Verdun going the way of Hamra and Monot?

Verdun Street is set for a major overhaul. Sewage pipes, electricity cables, telephone lines and more are to be dug up from underneath Verdun Street and replaced as soon as the summer tourist season comes to a close. This infrastructure overhaul is part of a more comprehensive plan for Verdun that includes beatification and improved traffic management. In short, Verdun appears to be going the way of Hamra and Monot streets - and to be frank, it is about time!
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Verdun Street, beginning at Concorde Center is to be converted into a one-way street, with traffic moving away from Downtown and towards Ramlet el Baida. Opposing traffic will be redirected to a parallel street, which I believe is called "al-Murshid" Street. Al Murshid is also currently a two-way street that will be appropriately converted.
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The President of Verdun's Merchant Association recently agreed to transform the street surface into basalt cobblestone. Initially, he opposed the idea because of what he saw as high noise pollution levels that resulted from cars rolling over the stones, and the low speeds at which drivers usually drive over them - resulting in unnecessary traffic.
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The arguments that won him over were the following:

1. Basalt cobble stones are more durable than conventional asphalt, and safer because tires stick better to it. Moreover, maintenance is easier because you can simply remove the damaged stones and replace them.
2. Slow speeds are good for the stores because drivers stuck in traffic look around
3. Slow driving is also beneficial because it makes Verdun more pedestrian friendly (i.e. much less likely for speeding cars to ram into pedestrians)

Another significant development in Verdun: The authorities plan to sell that monstrosity of a police station that takes up so much prime real-estate smack in the middle of the neighborhood. If they do follow through with this plan, they’d hit two birds with one stone: 1) provide themselves with much-needed financial resources and 2) make better use of that land.
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All in all things may be looking up for Verdun. Now lets see if, and how well, all these improvements get implement.