Street-network Sprawl in Mahilyow, Belarus

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.

Mahilyow: region in Belarus

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 Mahilyow, Belarus on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Mahilyow as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.65, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 2.26, 2.85, 3.27 and 3.18. Street construction in Mahilyow increased in disconnectivity initially but has since improved. The streets constructed in 1991-2000 were the most disconnected.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Mahilyow spans a total of 7256 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 2.85, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness.

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 2.26, 2.54, 2.62 and 2.65. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Mahilyow has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.28 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.04.

The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Mahilyow peaked in 1991-2000. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Mahilyow, we can consider two of its most populous cities: Mahilyow and Babruysk. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Mahilyow followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Babruysk followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease.

How do development practices in Mahilyow fare in comparison to others in Belarus? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Mahilyow was the 3rd-most disconnected out of the 6 regions in Belarus. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other regions in Belarus, street construction in Mahilyow has become more connected. Mahilyow ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 2nd in 1991-2000 and 3rd in 2001-2014.

As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Mahilyow is Mahilyow with an SNDi of 2.71, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness. Conversely, the most connected city is Babruysk with an SNDi of 1.63, which is relatively well-connected. See trends for these cities: Babruysk, Mahilyow

The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Mahilyow rose steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Mahilyow, we can consider two of its most populous cities: Mahilyow and Babruysk. Out of the two cities, Babruysk does not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Babruysk peaked in 1976-1990.

To date, Mahilyow is the 1st-most disconnected out of the 6 regions in Belarus. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Mahilyow ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.