated from 2020 population data. 16 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - LONG LIST LONG LIST SELECTION CRITERIA 4. ENRICHED BY ON-SITE OBSERVATIONS All informal mobility and usage patterns (paths, stairs, vending areas, The approach that was followed to select the long list of projects in- social gathering areas) were considered valid inputs for the project. cluded the criteria listed below. These traces of unheard citizens’ necessities had to be acknowledged and considered to root the proposal in the local urban tissue. In many 1. BASIN ORIENTED cases, informal paths are efficient shortcuts for pedestrians, in other Basins are the basic unit for organizing projects for generating a trans- cases are temporary uses of empty areas. port-oriented neighborhood. Considering that each basin refers to a BRT stop it is crucial to connect the basin to its stop, so that people 5. CONNECTING EXISTING AND NEW PUBLIC FACILITIES living in the neighborhood can reach the BRT stop using an accessible The connection of important facilities to the public transport system path, that should be as short as possible. Prioritizing connections to determines, in many cases, the endpoint of the selected connections and from the BRT stops does not limit the possibility of connections to the BRT. Connecting two important attractors, such as a metro- between basins, pedestrian mobility works best when it is based on a politan-scale transport stop and an important local (or metropolitan) LONG-LIST OF PROJECTS tightly interconnected network. facility creates a network of known places that can confer added value to a pedestrian connection. 2. DATA DRIVEN A good quantitative indicator that can be used to determine the most 6. LEVERAGING ON MUNICIPAL PROPERTIES SELECTION CRITERIA connected streets in the selected area is obtained through a network All selected sub-projects are located on available land, the project takes analysis algorithm called “betweenness centrality”. Betweenness cen- into account existing land use and current urban zoning to propose trality is “a measurement of the importance of a specific node in a net- different interventions that vary in terms of scale, intervention grade, work in terms of how often paths must go through that node”1. Nodes temporariness, and permanence. Municipally owned properties are that have a high centrality score in the network are the ones that are considered the backbone of the neighborhood public facilities and are well connected to the rest of the network and therefore are most likely therefore a central part of the proposal. Existing public facilities and to be found in popular streets. Intuitively, most well-connected areas parks are selected to be improved and upgraded while available land is are important streets connecting to Al-Aarmouk Street and/or other considered for the development of new local facilities. commercial streets within each neighborhood and are good candidates 7. CONSIDERING DIFFERENT TEMPORALITIES to become the main connections to the BRT stations from each basin. Many unused areas along the Al-Yarmouk corridor and also around the 3. LOCALLY ADAPTED Sweileh terminal are not municipal properties, determining the owner- The selection of the best paths to connect the BRT stops to the neigh- ship of these plots exceeds the scope of this proposal but it is however borhoods does not depend solely on the quantitative evaluation of the possible and useful to include these long-time abandoned areas in the street network, but also on a qualitative and spatial one. Existing com- project. To be able to do so it is necessary to consider different tem- mercial streets or areas are preferred over secondary ones. An enriched poralities, municipally owned plots can be transformed and improved pedestrian experience is a proven factor that increases a population’s permanently, or at least planned for the long term; abandoned plots willingness to walk instead of using other means of transportation. The can’t be considered in the same manner. Interventions on available land improvement of selected streets -both in terms of urban quality and pe- that is not municipally owned must be conceived in terms of tactical destrian traffic- will also have a positive effect on commerce and other urbanism: light and economic interventions that can improve the city activities, triggering a positive transformation process. in the short term and can eventually be removed in case of the develop- ment of the plot. 1 Collins Dictionary 17 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - LONG LIST 8. PRIORITIZE PROJECTS WITH CLIMATE CO-BENEFITS Projects were also prioritized keeping in mind that generating a trans- port-oriented neighborhood was the main goal, but not the only one. Nodes of the street network around Each selected project brings benefits that go further than just pedestri- the Al-Yarmouk Street corridor. an mobility improvement. Urban reforestation, improvement of urban Points are classified by their in be- tweenness centrality in the network. landscape, reduction of the heat island effect, nature-based solutions White points belong to the bottom for the control of rainwater, and mitigation of flooding risk are just 20%, bright red points belong to the some of the climate co-benefits2 goals that the network of streets and top 20%. areas must bring to be included in the long list of projects. Nevertheless in this case this has to be interpreted in a more general sense that goes beyond the financing and climate change aspect. Co-benefits in this conceptual design context has to be associated with the multiple bene- fits that a single transit-oriented project can bring to a neighborhood in terms of safety, accessibility, inclusion of vulnerable groups, etc. 9. FOCUSED ON THE 15 MINUTES CITY Prioritized projects are, mostly, within the 15-minute walking limit from the BRT stops. As it was mentioned earlier the 15 minutes limit Top 20% of nodes by centrality does not represent the acceptable walking distance that citizens are overlapped with selected streets and paths. expected to walk to reach a public transport stop but represents an ideal distance for a walkable neighborhood. In this 15 minutes radius, centered on the BRT stop, a citizen must have access to basic public facilities (schools, parks, health centers, and so on) and public transport stops, without the need to use a car. 10. CONNECTED TO EXISTING PUBLIC TRANSPORT The prioritization of the long list of projects took into account the available information regarding the existing public transport. This information could not be verified and will certainly change when the BRT line will be operative. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to suppose that the feeder lines will still use the existing streets. Intermodality, between the BRT and the feeders is a key features for the functioning of the whole system. 2 According to the World Bank Climate co-benefits refer to the share of fi- nancing dedicated to climate change adaptation or mitigation in operations financed by the World Bank. 18 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - LONG LIST Long list of projects, organized Empty Open Spaces (GAM property) by basin. Improvement of Existing Public Spaces Empty Spaces - Slopes Vacant Slots Selected Streets Basin Limit Y09W Y07W Y04W Y08W Y02W LONG-LIST OF PROJECTS Y10W Y05W Y03W Y01 AL-YARMOUK STREET Y02E Y04E Y03E Y05E Y07E Y08E Y09E Y06 Y10E Y11 19 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - LONG LIST Long list of projects. Empty Open Spaces (GAM property) Improvement of Existing Public Spaces Empty Spaces - Slopes Selected Streets LONG-LIST OF PROJECTS SWEILEH TERMINAL 20 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST Prioritization of projects for the Al-Yarmouk Street corridor was projects are street improvements. Although street improvement will made by basin. A single basin is the spatial unit used for the analysis. bring benefits to the population in many ways (enhancing pedestri- The long-list of projects was developed under the assumption that an mobility and accessibility for example) it will generate a smaller Al-Yarmouk Street would be served by 11 BRT stops, considering the improvements in terms of green areas or public facilities. Basins are Al-Mahatta terminal one of them. Changing the number of stops, or scored from 0 to 5. significantly altering their location along the street would also alter the spatial organization of the basins therefore altering the selected streets. Neighborhoods with special parameters Mainly for this reason is important to consider this study as a method- This is a score that benefits areas with special planning parameters, in ology guideline that is flexible and that can be adapted to different BRT most cases these areas have a very high urban density, a general lack of implementations, if necessary. open spaces, a high rate of auto-constructed buildings. An example of As mentioned before, the 11 initial basins can be further divided using this neighborhoods is the Wihdat refugees camp in the southwestern SHORT LIST: AL-YARMOUK Al-Yarmouk Street as a limit, obtaining 19 basins. Sixteen basins refer to part of Al-Yarmouk street. Basins with large “special parameters” areas 8 stops and are divided between East and West, while three of them are receive a 5, basins affected by “special parameters” areas receive a 2.5. BASINS PRIORITIZATION not significantly divided by the main artery and are not further divided. Improvement of BRT access time, within 5, 10, and 15 minutes This indicator measures the improvement, in terms of served popu- Prioritization is based on a score comparison. The considered parame- lation, that the selected projects can generate within each basin. It is ters are the ones described below: based on the increment of affected population between scenarios A and C. If the affected population in the scenario A was 0 and there is an Total population within 15 minutes improvement in scenario C the basin will receive 5 points. In the other An estimation of the total population living within 15 minutes from the cases the score is calculated using a min-max function: the basin with BRT stop in each basin. The score is obtained using a min-max func- the most improvement will receive 5 points, the basin with the least tion with all the values. The basin with the most affected people will improvement 0 points. This is calculated for the population living withi receive a 5 while the basin with the least people a 0. 5, 10, and 15 minutes from the BRT stops. Land ownership score Cost effectiveness This indicator describes the land ownership of the projects belonging The aim of this indicator is to describe the effectiveness of the inter- to a basin. Basins with available municipally owned land receive a high- vention comparing the estimated cost to the benefited population. The er score than basins with mostly private land. This indicator prioritizes score is calculated using the obtained ratio (cost per inhabitant). The the improvement of public owned land, which is easier develop and al- basin with the lowest cost per inhabitant receives 5 points, the basin lows permanent projects. A basin will receive a 0 if there is no available the highest cost per inhabitant (thus the less effective) obtains a 0, the municipal land and a 5 if most of the selected projects are located on rest of the scores are calculated using a min-max function. available public land. Total weighted score and selected basins Project Co-Benefits opportunity The final score is obtained with the weighted average of each score. The aim of this indicator is to describe the potential co-benefits that The basins are then sorted by the final score and the top third are se- the selected projects can bring to the basin. Basins with a very diverse lected for the short list. set of projects (streets, parks, new infrastructures, large green areas, etc.) will receive a higher score than basins in which the only selected 21 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST Short List Total Project Co- Neighborhoods Improvement Improvement Improvement Population Land Benefits with special Improvement of BRT access Improvement of BRT access Improvement of BRT access Total within 15 Population Ownership opportunity parameters of BRT access time 5 min of BRT access time 10 min of BRT access time 15 min Cost Weighted Intervention min Score Score Score Score time 5 min Score time 10 min Score time 15 min Score Effectiveness Score effectiveness Score from 5-All Score from 5- 0-No special parameters Increase in Increase in Increase in Score obtained Population that projects on interconnected and 2.5-Area with special accessibility to BRT Score obtained from accessibility to BRT Score obtained from accessibility to BRT Score obtained from comparing cost of lives within a 15 Score obtained public land to 0- multi beneficial parameters affected 5- stops withing a 5 accessibility stops withing a 10 accessibility stops withing a 15 accessibility interventions with minutes walking from population No projects on projects 0-not Area with special minutes walking improvement range minutes walking improvement range minutes walking improvement range affected population Detailed explanation distance range (min-max) public land connected projects parameters main distance (min-max) distance (min-max) distance (min-max) (min-max) Weight 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.35 0.35 0.5 0.5 BASIN 1 12317 1.8 5 3 0 50% 0.4 28% 0.1 39% 1.9 4.8 9.3 MID BASIN 2 EAST 17771 2.9 2 3 0 167% 1.4 700% 3.5 75% 3.6 5.0 11.4 HIGH BASIN 2 WEST 5696 0.3 3 3 2.5 30% 0.3 0% 0.0 0% 0.0 4.5 6.9 LOW BASIN 3 EAST 16970 2.8 4 4 0 5.0 258% 1.3 104% 5.0 4.2 13.6 HIGH BASIN 3 WEST 12672 1.8 2 4 2.5 300% 2.5 44% 0.2 3% 0.1 5.0 9.6 MID BASIN 4 EAST 13080 1.9 3 3 0 600% 5.0 108% 0.5 16% 0.8 4.8 9.7 MID BASIN 4 WEST 4069 0.0 2 2 2.5 0% 0.0 0% 0.0 0% 0.0 4.2 5.3 LOW BASIN 5 EAST 8517 1.0 3 4 0 5.0 800% 4.0 12% 0.6 3.9 9.9 MID BASIN 5 WEST 11567 1.6 2 4 0 300% 2.5 63% 0.3 24% 1.2 4.3 8.3 LOW BASIN 6 12098 1.7 3 3 0 35% 0.3 423% 2.1 49% 2.4 0.0 6.7 LOW BASIN 7 EAST 5150 0.2 5 4 0 5.0 1000% 5.0 88% 4.2 3.9 12.3 HIGH BASIN 7 WEST 19951 3.4 3 4 0 100% 0.8 307% 1.5 73% 3.5 4.6 11.8 HIGH BASIN 8 EAST 7554 0.7 5 4 0 33% 0.3 33% 0.2 0% 0.0 3.4 7.1 LOW BASIN 8 WEST 21356 3.7 3 4 2.5 20% 0.2 24% 0.1 2% 0.1 4.9 11.1 MID BASIN 9 EAST 15003 2.3 5 5 0 5.0 222% 1.1 25% 1.2 3.4 11.8 HIGH BASIN 9 WEST 13631 2.0 3 4 5 200% 1.7 73% 0.4 0% 0.0 4.7 11.1 HIGH BASIN 10 EAST 13734 2.1 5 3 0 100% 0.8 31% 0.2 0% 0.0 3.9 8.4 LOW BASIN 10 WEST 27409 5.0 4 3 5 8% 0.1 3% 0.0 3% 0.1 4.9 13.6 HIGH BASIN 11 12317 1.8 5 3 0 111% 0.9 104% 0.5 18% 0.9 3.8 8.6 MID 22 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST AL YARMOUK STREET PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS COMMERCIAL SIDEWALKS SIDEWALKS WITH CAR ACCESS TO AUTO REPAIR FACILITIES Pedestrian mobility should be of utmost importance in The commercial character of Al-Yarmouk Street necessi- Auto repair businesses represent a significant portion of Al-Yarmouk Street, especially at crossings where pedestri- tates the implementation of an infrastructure that serves the commercial activity in Al-Yarmouk Street. It is im- an safety is at high risk. this purpose. Spaces for business activities should be incor- portant to clearly mark, sign and divide repair zones from Crosswalks should be included, marked on pavement and porated into the design of the street. The pedestrian zones pedestrian paths and to facilitate car access while ensuring signalized, with medians and refuge islands to create a two must accommodate the store’s needs while also ensuring the safety of pedestrians. stage crossing. They should be at least as wide as the side- the accessibility and continuity of a clear path for pedes- walks that connect to and not be less than 3 m wide. trians. Widths of 1–4 m can accommodate commercial use Sidewalks should include pedestrian ramps to facilitate ac- extensions or vendors safely and comfortably with seating cess and mobility with tactile paving or detectable warning opportunities when clear walking paths of 1,8 m wide mini- strips at ramps and other transitions between pedestrian mum are maintained. and vehicular. 23 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST SIDEWALKS AREAS WITH SIDEWALKS NEXT TO SIDEWALKS NEXT TO STREET VENDOR SPACES GREEN SLOPES PARKING ZONES In order to support the commercial activity of street ven- Al-Yarmouk Street often features hillsides, slopes and va- The transformation of selected empty lots into parking dors, part of the sidewalk should be accommodated to host cant lots, each of which represent an opportunity to create spaces can contribute to the limitation of informal parking these activities as well as supporting equipment and vehi- areas that can be transformed into active public spaces and encourage multimodal transportation. Parking zones cles. When sidewalks are wide enough, vendors and market and/or green areas. These spaces play a crucial role in can include green areas and permeable paving, which can stalls can be situated in the street furniture zone, provid- preserving biodiversity by providing a continuous network also mitigate the effects of climate change. ing a buffer between pedestrians and moving or parked of vegetation and empowering the proper development vehicles. Allow at least 1 m of space for vendor customers of local flora and fauna. These spaces are also strategic in addition to a 1,8 m minimum clear path. elements for effective water management. Increasing per- meable pavements allows water to return to aquifers, while mitigating the urban heat island effect and slowing down runoff water. 24 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST STREET TYPOLOGIES TWO-WAY CAR TWO-WAY PEDESTRIAN ORIEN- ONE-WAY PEDESTRIAN ORIEN- ORIENTED STREET (~24 M) TED [SHARED] STREET (~13 M) TED [SHARED] STREET (~6 M) These wider roads combine residential and commercial For two-way roads in residential areas, shared streets are On narrow roads in dense residential areas a continuous uses. proposed. mixed-use surface without steps is recommended, ensur- Pedestrian areas should be clearly marked and the use of They should maintain 3 m sidewalks at least on one side, ing a single pavement with pedestrian preference. markers such as bollards or changes in level is necessary. reducing parking and replacing it with extended side- Streets should be one-way, parking should be reduced to Sidewalks are widened, enhanced with swales, shading and walks and space to add green and blue infrastructure and one lane and the remaining land should be replaced with resting areas while crossings are habilitated for pedestrian equipment to make the street more inviting, prioritizing extended space to add green and blue infrastructure and safety and sufficiency. pedestrian circulation. Pedestrian areas should be clearly equipment. This will make the street more inviting, while They should maintain a clear path of preferably 3 m in side- marked. also prioritizing pedestrian circulation. walks on both sides, freeing up space from car parking as a Traffic speeds should be limited and accessible crosswalks Traffic speeds should be limited with calming techniques. widening of sidewalks or buffers that include green or blue must be incorporated, fostering pedestrian priority and Accessible crossings should be incorporated on roads. infrastructure, and different equipment for pedestrians. reducing vehicle speeds. 25 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST STAIRS L-SCALE M-SCALE S-SCALE These stairs are typically wider than 2,5 meters and many These stairs are approximately 2,5 m wide and connect These stairs are approximately 1 to 1,5 m wide and are meters long, functioning as a connection between public densely populated residential areas to central public roads. typically located in densely populated residential areas, spaces. They can serve as an extension of the public realm, They can serve a dual purpose, functioning not only as a leading to or being tangential to private homes. They serve as they are usually adjacent to green, underused lots. passageway but also as small public spaces for the resi- primarily as a passage due to their limited width and are The improvements include the installation of railing and dents and passers-by to engage in everyday activities. used by a limited number of users. illumination, the improvement of the steps’ steel profiling The improvements include the installation of railing and The proposed improvements include the installation of for safety, adapting their dimensions to improve accessibil- illumination on adjacent walls, partial redesign in rela- railing and illumination on adjacent walls, partial redesign ity, the redesign of the access points to the adjacent public tionship with the residences’ accesses, the improvement in relationship with residences’ accesses, the improve- spaces, and the installation of enhancement infrastructure. of the steps’ steel profiling for safety and adaptation of the ment of the steps’ steel profiling for safety and adapt their Furthermore, planters are included to expand the green dimensions to improve accessibility. dimensions to improve accessibility. areas, incorporating a larger drainage surface. 26 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST HEJAZ RAILWAY HEJAZ RAILWAY AS HEJAZ RAILWAY NEXT TO HEJAZ RAILWAY NEXT TO A LINEAR PARK LARGE PUBLIC SPACES POCKET PUBLIC SPACES The railway path crosses a variety of situations. In in- In order to enhance the railway path as a multipurpose In instances where the adjacent spaces to the railway’s stances where the line crosses steep topographies and the public space, it is proposed that larger public spaces be pedestrian path are smaller, they will be transformed into passage is narrowed along the rehabilitated slopes, the developed along the corridor, where feasible, by incorpo- small public spaces, which will also feature shading and path should be wide enough to guarantee an accessibility rating existing adjacent vacant areas into open parks to vegetation. standard of 2 m, including furniture, lighting and signage consolidate the urban green corridor network. By functioning as green infrastructure, pocket parks can equipment. In addition to the previously mentioned equipment, these help to connect and extend green corridors networks, spaces will include rest and shade areas, more vegetation, thereby improving city renaturation and biodiversity. Addi- children’s playgrounds, and sports areas. tionally, this proposal can increase the ratio of green areas per inhabitant and provide public spaces with equipment. 27 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST HEJAZ RAILWAY HEJAZ RAILWAY CROSSED BY HEJAZ RAILWAY CROSSING WITH TRENCH ZONES NEW PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS EXISTING STREETS In instances where the line crosses steep topographies The Hejaz Railway presents an opportunity to transform At the intersections of the railway path with existing and the passage is narrowed down into a trench, along the the path into a green pedestrian corridor, which could also streets, pedestrian accessibility and safety should be guar- rehabilitated slopes, the path should be wide enough to serve as a link between different levels of the city due to its anteed. Crosswalks should be included, clearly marked on guarantee an accessibility standard of 2 m, including furni- intermediate position. In addition to reforestation, acces- the pavement of the streets, and well-signaled with pedes- ture, lighting and signage equipment. sibility improvements and the installation of new equip- trian ramps to facilitate access and mobility. ment, the existing stairs connecting the railway line to the adjacent neighborhoods should be restored and improved. In order to guarantee safety and provide more accessible pathways, steps should be adequately designed with larger landing zones and handrails. 28 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST Short-List of selected basins Empty Open Spaces (GAM property) and projects. Improvement of Existing Public Spaces Empty Spaces - Slopes Vacant Slots Selected Streets Basin Limit Selected Basins Y09W Y07W SHORT LIST: AL-YARMOUK Y10W SELECTED BASINS Y02E Y03E Y07E Y09E 29 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST BASIN Y02-EAST Area Y02E-08 Yarmouk Street Corridor Priority HIGH INFORMAL PATH CONNECTING HEJAZ RAILWAY TO Total prioritization score 11.4 AL-YARMOUK Potential and proposal The connection of the higher part of the neighborhood to Al-Yarmouk Street is limited by a lack of streets and any other direct connection. This basin can be divided in two areas: a lower neighborhood, com- prising Al-Yarmouk and the Hejaz Railway, and a higher area (large and densely populated) on the east- ern side of the tracks. In order to improve the accessibility to the BRT it is crucial to create new direct connections between the higher neighborhood and the main road. Said connections will cross the Hejaz Railway and the lower area. The proposal also considers two existing spontaneous connections that can be improved even though the ownership of the two areas is not clear. In case of uncertain own- ership it is important to reduce the footprint of the interventions to the bare minimum, and use the outer zones of the selected areas to limit Y02E-09 the costs of possible expropriations. AL-NASR STADIUM PUBLIC SPACE 30 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST BASIN Y03-EAST Area Yarmouk Street Corridor Y03E-01 Priority HIGH INTERSECTION OF ADAN STREET WITH THE HEJAZ Total prioritization score 13.6 RAILWAY PATH Potential and proposal Basin 3 East is structured around Adan Street, which is a primary transverse connection to Al Yar- mouk. This axis is a crucial link for the areas of Jabal An Nasr, Prince Al Hasan, Princess Alia, and Alnarah, connecting them primarily to Al Yarmouk. As a primary intervention,the connection of Adan St. should be enhanced, reinforcing its role as a multimodal route with a pedestrian focus. This approach presents an opportunity to improve the area’s internal connectivity and its integra- tion with the city. Furthermore, the presence of Mahmoud Al-Qudah Park within this basin, adjacent to a large parcel of municipal property, creates an opportunity to enhance the network of facilities. Improving the Mahmoud Al-Qudah Park and the creation of a large multifunctional facility that includes a public space comple- Y03E-A75 menting the park are proposed. MAHMOUD AL-QUDAH PARK SOCIAL HUB Close to Amuriyah school there are two municipal parcels, which rep- resents an opportunity to increase the public spaces in this zone and improve access to the surrounding of the Amuriyah School, creating a safe and comfortable space for stu- dents to socialize or wait for public transportation. 31 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST BASIN Y07-EAST Area Yarmouk Street Corridor Y07E-04 Priority HIGH INFORMAL PATHS CONNECTING PR. NAYEF STREET Total prioritization score 12.3 TO AL-YARMOUK Potential and proposal The Basin 7 East area connects the northern part of An Nahariyyah with Al Yarmouk. In the higher part of the area, there are notable facilities such as the Qweismeh Medical Cen- ter and the Al Rayhan Mosque. The residential area in the upper section is entirely cut off from ac- cess to the Al Yarmouk corridor due to vertical or steeply sloping terrain. An informal connection structure currently exists between the up- per part of this basin area and Al Yarmouk. This area includes public land that can be utilized to improve accessibility, enhance and formalize the informal paths, and create a public space, transforming a mobili- ty challenge into an opportunity. In the upper part of the area, there is a vacant municipal plot, which holds significant potential for the development of a public space and a multifunctional social facility. This facility would complement the ex- isting medical center and mosque, which can also be upgraded to strengthen their role in serving the community. The proposed transversal connec- tivity axis will serve as a connector at various levels, starting from Al Yarmouk, linking the railway line, and ultimately connecting to the fa- cilities in the upper part of the area. 32 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST BASIN Y07-WEST Area Yarmouk Street Corridor Y07W-01 Priority HIGH AL IMAM AL BUKHARI STREET CONNECTION Total prioritization score 11.8 TO AL-YARMOUK Potential and proposal This basin is structured around Al Imam Al Bukhary Street, which has a distinct commercial character in its upper section, further away from Al Yarmouk. Additionally, the basin includes vacant areas, steep slopes, and remnants of quarries near its contact with Al Yarmouk. The vacant spaces at the contact points between the basin and Al Yarmouk can be transformed into green, open areas where revegeta- tion and renaturalization measures can be implemented. Redesign Al Imam Al Bukhary Street to prioritize pedestrian traffic with wider sidewalks, pedestrian cross- ings, and traffic calming measures. Introduce shaded areas and seating to create comfortable public spaces for social interaction and relaxation. These actions will reinforce the potential of the street as a main axis and attraction point, enhancing its commercial and social functions. Utilize centrally located municipal parcels in the northeast and south- west areas of Al Imam Al Bukhary to enhance the availability of facili- ties and public spaces. These can be connected through a network of streets linking to Al Imam Al Bukhary street and Al Yarmouk. Improve existing parks and gar- dens in the basin, upgrading park facilities and increasing vegetation density. 33 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST BASIN Y09-EAST Area Yarmouk Street Corridor Y09E-A59 Priority HIGH PR. NAYEF STREET MARKET Total prioritization score 11.8 Potential and proposal This basin is characterized by the presence of the King Abdullah II Stadium. It also includes several large GAM property parcels desig- nated for various facilities. To en- hance accessibility, a well-designed connection between the BRT line in Al Yarmouk and the stadium should be established, ensuring that users can safely and comfortably walk from the bus stop to the stadium. Currently, the stadium is surrounded by extensive parking lots, which are only intermittently occupied and related to the stadium’s activities. These areas could be transformed into vibrant community spaces, hosting temporary markets, events, sports activities, and other compat- ible uses. Additionally, revegetation should be considered, along with surface treatments that aid in water management and infiltration. The municipal parcels on the Y09E-A58 basin could be transformed into ALHAJAH KHAYRIA MOSQUE OLIVE GROVE GARDEN a network of facilities and green spaces, creating a green corridor that structures this part of the city, connecting to the railway line and to Al Yarmouk. The municipal parcel where the weekly market is held lacks all kinds of amenities and is exclusively used for this function, remaining vacant when there is no market. By improv- ing the conditions of this space, not only would the market experience be enhanced, but it could also serve as a public space during the rest of the week. 34 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST BASIN Y09-WEST Area Yarmouk Street Corridor Y09W-02 Priority HIGH INFORMAL PATHS CONNECTING TO AL-YARMOUK Total prioritization score 11.1 Potential and proposal This area in central Al-Wahdat is characterized by the absence of public spaces or green areas, fea- turing a very dense and fully built urban fabric. The area has a concen- tric structure following the shape of the hill on which it is situated. The absence of significant va- cant spaces makes the streets the primary public spaces in the area. However, their current car-centric design prevents them from fulfilling this role effectively. It is necessary to transform street sections by introducing vegetation, expanding pedestrian areas, and creating rest- ing spaces along the streets. Given its characteristics and location, Sumaya Street is an ideal candidate for this transformation, converting it from a car-dominated street into a public urban space for the city. As in other basins, there are several Y09W-06 hillside spaces where informal paths SUMAYA STREET CONNECTION TO AL-YARMOUK have developed to connect the upper part with Al Yarmouk. These (UNRWA HEALTH CENTER AND MIDDLE SCHOOL) areas have the potential to be trans- formed into large green and open spaces by formalizing the paths, revegetating the slopes, and creat- ing small public spaces along the routes. This would partially address the lack of open and green spaces in the basin. 35 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST BASIN Y10-WEST Area Yarmouk Street Corridor Y10W-07 Priority HIGH SUMAYA STREET CONNECTION TO AL- YARMOUK Total prioritization score 13.6 (AL-WAHDAT MOSQUE) Potential and proposal This neighborhood, originally established as a Palestinian refu- gee camp, is characterized by its extremely dense urban fabric, which retains the structure reminiscent of the original layout. The area suffers from a scarcity of public spaces and offers limited opportunities for substantial interventions to enhance communal areas. Consequently, the proposed actions focus primarily on improving the streets. Improving the street section aims to transform them into vital public spaces, addressing the area’s scar- city of such amenities, as demon- strative projects showcasing how street sections can be redesigned to better serve the community. The investment proposal seeks to elevate the significance of Su- maya Street as a central axis of Al-Wahdat by reimagining it from a vehicle-dominated thoroughfare into a vibrant public urban space and green corridor for the neigh- borhood. 36 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST SWEILEH TERMINAL TERMINAL BUILDING PARKS & GREEN AREAS PUBLIC SPACE IMPROVEMENTS CENTRALITY & NEW PROGRAMS The new terminal building offers an ideal opportunity to The Sweileh area has an existing public park and some va- People are more likely to walk from one destination to transform it into a social infrastructure that facilitates and cant lots that can be transformed into spaces dedicated to another if the experience is convenient, comfortable and supports social interactions, community development, renaturation and social life, offering open and climatically enjoyable. and the overall well-being of its residents. It encompasses comfortable spaces to rest while playing a crucial role in All streets around a key destination such as the Sweileh a range of facilities and spaces that can meet commercial, enhancing urban life and preserving biodiversity. area should be universally accessible to accommodate dif- social and cultural needs of the community as social hubs These spaces are strategic on two levels: the ecological and ferent walking speeds, and be legible to all users. Sidewalks and also work as community shelters during emergencies, the social. For the former, a continuous network of vegeta- should be widened where possible, include pedestrian disasters, or extreme temperature events. tion should be formed to support the healthy development ramps to facilitate access and mobility, with tactile paving To achieve these objectives, the proposal includes upgrad- of local flora and fauna and permeable pavements should or detectable warning strips at ramps and other transitions ing the terminal building, adding flexible equipment that be utilized allowing water to return to aquifers, while between pedestrians and vehicles. facilitates conversion to accommodate different uses and mitigating the urban heat island effect and slowing down To improve streets walkability a specific area for urban programs in the existing building, and transforming it into runoff water during heavy rains simultaneously. facilities such as trees, furniture, lighting and other ame- an open public building accessible and available all days of For the latter, safety and accessibility measures, as well as a nities should be included, as well as consistent pedestrian the week. variety of activities, should be programmed for the enjoy- signage in a clear visual language that can be universally ment of all groups, including the most vulnerable. Fur- understood. thermore, the spaces should be points along a continuous network of urban spaces that allow for seamless mobility and connection to green areas. 37 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST PUBLIC SPACE WALKABILITY & STOREFRONTS & PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY CONTINUITY STREET VENDING TO TERMINAL It is crucial to maintain the multimodal nature of access The new centrality of the Sweileh Terminal has the poten- It is necessary to create safe and comfortable environ- to the terminal, ensuring all types of mobility are support- tial to create commercial opportunities while enhancing ments in and around the terminal, thus facilitating the ed. Car access should not be prioritized over pedestrian urban activity and life. The design of the public space movement of residents and travelers. This should also access, as is currently the case. Pedestrian safety zones should promote commercial activity on the ground floor of include improving access to and from bus stops and going should be established, which could involve clearly marked buildings and support street vendors, in line with encour- towards the terminal. sidewalks or the application of more flexible demarcation aging movements of multimodal transportation. Pedestrian priority should be of utmost importance in the (interventions adapted to different traffic volumes and Once the sidewalks are widened, the extension of com- Sweileh area, particularly at crossings. It is essential that street scales), to improve safety and accessibility without mercial activity from businesses onto the street should be a safe and clear pedestrian path be established to provide completely restricting spontaneous movement. encouraged, as well as the presence of street vendors. access to the station from the surrounding neighborhoods. Streets in the Sweileh area should include designated spac- Integrated transition and interaction zones with buildings Separated sidewalks—measuring at least 3m wide—should es for various activities and types of movement, ranging should be incorporated, especially in areas with commer- be included with signals and crosswalks marked on pave- from pedestrian to cycle and vehicular activity. Specific ar- cial activities or facilities. ment and signalized. Medians and refuge islands should be eas should contain urban facilities such as trees, furniture Vendors and market stalls can be situated in the street utilized to create two-stage crossing. and other amenities that improve walkability. furniture zone, providing a buffer between pedestrians and Sidewalks and/or pedestrian areas should be continuous moving or parked vehicles. Allow at least 1 m of space for and provide a clear path consistent with pedestrian vol- vendor customers in addition to a 1.8 m minimum clear umes, and they should always remain wide enough (main- path for pedestrians. tain a minimum clear path of 3 meters or more). All streets should be universally understandable and acces- sible to accommodate different walking speeds.. 38 TRANSIT ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AMMAN - SHORT LIST NEW HYBRID BUILDING COMMUTING EXPERIENCE UNDER-FLYOVER (FEEDERS STOPS) NEW PEDESTRIAN PATHWAY The existing vacant lot with an ongoing construction next Around the Sweileh area there are multiple informal stops One of the principal connections between the western to the Terminal was recently acquired by GAM. Its location for commuting. To redesign these areas, the stop zone part of the city and the Sweileh Terminal is made by an adjacent to the Sweileh Terminal building, presents a valu- spaces, designated for the waiting and boarding of transit overpass highway. The space beneath the highway can be able opportunity to transform it into a new hybrid building riders, should be integrated into the sidewalk, the median, restored and transformed into a new pedestrian area, liber- with a multifunctional and adaptable program that can or on a dedicated boarding island. ating for commercial activities, furniture and equipment, help to activate the area. The need for a large parking When curbside, the stop zone should be adjacent to the green areas and accessible connectivity to the surrounding lot, as expressed by GAM, due to the Terminal’s central pedestrian clear path. pedestrian network. location and multimodal character, can be enhanced with Shelters, seating, signs, and transit information must be This new pedestrian pathway can safely and comfortably additional uses that generate urban activity. The proposal located so as not to impede pedestrian accessibility. channel foot traffic from the feeders on both sides of the includes full parking levels on the intermediate floors, a The stop zone may also be aligned with the parking lane or street to the terminal. public space on the roof with sports activities, and a spa- cycle lane, and may include green infrastructure or other cious open commercial area on the ground floor, seamless- curbside amenities at non-stop locations. ly connecting with the central park. Stops should allow vehicles to load to a sidewalk or an island from the transit lane without pulling out of traffic. Transit shelters should be provided to offer seating for waiting passengers, allowing space for people with strollers and in wheelchairs. These stops should be connected by pedestrian routes to the terminal building.