Background/Objectives: None of the researchers has investigated the risk on workers exposed to no... more Background/Objectives: None of the researchers has investigated the risk on workers exposed to noise pollution inJordan. This study tries to fill in this gap through investigating the effect of traffic noise on the performance of hospital workers in Amman, the capital of Jordan, as a specific affected group. Method: Noise levels were measured at locations adjacent to three main hospitals with readings taken during two 1-hour periods 12 hours apart. A cross-sectional attitudinal survey was carried out in these hospitals using a predesigned questionnaire. A pilot study was carried out in order to examine if there was any feedbacks before the full-scale survey is launched. A sample of 150 participants from medical care personnel in the three hospitals including doctors, nursing staff and administrators, were subjected to self -answered questionnaire and 145 questionnaires were valid returns indicating a high response rate. Findings: The results reveal that the studied hospitals suffer much higher noise levels than the permissible limits and these levels were found to have a negative impact on workers' and patients outcomes. More than 43% of the medical care staff reported that they always get annoyed by traffic noise and this causes them a difficulty in concentration and distract their attention while working. 50% agree that traffic noise has a negative impact on their performance. 26% of the survey participants reported that they suffer from headache due to the high noise levels and as such some potential countermeasures to mitigate the problem are recommended. Conclusion/Improvements: The average measured sound levels were found to be much higher than the environmental daytime 1 and nighttime noise limits required by the regulations in Jordan. Noise pollution was also found to either directly or indirectly affects, in a simultaneous manner, the subjective perception of noise, emotion, physiology and experience of noise of the medical care staff.
Variation orders are the most disruptive and unpleasant events of the projects because of their i... more Variation orders are the most disruptive and unpleasant events of the projects because of their impacts on cost and completion date of the project. This study is about the variation orders in highway projects that are the most severe problems in the highway projects. Variation order is any modification to the contractual terms of a project by the owner or the owner's representative, it can be a work that is added to or deleted from the original scope of work of a contract, which alters the original contract amount and/or completion date. Change orders are common to most projects, and very common with large projects. This study focuses on the causes of variation orders and their impacts on time and cost. Management system is suggested to control the variation orders of highway projects in Jordon. The data collected from two sources the primary is the survey questionnaire conducted with project managers, contracting, and consulting businesses in highway projects. The secondary is from selected completed highway projects. According to the questionnaire results, the most ten important causes are change of schedule, ambiguous design details, change of plan or scope, conflict between contract documents, lack of coordination, safety considerations, client financial problem, change in design by consultant, socio-cultural factors, and change in government regulations. The main impacts of variation orders are time delays, cost overrun, increase in overhead expenses, turnover of professionals and project team. According to the research findings, a management system has been proposed through the project lifecycle (conceptual, design and construction stages) to control the occurrence of variations and as a result, reducing their impacts. This system was evaluated through another questionnaire and the results showed that the proposed system would be successful tool for controlling variation orders occurrence in the highway projects in Jordan.
Amman city, the capital of Jordan has suffered from the impacts of highway mode of transportation... more Amman city, the capital of Jordan has suffered from the impacts of highway mode of transportation. Traffic network management system aim to reduce traffic congestion, delay, fuel consumption, and air and noise pollution. Also, to improve the level of service (LOS) of the urban streets and intersections. This research paper is an engineering project management study; it is about improving traffic network management system in Al Shmesani district in Amman. It was conducted on a network of two main arterials with eight signalized intersections. They are Al Kindi street continued with Prince Shaker Bin Zaid street and Al Sharif Naser Bin Jamel street. The traffic data was collected from the government records at several departments in Amman Municipality and Directorate of Public Security. Highway Capacity Software HCS2000 and updated Synchro-8 programs software were used to evaluate the traffic conditions at each intersection for years 2012 and 2022. The evaluation shows that the intersections are operating at LOS F with high delay time and high saturation flow. Two alternatives were used to improve the traffic conditions. The first one is to change the existing timing plan of the traffic signal to optimize timing plan, this showed little improvement in traffic condition. The second alternatives are to modify the geometric conditions with changing and optimizing the timing plan of the signalized intersections. It showed good improving in the traffic conditions and saving in delay time and fuel consumption at the existing and the future conditions. The Level of Service LOS's of the intersections were improved from LOS F to LOS C, D and E. It showed also the average overall saving in vehicle delay is about 87.75% and the saturation flow is improved at all intersections to less than one. The fuel consumption is also reduced with about 93%.
The growth rate in motor vehicle in Amman, the capital of Jordan, has been and is projected to va... more The growth rate in motor vehicle in Amman, the capital of Jordan, has been and is projected to vastly exceed the growth in new roads, causing traffic congestion, which is expected to rise even further over the next several decades. As a result, urban residents and commuters are confronting increasingly unbearable traffic conditions, a situation that will only get worse without radical reform. Among the many strategies that have been implemented to combat traffic congestion, road pricing and driver charging strategy is the one which has demonstrated a serious ability to make a lasting impression. This paper investigates public perceiveness of the road pricing strategy in an attempt to evaluate the acceptability and consequently the potential implementation of such a strategy on Amman's urban road network. Predesigned questionnaires were used to assess the level of acceptability of individual road users and public firms for introducing a road charging scheme on the use of congested roads. The results were encouraging and showed that almost half of the respondents support the implementation of such a scheme in order to combat traffic congestion.
Highway safety is a major contributor to highway conditions. Highway agencies continually monitor... more Highway safety is a major contributor to highway conditions. Highway agencies continually monitor this feature to ensure that roadway sections are operating at the highest possible level of safety. The principal measure of highway safety is its skid resistance.
Traffic accidents are considered one of the most important problems in modern societies. Arbil ci... more Traffic accidents are considered one of the most important problems in modern societies. Arbil city in Iraq suffers from this problem; it is considered the second major cause of death.
The urban population growth and increase in a number of vehicles have affected the travel demand ... more The urban population growth and increase in a number of vehicles have affected the travel demand on Jordan Streets. The study aims to apply the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) policies to reduce the traffic flow in urban areas and improve the Level of Service (LOS). A group of a combination between TDM and Transportation System Management (TSM) strategies have been conducted, when TDM strategies were not successful to improve LOS. TSM concept refers to any group of actions that increase the capacity of roads network. Synchro 8 software was used to analyse the intersection conditions as important point, connecting two main arterial street in Amman area. A significant reduction in delay and fuel consumption was measured, but there was no real enhancement in LOS. The LOS was improved, when traffic demand was reduced by 20% and capacity was increased with 6 lanes on each approach for the existing conditions. The percentage of saving in fuel consumption and delay was observed to be around 64% and 63%, respectively for the next 5 years.
The main objective of this study is to evaluate and improve the traffic operations at the signali... more The main objective of this study is to evaluate and improve the traffic operations at the signalized intersections in Amman city in Jordan. Wadi-Saqra signalized intersection was chosen for this study. This intersection is located in the western central part of Amman the capital of Jordan. It has heavy traffic volume, with higher delay and heavy congestion traffic more than any other similar intersections in Amman. In this study, the intersection is analyzed as an isolated signalized intersection by using HCM (Highway Capacity Manual) and HCS (Highway Capacity System) computer program. Synchro computer program is also used for improvement through optimization process. The geometric, traffic and signalized data were collected during the morning and afternoon peak time periods. The results indicated that the current delay is 473 sec/veh with Level of Service F (LOS-F). Four alternatives are recommended to solve the current and future problems. The recommended alternatives are: 1. Prohibit left turning at all approaches. 2. Optimization of the existing traffic signals. 3. Construct one through overpass for one direction. 4. Construct two overpasses or one overpass and tunnel for two directions. The first three alternatives will not be able to reduce the level of service significantly. On the other hand, the fourth alternative will reduce the level of service from LOS F with (473 sec/veh) delay to level of service LOS C with (27 sec/veh) delay and will change the cycle length from 190 seconds to 90 seconds. The estimated initial cost of constructing two overpasses is about thirty million Jordan Dinars JD with annual saving of more than eight million JD. If alternative four was selected to solve the existing situation the following advantages can be attained: reducing the congestion on the signalized intersection especially during peak hours, reducing the cost of traveling for the public, increasing the efficiency of the road network, increasing safety, reducing the maintenance cost of the roads, improving traffic flow and traffic operations, and reducing air pollution and preserving the environment.
Since year 2000, the main road network in Jordan has witnessed large developments in the fields o... more Since year 2000, the main road network in Jordan has witnessed large developments in the fields of design, construction, evaluation and maintenance. This development aimed at keeping up with the socio-economical and social development and to accommodate the large increase in the number of vehicles of heavy loads and to contribute in reducing traffic accidents through constructing more corridors around the capital city of Amman. In addition, to rehabilitate and develop the present main roads and construct more new roads that link isolated areas with industrial centers and residential communities.The road network length in Jordan has increased to reach up to 8200km of major and minor roads. During the last ten years, expenditure on roads rose up to 547 million JD. This means that 76% of the allocated budget for roads was spent on road construction.The Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MPW&H) has paid a particular attention to road maintenance with the purpose of conserving this national wealth in spite of the limited allocated amounts for maintenance and rapid increase in maintenance costs. MPW&H took the initiative and awarded maintenance of some of the major roads to Private Sector so that they could contribute in improving this sector. This helped in opening up the opportunity to exchange experiences and to be aware of the sate- of –the- art in road maintenance. The total expenditures on road maintenance for the same period rose up to 173 million JD representing 24% of the road financial budget. Road maintenance includes periodical maintenance, rehabilitation, improvement and reconstruction. This study aims at introducing the presently adopted pavement management system by MPW&H, showing its positive and negative points, along with suggestions for development.
Extensive research has been carried out in the field of road safety with the aim of understanding... more Extensive research has been carried out in the field of road safety with the aim of understanding why accidents occur which help authorities to identify safety improvement projects more efficiently and effectively. Accidents are inherent as vehicles travel on roads. Safety Performance Functions (SPF) model accident frequencies for various design variables. They can provide a statistical relationship between the expected number of accidents and roadway characteristics. This paper explains the procedure used for the development of SPF for the road segments in Amman, the capital of Jordan. The adopted methodology was extracted from the published literature including studies on identifying variables that have to be considered while developing the SPF. In view of the lack of necessary data, the developed SPF predicts accident frequency was based solely on traffic volumes but produced satisfactory results when used to determine which of the studied sites in Amman have the highest potential for safety improvement.
The growth of vehicle ownership and use in
Amman, the capital of Jordan, over the last decades wa... more The growth of vehicle ownership and use in Amman, the capital of Jordan, over the last decades was accompanied with an increasing traffic congestion and growing demand for road space. Road pricing proved to be effective in alleviating traffic congestion in many countries. However, the system has not yet been introduced in Jordan and there are still many unanswered questions related to the behavioral effects among individuals and firms .This paper tries to fill this gap through investigating the behavioral responses to road pricing among various affected groups in Jordan. Implementing road pricing as a traffic restraint measure was perceived by road users to have significant effect on their travel habits and behavior.
Background/Objectives: None of the researchers has investigated the risk on workers exposed to no... more Background/Objectives: None of the researchers has investigated the risk on workers exposed to noise pollution inJordan. This study tries to fill in this gap through investigating the effect of traffic noise on the performance of hospital workers in Amman, the capital of Jordan, as a specific affected group. Method: Noise levels were measured at locations adjacent to three main hospitals with readings taken during two 1-hour periods 12 hours apart. A cross-sectional attitudinal survey was carried out in these hospitals using a predesigned questionnaire. A pilot study was carried out in order to examine if there was any feedbacks before the full-scale survey is launched. A sample of 150 participants from medical care personnel in the three hospitals including doctors, nursing staff and administrators, were subjected to self -answered questionnaire and 145 questionnaires were valid returns indicating a high response rate. Findings: The results reveal that the studied hospitals suffer much higher noise levels than the permissible limits and these levels were found to have a negative impact on workers' and patients outcomes. More than 43% of the medical care staff reported that they always get annoyed by traffic noise and this causes them a difficulty in concentration and distract their attention while working. 50% agree that traffic noise has a negative impact on their performance. 26% of the survey participants reported that they suffer from headache due to the high noise levels and as such some potential countermeasures to mitigate the problem are recommended. Conclusion/Improvements: The average measured sound levels were found to be much higher than the environmental daytime 1 and nighttime noise limits required by the regulations in Jordan. Noise pollution was also found to either directly or indirectly affects, in a simultaneous manner, the subjective perception of noise, emotion, physiology and experience of noise of the medical care staff.
Variation orders are the most disruptive and unpleasant events of the projects because of their i... more Variation orders are the most disruptive and unpleasant events of the projects because of their impacts on cost and completion date of the project. This study is about the variation orders in highway projects that are the most severe problems in the highway projects. Variation order is any modification to the contractual terms of a project by the owner or the owner's representative, it can be a work that is added to or deleted from the original scope of work of a contract, which alters the original contract amount and/or completion date. Change orders are common to most projects, and very common with large projects. This study focuses on the causes of variation orders and their impacts on time and cost. Management system is suggested to control the variation orders of highway projects in Jordon. The data collected from two sources the primary is the survey questionnaire conducted with project managers, contracting, and consulting businesses in highway projects. The secondary is from selected completed highway projects. According to the questionnaire results, the most ten important causes are change of schedule, ambiguous design details, change of plan or scope, conflict between contract documents, lack of coordination, safety considerations, client financial problem, change in design by consultant, socio-cultural factors, and change in government regulations. The main impacts of variation orders are time delays, cost overrun, increase in overhead expenses, turnover of professionals and project team. According to the research findings, a management system has been proposed through the project lifecycle (conceptual, design and construction stages) to control the occurrence of variations and as a result, reducing their impacts. This system was evaluated through another questionnaire and the results showed that the proposed system would be successful tool for controlling variation orders occurrence in the highway projects in Jordan.
Amman city, the capital of Jordan has suffered from the impacts of highway mode of transportation... more Amman city, the capital of Jordan has suffered from the impacts of highway mode of transportation. Traffic network management system aim to reduce traffic congestion, delay, fuel consumption, and air and noise pollution. Also, to improve the level of service (LOS) of the urban streets and intersections. This research paper is an engineering project management study; it is about improving traffic network management system in Al Shmesani district in Amman. It was conducted on a network of two main arterials with eight signalized intersections. They are Al Kindi street continued with Prince Shaker Bin Zaid street and Al Sharif Naser Bin Jamel street. The traffic data was collected from the government records at several departments in Amman Municipality and Directorate of Public Security. Highway Capacity Software HCS2000 and updated Synchro-8 programs software were used to evaluate the traffic conditions at each intersection for years 2012 and 2022. The evaluation shows that the intersections are operating at LOS F with high delay time and high saturation flow. Two alternatives were used to improve the traffic conditions. The first one is to change the existing timing plan of the traffic signal to optimize timing plan, this showed little improvement in traffic condition. The second alternatives are to modify the geometric conditions with changing and optimizing the timing plan of the signalized intersections. It showed good improving in the traffic conditions and saving in delay time and fuel consumption at the existing and the future conditions. The Level of Service LOS's of the intersections were improved from LOS F to LOS C, D and E. It showed also the average overall saving in vehicle delay is about 87.75% and the saturation flow is improved at all intersections to less than one. The fuel consumption is also reduced with about 93%.
The growth rate in motor vehicle in Amman, the capital of Jordan, has been and is projected to va... more The growth rate in motor vehicle in Amman, the capital of Jordan, has been and is projected to vastly exceed the growth in new roads, causing traffic congestion, which is expected to rise even further over the next several decades. As a result, urban residents and commuters are confronting increasingly unbearable traffic conditions, a situation that will only get worse without radical reform. Among the many strategies that have been implemented to combat traffic congestion, road pricing and driver charging strategy is the one which has demonstrated a serious ability to make a lasting impression. This paper investigates public perceiveness of the road pricing strategy in an attempt to evaluate the acceptability and consequently the potential implementation of such a strategy on Amman's urban road network. Predesigned questionnaires were used to assess the level of acceptability of individual road users and public firms for introducing a road charging scheme on the use of congested roads. The results were encouraging and showed that almost half of the respondents support the implementation of such a scheme in order to combat traffic congestion.
Highway safety is a major contributor to highway conditions. Highway agencies continually monitor... more Highway safety is a major contributor to highway conditions. Highway agencies continually monitor this feature to ensure that roadway sections are operating at the highest possible level of safety. The principal measure of highway safety is its skid resistance.
Traffic accidents are considered one of the most important problems in modern societies. Arbil ci... more Traffic accidents are considered one of the most important problems in modern societies. Arbil city in Iraq suffers from this problem; it is considered the second major cause of death.
The urban population growth and increase in a number of vehicles have affected the travel demand ... more The urban population growth and increase in a number of vehicles have affected the travel demand on Jordan Streets. The study aims to apply the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) policies to reduce the traffic flow in urban areas and improve the Level of Service (LOS). A group of a combination between TDM and Transportation System Management (TSM) strategies have been conducted, when TDM strategies were not successful to improve LOS. TSM concept refers to any group of actions that increase the capacity of roads network. Synchro 8 software was used to analyse the intersection conditions as important point, connecting two main arterial street in Amman area. A significant reduction in delay and fuel consumption was measured, but there was no real enhancement in LOS. The LOS was improved, when traffic demand was reduced by 20% and capacity was increased with 6 lanes on each approach for the existing conditions. The percentage of saving in fuel consumption and delay was observed to be around 64% and 63%, respectively for the next 5 years.
The main objective of this study is to evaluate and improve the traffic operations at the signali... more The main objective of this study is to evaluate and improve the traffic operations at the signalized intersections in Amman city in Jordan. Wadi-Saqra signalized intersection was chosen for this study. This intersection is located in the western central part of Amman the capital of Jordan. It has heavy traffic volume, with higher delay and heavy congestion traffic more than any other similar intersections in Amman. In this study, the intersection is analyzed as an isolated signalized intersection by using HCM (Highway Capacity Manual) and HCS (Highway Capacity System) computer program. Synchro computer program is also used for improvement through optimization process. The geometric, traffic and signalized data were collected during the morning and afternoon peak time periods. The results indicated that the current delay is 473 sec/veh with Level of Service F (LOS-F). Four alternatives are recommended to solve the current and future problems. The recommended alternatives are: 1. Prohibit left turning at all approaches. 2. Optimization of the existing traffic signals. 3. Construct one through overpass for one direction. 4. Construct two overpasses or one overpass and tunnel for two directions. The first three alternatives will not be able to reduce the level of service significantly. On the other hand, the fourth alternative will reduce the level of service from LOS F with (473 sec/veh) delay to level of service LOS C with (27 sec/veh) delay and will change the cycle length from 190 seconds to 90 seconds. The estimated initial cost of constructing two overpasses is about thirty million Jordan Dinars JD with annual saving of more than eight million JD. If alternative four was selected to solve the existing situation the following advantages can be attained: reducing the congestion on the signalized intersection especially during peak hours, reducing the cost of traveling for the public, increasing the efficiency of the road network, increasing safety, reducing the maintenance cost of the roads, improving traffic flow and traffic operations, and reducing air pollution and preserving the environment.
Since year 2000, the main road network in Jordan has witnessed large developments in the fields o... more Since year 2000, the main road network in Jordan has witnessed large developments in the fields of design, construction, evaluation and maintenance. This development aimed at keeping up with the socio-economical and social development and to accommodate the large increase in the number of vehicles of heavy loads and to contribute in reducing traffic accidents through constructing more corridors around the capital city of Amman. In addition, to rehabilitate and develop the present main roads and construct more new roads that link isolated areas with industrial centers and residential communities.The road network length in Jordan has increased to reach up to 8200km of major and minor roads. During the last ten years, expenditure on roads rose up to 547 million JD. This means that 76% of the allocated budget for roads was spent on road construction.The Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MPW&H) has paid a particular attention to road maintenance with the purpose of conserving this national wealth in spite of the limited allocated amounts for maintenance and rapid increase in maintenance costs. MPW&H took the initiative and awarded maintenance of some of the major roads to Private Sector so that they could contribute in improving this sector. This helped in opening up the opportunity to exchange experiences and to be aware of the sate- of –the- art in road maintenance. The total expenditures on road maintenance for the same period rose up to 173 million JD representing 24% of the road financial budget. Road maintenance includes periodical maintenance, rehabilitation, improvement and reconstruction. This study aims at introducing the presently adopted pavement management system by MPW&H, showing its positive and negative points, along with suggestions for development.
Extensive research has been carried out in the field of road safety with the aim of understanding... more Extensive research has been carried out in the field of road safety with the aim of understanding why accidents occur which help authorities to identify safety improvement projects more efficiently and effectively. Accidents are inherent as vehicles travel on roads. Safety Performance Functions (SPF) model accident frequencies for various design variables. They can provide a statistical relationship between the expected number of accidents and roadway characteristics. This paper explains the procedure used for the development of SPF for the road segments in Amman, the capital of Jordan. The adopted methodology was extracted from the published literature including studies on identifying variables that have to be considered while developing the SPF. In view of the lack of necessary data, the developed SPF predicts accident frequency was based solely on traffic volumes but produced satisfactory results when used to determine which of the studied sites in Amman have the highest potential for safety improvement.
The growth of vehicle ownership and use in
Amman, the capital of Jordan, over the last decades wa... more The growth of vehicle ownership and use in Amman, the capital of Jordan, over the last decades was accompanied with an increasing traffic congestion and growing demand for road space. Road pricing proved to be effective in alleviating traffic congestion in many countries. However, the system has not yet been introduced in Jordan and there are still many unanswered questions related to the behavioral effects among individuals and firms .This paper tries to fill this gap through investigating the behavioral responses to road pricing among various affected groups in Jordan. Implementing road pricing as a traffic restraint measure was perceived by road users to have significant effect on their travel habits and behavior.
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Papers by Majed Msallam
city in Jordan. Wadi-Saqra signalized intersection was chosen for this study. This intersection is located in the western central
part of Amman the capital of Jordan. It has heavy traffic volume, with higher delay and heavy congestion traffic more than
any other similar intersections in Amman.
In this study, the intersection is analyzed as an isolated signalized intersection by using HCM (Highway Capacity Manual)
and HCS (Highway Capacity System) computer program. Synchro computer program is also used for improvement through
optimization process. The geometric, traffic and signalized data were collected during the morning and afternoon peak time
periods. The results indicated that the current delay is 473 sec/veh with Level of Service F (LOS-F). Four alternatives are
recommended to solve the current and future problems.
The recommended alternatives are:
1. Prohibit left turning at all approaches.
2. Optimization of the existing traffic signals.
3. Construct one through overpass for one direction.
4. Construct two overpasses or one overpass and tunnel for two directions.
The first three alternatives will not be able to reduce the level of service significantly. On the other hand, the fourth
alternative will reduce the level of service from LOS F with (473 sec/veh) delay to level of service LOS C with (27 sec/veh)
delay and will change the cycle length from 190 seconds to 90 seconds. The estimated initial cost of constructing two
overpasses is about thirty million Jordan Dinars JD with annual saving of more than eight million JD.
If alternative four was selected to solve the existing situation the following advantages can be attained: reducing the
congestion on the signalized intersection especially during peak hours, reducing the cost of traveling for the public,
increasing the efficiency of the road network, increasing safety, reducing the maintenance cost of the roads, improving traffic
flow and traffic operations, and reducing air pollution and preserving the environment.
construction, evaluation and maintenance. This development aimed at keeping up with the socio-economical and
social development and to accommodate the large increase in the number of vehicles of heavy loads and to
contribute in reducing traffic accidents through constructing more corridors around the capital city of Amman. In
addition, to rehabilitate and develop the present main roads and construct more new roads that link isolated areas
with industrial centers and residential communities.The road network length in Jordan has increased to reach up
to 8200km of major and minor roads. During the last ten years, expenditure on roads rose up to 547 million JD.
This means that 76% of the allocated budget for roads was spent on road construction.The Ministry of Public
Works and Housing (MPW&H) has paid a particular attention to road maintenance with the purpose of
conserving this national wealth in spite of the limited allocated amounts for maintenance and rapid increase in
maintenance costs. MPW&H took the initiative and awarded maintenance of some of the major roads to Private
Sector so that they could contribute in improving this sector. This helped in opening up the opportunity to
exchange experiences and to be aware of the sate- of –the- art in road maintenance. The total expenditures on
road maintenance for the same period rose up to 173 million JD representing 24% of the road financial budget.
Road maintenance includes periodical maintenance, rehabilitation, improvement and reconstruction.
This study aims at introducing the presently adopted pavement management system by MPW&H, showing its
positive and negative points, along with suggestions for development.
Accidents are inherent as vehicles travel on roads. Safety Performance Functions (SPF) model accident frequencies for various design variables. They can provide a statistical relationship between the expected number of accidents and roadway characteristics.
This paper explains the procedure used for the development of SPF for the road segments in Amman, the capital of Jordan. The adopted methodology was extracted from the published literature including studies on identifying variables that have to be considered while developing the SPF.
In view of the lack of necessary data, the developed SPF predicts accident frequency was based solely on traffic volumes but produced satisfactory results when used to determine which of the studied sites in Amman have the highest potential for safety improvement.
Amman, the capital of Jordan, over the last decades was
accompanied with an increasing traffic congestion and growing
demand for road space. Road pricing proved to be effective in
alleviating traffic congestion in many countries. However, the
system has not yet been introduced in Jordan and there are still
many unanswered questions related to the behavioral effects
among individuals and firms .This paper tries to fill this gap
through investigating the behavioral responses to road pricing
among various affected groups in Jordan. Implementing road
pricing as a traffic restraint measure was perceived by road
users to have significant effect on their travel habits and
behavior.
city in Jordan. Wadi-Saqra signalized intersection was chosen for this study. This intersection is located in the western central
part of Amman the capital of Jordan. It has heavy traffic volume, with higher delay and heavy congestion traffic more than
any other similar intersections in Amman.
In this study, the intersection is analyzed as an isolated signalized intersection by using HCM (Highway Capacity Manual)
and HCS (Highway Capacity System) computer program. Synchro computer program is also used for improvement through
optimization process. The geometric, traffic and signalized data were collected during the morning and afternoon peak time
periods. The results indicated that the current delay is 473 sec/veh with Level of Service F (LOS-F). Four alternatives are
recommended to solve the current and future problems.
The recommended alternatives are:
1. Prohibit left turning at all approaches.
2. Optimization of the existing traffic signals.
3. Construct one through overpass for one direction.
4. Construct two overpasses or one overpass and tunnel for two directions.
The first three alternatives will not be able to reduce the level of service significantly. On the other hand, the fourth
alternative will reduce the level of service from LOS F with (473 sec/veh) delay to level of service LOS C with (27 sec/veh)
delay and will change the cycle length from 190 seconds to 90 seconds. The estimated initial cost of constructing two
overpasses is about thirty million Jordan Dinars JD with annual saving of more than eight million JD.
If alternative four was selected to solve the existing situation the following advantages can be attained: reducing the
congestion on the signalized intersection especially during peak hours, reducing the cost of traveling for the public,
increasing the efficiency of the road network, increasing safety, reducing the maintenance cost of the roads, improving traffic
flow and traffic operations, and reducing air pollution and preserving the environment.
construction, evaluation and maintenance. This development aimed at keeping up with the socio-economical and
social development and to accommodate the large increase in the number of vehicles of heavy loads and to
contribute in reducing traffic accidents through constructing more corridors around the capital city of Amman. In
addition, to rehabilitate and develop the present main roads and construct more new roads that link isolated areas
with industrial centers and residential communities.The road network length in Jordan has increased to reach up
to 8200km of major and minor roads. During the last ten years, expenditure on roads rose up to 547 million JD.
This means that 76% of the allocated budget for roads was spent on road construction.The Ministry of Public
Works and Housing (MPW&H) has paid a particular attention to road maintenance with the purpose of
conserving this national wealth in spite of the limited allocated amounts for maintenance and rapid increase in
maintenance costs. MPW&H took the initiative and awarded maintenance of some of the major roads to Private
Sector so that they could contribute in improving this sector. This helped in opening up the opportunity to
exchange experiences and to be aware of the sate- of –the- art in road maintenance. The total expenditures on
road maintenance for the same period rose up to 173 million JD representing 24% of the road financial budget.
Road maintenance includes periodical maintenance, rehabilitation, improvement and reconstruction.
This study aims at introducing the presently adopted pavement management system by MPW&H, showing its
positive and negative points, along with suggestions for development.
Accidents are inherent as vehicles travel on roads. Safety Performance Functions (SPF) model accident frequencies for various design variables. They can provide a statistical relationship between the expected number of accidents and roadway characteristics.
This paper explains the procedure used for the development of SPF for the road segments in Amman, the capital of Jordan. The adopted methodology was extracted from the published literature including studies on identifying variables that have to be considered while developing the SPF.
In view of the lack of necessary data, the developed SPF predicts accident frequency was based solely on traffic volumes but produced satisfactory results when used to determine which of the studied sites in Amman have the highest potential for safety improvement.
Amman, the capital of Jordan, over the last decades was
accompanied with an increasing traffic congestion and growing
demand for road space. Road pricing proved to be effective in
alleviating traffic congestion in many countries. However, the
system has not yet been introduced in Jordan and there are still
many unanswered questions related to the behavioral effects
among individuals and firms .This paper tries to fill this gap
through investigating the behavioral responses to road pricing
among various affected groups in Jordan. Implementing road
pricing as a traffic restraint measure was perceived by road
users to have significant effect on their travel habits and
behavior.