New Ardha-Salt Road, fruit of strong China-Jordan cooperation

AMMAN -- "The new Ardha-Salt road saves me two hours on my daily trips," said Isam Nuaimat, a Jordanian farmer and driver. "It is very comfortable to drive on. The ascents and descents are quite comfortable."

Nuaimat feels renewed optimism as he drives his vehicle to deliver vegetables from the Jordan Valley to other cities following the expansion and repair of the Ardha-Salt Road, which was inaugurated on Monday. For Nuaimat, the road's convenience and efficiency mean less time traveling.

The Ardha-Salt Road is crucial for Jordan's agricultural and tourism sectors. It's the primary route connecting the Jordan Valley area to the city of As-Salt and the outskirts of Amman and a significant link between Amman and the picturesque Dead Sea area.

The Jordan Valley, a strategic food reservoir in Jordan, provides agricultural products to all Jordanian governorates and exports them to neighboring countries.

However, the old Ardha-Salt road was narrow and lacked maintenance. Local media described it as the "road of death" due to its many accidents.

"I had to use another longer route to deliver vegetables for 20 years," Nuaimat told Xinhua, adding that "the new road is much better."

In September 2018, the governments of China and Jordan signed a significant agreement to finance the expansion and rehabilitation of the Ardha-Salt Road. This collaborative effort increased the road's lighting and expanded it to four lanes from the previous two. The Jordanian side took charge of the construction, while the Chinese side provided invaluable technical and administrative support.

Liu Mao, the Chinese project manager from China First Highway Engineering Company Ltd., said that the project differs from previous projects he has been involved in because it is primarily funded by the Chinese government and implemented by a Chinese-Jordanian coalition.

Still, the project will help Jordan develop its independent construction capabilities and improve local employment.

"In response to the Jordanian side's request to take care of construction itself, we formed the coalition and made every effort to complete this friendship road as we did in other projects," Liu said.

The road, with strong slides and sharp curves, starts at 578 meters above sea level and ends at 245 meters below sea level, a difference in elevation of about 820 meters, making it challenging to repair. Both sides have spared no effort in creating the best plan to renovate and expand the road.

Since the beginning of the project, Liu and his colleagues have traveled about 30 kilometers from Amman to the project site every day to consult and coordinate with their Jordanian counterparts to avoid any security incidents and ensure the road's quality.

"There is continuous cooperation between us and our brothers from China ... There is an excellent team that follows up daily, monitoring all the changes that have occurred in this project and all matters related to public safety in the project," said Walid Ashraq Laban, the project director from Consolidated Consultants Group.

Liu said Chinese and local companies have deepened mutual understanding and cooperation through the project. He expressed his belief that Chinese companies will contribute more to Jordan's infrastructure building in the future.

As it nears completion, residents, especially farmers in the Jordan Valley, cannot hide their joy.

Faisal Al-Nuaimat, the mayor of Ma'addi, a city in the central Jordan Valley, said the project has shortened the distance between Amman and the Jordan Valley.

"It will contribute to economic and social development in Jordan," Al-Nuaimat said.