The desert highway extends from Amman to Aqaba with a total length of 330 kilometres. The existing highway was constructed in 1960 and was partially maintained, but refurbishing and upgrading the existing road was required to make it safer for all road users.

The project involved the refurbishment and improvement of contract number 3, which extended from Al Hash Mieh Station to Ma’an, and Part-F from Ma’an to Murygha, with a total length of 211 kilometres.

The refurbishment or construction of pavement layers, including construction of road aggregate sub-base and base courses, bituminous concrete binder and wearing courses, tack and prime coats

All earthworks necessary to complete the project, including a barrier, roadway excavations, removal and disposal of unsuitable material and dirt within the existing median, existing asphalt pavement, speed bumps, ditches, sub-grade preparation, back-filling, filling and compaction, watering, rolling, sheathing, and subgrade and slope finish. It also included existing kerbstones, pavement, and concrete ditches at the existing U-turns which were to be closed 

The construction of at-grade intersections

The construction of service roads for urban areas

The rehabilitation and construction of all necessary drainage structures, including pipe and box culverts, together with inlet and outlet works, lined and unlined ditches, energy dissipators, storm water drainage facilities, grouted riprap and all necessary protection works 

The construction of pedestrian bridges and underpasses

Installation of new guardrails, the application of traffic marking, and installation of raised pavement markers