Street-network Sprawl in Battambang, Cambodia

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.

Battambang: city in Batdâmbâng, Cambodia

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 Battambang, Cambodia on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Battambang as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.1, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 3.98, 1.89, 2.65 and 2.38. Disconnectivity in street construction in Battambang follows a zig-zag trend. In 1976-1990, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 1975.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Battambang spans a total of 311 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 1.89, 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 3.98, 1.92, 2.05 and 2.1. The SNDi of the aggregate street network in fell at first, but Battambang has worsened in disconnectivity since 1990.

Battambang and Batdâmbâng follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi for both of these followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease.

How do development practices in Battambang fare in comparison to others in Batdâmbâng? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Battambang was the 1st-most disconnected out of the 2 cities in Batdâmbâng. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Battambang ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Battambang fare in comparison to others in Cambodia? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Battambang was the 4th-most disconnected out of the 9 cities in Cambodia. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Cambodia, street construction in Battambang has become more connected. Battambang ranked 3rd in 1975, 3rd in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 4th in 2001-2014.

Battambang and Batdâmbâng do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Battambang was at its lowest in 1976-1990, while the SNDi of street constructions in Batdâmbâng followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease.

To date, Battambang is the 2nd-most disconnected out of the 2 cities in Batdâmbâng. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Batdâmbâng, the street network in Battambang has become more connected. Battambang ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 2nd in 2001-2014.

Battambang and Cambodia do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Battambang was at its lowest in 1976-1990, while the SNDi of street constructions in Cambodia rose steadily.

To date, Battambang is the 5th-most disconnected out of the 9 cities in Cambodia. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Cambodia, the street network in Battambang has become more connected. Battambang ranked 3rd in 1975, 3rd in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 5th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Battambang had a built-up area of 14.36 square kilometers, and a population of 175941 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: