Münster in context: Street-network sprawl trends

The chart above shows SNDi trends for new street additions (left panel) and the entire network (right panel), with Münster plotted against Nordrhein-Westfalen and Germany. The SNDi of new construction in Münster peaked in 1991-2005, compared to Nordrhein-Westfalen which rose steadily and Germany which rose steadily. Most recently, Münster's incremental SNDi fell from 2.69 to 2.55 between 1991-2005 and 2006-2020. In terms of the aggregate network, Münster ranked 10th out of 24 cities in Nordrhein-Westfalen and 59th out of 99 in Germany as of 2020.

Rankings go from most connected to most disconnected — rank 1 is the most connected.

What about similarly populated cities?

• Qingbaijiang, China
• Bihpur, India
• Monywa, Myanmar
• Beawar, India
• Ulanhot, China
• Petrozavodsk, Russia

In new street additions, Münster built increasingly disconnected streets from 1975 through 1991-2005, then improved, while Qingbaijiang built increasingly connected streets from 1975 through 1976-1990, then shifted to more disconnected patterns and Beawar fluctuated in its street-construction patterns. For the full network, Münster and Beawar both became progressively more disconnected, while Qingbaijiang became more connected from 1975 through 1976-1990, then grew more sprawly from 1976-1990 onwards. Münster and Beawar have been growing further apart in their street-network character since 1975.