Amman: Minister of Public Works and Housing, Maher Abul Samen, has announced that the ministry has adopted a proactive plan to manage and enhance Jordan's road infrastructure, focusing on adapting to the impacts of climate change and learning from past experiences with extreme weather.
According to Jordan News Agency, Abul Samen emphasized that the ministry is shifting its approach from treating weather-related incidents as emergencies to addressing their root causes. This includes implementing sustainable engineering solutions based on technical studies and risk assessments. The preparations for the upcoming rainy season commenced immediately after the previous winter concluded, highlighting the ministry's commitment to readiness.
The scope of these efforts includes monitoring locations prone to rainwater accumulation, landslides, and road closures. The ministry has developed a comprehensive plan featuring construction projects and preventative maintenance across various governorates to reduce the recurrence of such issues. Abul Samen detailed that the solutions involve constructing and expanding box and pipe culverts, rehabilitating hydraulic structures, building retaining walls and gabion cages, and implementing lateral ditches and stormwater drainage channels.
This year, the ministry has executed 8 major projects nationwide to address damage from weather depressions and landslides. Notable interventions included addressing the collapse of the Wadi Shuaib road and landslides on the King's Highway in Tafila and Karak governorates. In addition to these projects, 32 road initiatives spanning over 92 kilometers were completed at a cost of JD23.3 million, along with 8 lighting projects costing over JD1 million.
In preparation for the upcoming rainy season, the Public Works Directorates have initiated a campaign to clean and maintain stormwater drainage facilities, encompassing more than 5,400 box culverts and pipes. This is aimed at addressing critical areas and enhancing the readiness of operations rooms, personnel, machinery, and equipment.
Abul Samen reiterated that the ministry continues to implement projects according to technical priorities based on risk assessments. Efforts are also underway to update databases of vulnerable sites and review hydrological studies, all aimed at solidifying a proactive and preventative approach, improving infrastructure resilience, enhancing traffic safety, and minimizing damage and losses.