Bite the Bullet

The description in the Jordan Times about the new parking system that the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) has implemented looks positive. However, I have serious doubts that it will solve the problem even in a small specific area such as Rabia, and a lot of money will be wasted. I wish that GAM would ‘bite the bullet’ and face up to the major parking mess in Amman and construct a number of strategically located parking garages in Shmeisani, Sweifiyeh, between high-rise buildings, and inside business districts throughout the city. The money generated from these garages should pay off the initial investment and might even bring extra to GAM’s coffers so that they won’t rely on fines from people who are in violation of zoning codes. Then GAM might actually ENFORCE the zoning regulations - which is what they should have been doing all along. After all, ineffectual zoning is one reason we have parking problems. A good investment for GAM and/or anyone is a parking garage: low overhead, low maintenance, high income, and great cash flow.

ASH