Street-network Sprawl in Criciúma, 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.

Criciúma: city in Santa Catarina, 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 Criciúma, Brazil on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Criciúma as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.09, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.47, 2.61, 4.3 and 5.06. In each period, new street development in Criciúma steadily grows more disconnected than in the last. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 1.14 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.76.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Criciúma spans a total of 784 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 1.47, 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 1.47, 1.82, 1.96 and 2.09. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Criciúma has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.35 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.13.

Criciúma and Santa Catarina follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi for both of these rose steadily.

How do development practices in Criciúma fare in comparison to others in Santa Catarina? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Criciúma was the 6th-most disconnected out of the 12 cities in Santa Catarina. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Santa Catarina, street construction in Criciúma has become more disconnected. Criciúma ranked 9th in 1975, 9th in 1976-1990, 7th in 1991-2000 and 6th in 2001-2014.

Criciúma and Brazil follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi for both of these rose steadily.

How do development practices in Criciúma fare in comparison to others in Brazil? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Criciúma was the 61st-most disconnected out of the 348 cities in Brazil. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Brazil, street construction in Criciúma has become more disconnected. Criciúma ranked 127th in 1975, 80th in 1976-1990, 56th in 1991-2000 and 61st in 2001-2014.

Criciúma and Santa Catarina follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi for both of these rose steadily.

To date, Criciúma is the 10th-most disconnected out of the 12 cities in Santa Catarina. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Santa Catarina, the street network in Criciúma has become more connected. Criciúma ranked 9th in 1975, 10th in 1976-1990, 10th in 1991-2000 and 10th in 2001-2014.

Criciúma and Brazil follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi for both of these rose steadily.

To date, Criciúma is the 118th-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 Criciúma has become more disconnected. Criciúma ranked 127th in 1975, 121st in 1976-1990, 121st in 1991-2000 and 118th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Criciúma had a built-up area of 25.53 square kilometers, and a population of 168919 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: