Unwalkable Amman

And now for something completely different… I am visiting my friend Meg in Amman, Jordan this week. Besides the obvious culture shocks of hearing the call to prayer, even at 3:30 am, smelling spices in the street, and never seeing a woman’s hair, one is immediately struck by how difficult it is to walk here. From non-existent or obstacle-ridden sidewalks, to sprawling distances over hills, it is just plain unpleasant. My guidebook dedicated a textbox titled “Pedestrian, beware!” to this topic. Although there are less than 1 million registered vehicles, they seem to be accident prone. For instance, about 1 in 6 was involved in an accident in 2005; about 1 in 300 people were killed or injured.

Why is it so bad? Jordan is the only oil-poor nation in the Middle East. It is not super wealthy; it has more in common with other developing areas than say, Dubai. Amman is a rapidly growing city of 2 million. Car ownership is rising, but relatively low at 31%; it’s expensive. Public transport is widely used, but bus stops are hard to recognize, lacking shelters or route guides. Although I have been looking, I haven’t seen a single person on a bicycle, in fact, not even bicycles.

Partly the problem seems to be cultural, as pedestrians have no clear right of way, and drivers use their vehicles to assert dominance. For instance, on city streets and the highway, one crosses by waiting for a gap in traffic, making eye contact, and running for it. Following this technique in the rural city of Jerash, Meg and I were shocked when the driver of a big BMW gunned the engine and sped up as we eyed him and ran– she with a baby in her arms.

But mostly it seems to be an utter disregard for non-motorized traffic in the physical design. Sidewalks are of varying widths, and it is common to find a tree or pole planted willy-nilly in the center, which are especially difficult to dodge when one has a baby stroller or grocery cart. Painted crosswalks are rare, some are accompanied by signs, but none have curb cuts. There are a few pedestrian bridges over major roads, but they don’t necessarily link up to sidewalks. Walking from one major tourism site to another, I was at times on a narrow two-foot sidewalk, in the street, and in the dirt next to the street.

Should I be surprised that it’s such a poor place for walking? One might ask whether that is typical of a developing country. Indeed, it’s not unusual, but my question is why. Much of the development here has occurred in the last 30 years. Much of it has been financed with US and European aid. So why are we aiding the destruction of the main way people get around, by walking, and creating car dependency? I doubt it’s a malicious intent – it just seems thoughtless. What’s wrong with a few design standards in the developing world?

One thing I can’t help saying is that these same design problems exist in plenty of US cities as well. I would argue that as we do in the US, so the template ripples out into the rest of the world. The mistakes we make are replicated, and the consequences multiplied. But conversely, our innovations are also replicated, and their benefits multiplied. Seeing how US and European cities are retrofitting themselves for better walkability, I’m encouraged.