Street-network Sprawl in Barbados

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.

Barbados

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 Barbados on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Barbados as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 6.36, which is highly disconnected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 6.11, nan, 6.91 and 7.4. Data was not available in 1976-1990.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Barbados spans a total of 2192 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 6.11, which is highly disconnected.

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 6.11, 6.11, 6.18 and 6.36. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Barbados has become more disconnected.

The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Barbados followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Barbados, we can consider one of its most populous regions: Saint Michael. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Saint Michael followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase.

How do development practices in Barbados fare in comparison to others in the world? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Barbados was the 5th-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 Barbados has become more disconnected. Barbados ranked 5th in 1975, 9th in 1991-2000 and 5th in 2001-2014. There was no ranking in 1976-1990 due to unavailable data.

The largest city in Barbados is Bridgetown, with a population of 130100 people. Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Bridgetown as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 5.84, which is highly disconnected. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Bridgetown followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase.

As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Barbados is Bridgetown with an SNDi of 5.84, which is highly disconnected. Conversely, the most connected city is Bridgetown with an SNDi of 5.84, which is highly disconnected. See trends for these cities: Bridgetown, Bridgetown

The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Barbados rose steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Barbados, we can consider one of its most populous regions: Saint Michael. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Saint Michael rose steadily.

To date, Barbados is the 6th-most disconnected out of the 155 countries in the world. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other countries in the world, the street network in Barbados has become more connected. Barbados ranked 5th in 1975, 6th in 1976-1990, 6th in 1991-2000 and 6th in 2001-2014.

The largest city in Barbados is Bridgetown, with a population of 130100 people. Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Bridgetown as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 5.84, which is highly disconnected. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Bridgetown followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase.