Street-network Sprawl in Argentina

What is Street-network sprawl?

Street-network Sprawl is a way to measure urban sprawl, worldwide, through the connectedness of the streets. Less sprawl means more connected, more walkable streets. Well-connected streets – like New York City’s grid – are more walkable and can be served by public transit.

The street network is permanent, and its connectivity affects the livability and environmental footprint of cities for decades and centuries to come. In places with more connected streets, residents drive less and walk more. A well-connected street network is associated with better outcomes for health, the environment, sustainable consumption, social integration, and equity.

We can quantify how connected street networks are with the Street Network Disconnectedness Index (SNDi).

SNDi -- our measure of street-network sprawl (disconnectedness)

The SNDi is a comprehensive measurement of “sprawl”. It captures:

A higher SNDi means less-connected streets – i.e., more sprawl. For the 10137 cities in our dataset, the average SNDi is 2.25, with half of the cities' SNDis falling between 1.08 and 3.25.

More information on the sprawl index can be found in these research papers:

To see the state of street-network sprawl across the globe, visit the sprawlmap.

Argentina

What exactly constitutes the spatial extent of the city? For these aggregations, we used the Global Human Settlement Layer Urban Center Database (GHS-UCDB) to define the boundaries of the city. These cities -- or urban centers -- cover areas that are densely populated and built-up, and so may extend beyond the spatial borders of these cities that we may be familiar with. The GHS area is shaded in blue.

View Argentina on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Argentina as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 0.9, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 0.44, 0.76, 1.67 and 2.15. In each period, new street development in Argentina steadily grows more disconnected than in the last.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Argentina spans a total of 258370 kilometers. The period with the greatest volume of street construction was 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 0.76, which is relatively well-connected.

Effect on the aggregate network: New construction in each period adds to the total stock of streets, but does not change streets that have already been built. Therefore, it has a limited effect on the street network as a whole. The SNDis of the aggregate street network in the respective time periods are 0.44, 0.59, 0.74 and 0.9. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Argentina has become more disconnected.

The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Argentina rose steadily. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Argentina, we can consider three of its most populous regions: Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Córdoba. Disconnectivity in the most populous cities in Argentina follow the same country trend.

How do development practices in Argentina fare in comparison to others in the world? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Argentina was the 146th-most disconnected out of the 155 countries in the world. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other countries in the world, street construction in Argentina has become more disconnected. Argentina ranked 154th in 1975, 147th in 1976-1990, 153rd in 1991-2000 and 146th in 2001-2014.

The largest city in Argentina is Buenos Aires, with a population of 13906500 people. Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Buenos Aires as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 0.27, which is very well-connected. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Buenos Aires peaked in 1991-2000.

As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Argentina is Villa Carlos Paz with an SNDi of 2.43, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness. Conversely, the most connected city is Necochea with an SNDi of -0.43, which is very well-connected. See trends for these cities: Necochea, Villa Carlos Paz

The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Argentina rose steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Argentina, we can consider three of its most populous regions: Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Córdoba. Disconnectivity in the most populous cities in Argentina follow the same country trend.

To date, Argentina is the 154th-most disconnected out of the 155 countries in the world. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Argentina ranked 154th in 1975, 154th in 1976-1990, 154th in 1991-2000 and 154th in 2001-2014.

The largest city in Argentina is Buenos Aires, with a population of 13906500 people. Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Buenos Aires as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 0.27, which is very well-connected. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Buenos Aires rose steadily.