Street-network Sprawl in Guaíba, Brazil

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.

Guaíba: city in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

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 Guaíba, Brazil on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Guaíba as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.01, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.29, 2.21, 1.66 and 2.41. Disconnectivity in street construction in Guaíba follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 2001-2014.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Guaíba spans a total of 238 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 2.21, 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 1.29, 1.99, 1.98 and 2.01. Disconnectivity in Guaíba's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 2001-2014.

Guaíba and Rio Grande do Sul do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Guaíba followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Rio Grande do Sul rose steadily.

How do development practices in Guaíba fare in comparison to others in Rio Grande do Sul? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Guaíba was the 19th-most disconnected out of the 24 cities in Rio Grande do Sul. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Rio Grande do Sul, street construction in Guaíba has become more connected. Guaíba ranked 6th in 1975, 9th in 1976-1990, 21st in 1991-2000 and 19th in 2001-2014.

Guaíba and Brazil do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Guaíba followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Brazil rose steadily.

How do development practices in Guaíba fare in comparison to others in Brazil? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Guaíba was the 192nd-most disconnected out of the 348 cities in Brazil. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Brazil, street construction in Guaíba has become more connected. Guaíba ranked 145th in 1975, 96th in 1976-1990, 213th in 1991-2000 and 192nd in 2001-2014.

Guaíba and Rio Grande do Sul do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Guaíba followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Rio Grande do Sul rose steadily.

To date, Guaíba is the 8th-most disconnected out of the 24 cities in Rio Grande do Sul. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Rio Grande do Sul, the street network in Guaíba has become more connected. Guaíba ranked 6th in 1975, 4th in 1976-1990, 7th in 1991-2000 and 8th in 2001-2014.

Guaíba and Brazil do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Guaíba followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Brazil rose steadily.

To date, Guaíba is the 124th-most disconnected out of the 348 cities in Brazil. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Brazil, the street network in Guaíba has become more disconnected. Guaíba ranked 145th in 1975, 106th in 1976-1990, 117th in 1991-2000 and 124th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Guaíba had a built-up area of 8.95 square kilometers, and a population of 61777 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: