Amman Voice: Amman Disabilities Guidebook

May 26, 2008

Amman Disabilities Guidebook

A new disability guidebook will be issued listing "democratic" friendly places with disability access.

I hope one day Amman city will be listed also. It's not a joke, but we need a national move toward imposing accessibility act toward new and existing projects in Amman. For the city to be democratic, every citizen need to enjoy living it, living, working, and shopping.

AMMAN (Petra) –– Hmoud Elimat, secretary general of the Higher Council for the Affairs of People with Disabilities, on Sunday said the council launched field surveys on centres and societies which provide services to the disabled and will issue a guidebook listing centres that meet the needs of people with disabilities.

Related Posts:

Jordanian Disability Act

Jordanian Disability Act - Symposium

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: Salam,

Such a great post, just wanted to comment that I never understand what its meant by " some bus lines with disability access " ,I mean, disabled people live everywhere! so it shouldn't be just some lines that provide for example slopes for wheelchairs or a space inside the bus, I think ALL lines should be accessible by EVERYONE, with a special percentage (5-10%) of the seats for disabled people.

This is not a creative idea or anything, its just copy-paste of the european example.

Great blog by the way ! Keep up the good work :); May 31, 2008

Post a Comment

Amman is a city best enjoyed on foot, yet we plan our streets for cars. Amman City's streets are the soul of its neighborhoods and the pathways to it’s destinations. For generations, Jordanians and visitors have strolled, shopped and socialized on sidewalks and street corners. Pedestrian friendly streets are the city's most fundamental assets.
Unfortunately, we aren't making the most of these assets. Instead, our streets are being managed almost entirely for
traffic flow, with neighborhoods and business districts buckling under increasing amounts of dangerous car and truck traffic. If we continue planning our streets for cars and traffic, we will get more cars and traffic; conversely, if we start planning our cities for people and places, we will get more people and places. Streets are more than just car corridors; they are valuable civic spaces and resources that need to be wisely allocated. We need to start thinking about a campaign building the movement to re-imagine our streets as lively public places.

The Benefits of Great Streets

Stronger Local Economies
- Shoppers are walkers: improved pedestrian life supports local businesses and jobs.
- Street investments enhance real estate values and increase the tax base.
A Sense of Community
- Great streets create emblematic places that define communities.
- Sidewalks serve as public venues shared by people of the diverse ethnicities and ages.
- Vibrant streets encourage local pride and volunteerism.
Improved Safety and Security
- Making neighborhoods safer for pedestrians and bicyclists saves lives.
- More "eyes on the street" actually reduce crime and increase residents' sense of security.
Better Access for All
- Reduced emphasis on cars and parking makes transit, walking, and biking more viable options.
- Walkable streets are comfortable public settings for people of diverse abilities.
- Community assets, jobs, and services become more accessible.
Healthier Cities
- Increased walking makes for a healthier population.
- Decreased traffic volume and congestion reduces pollution.
- Streets as public venues combat isolation and depression.
Wise Development
- Investing in streets is an efficient use of existing infrastructure.
- Increased foot traffic attracts new development and businesses.
- Success fosters ongoing investment.