Street-network Sprawl in Qingzhou, China

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.

Qingzhou: city in Shandong, China

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 Qingzhou, China on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Qingzhou as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 0.73, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.56, 0.48, 1.01 and 0.56. Disconnectivity in street construction in Qingzhou 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 Qingzhou spans a total of 525 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 2001-2014. These roads have an SNDi of 0.56, 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 1.56, 0.74, 0.82 and 0.73. Disconnectivity in Qingzhou's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 2001-2014, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 1975.

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

How do development practices in Qingzhou fare in comparison to others in Shandong? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Qingzhou was the 75th-most disconnected out of the 113 cities in Shandong. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Shandong, street construction in Qingzhou has become more connected. Qingzhou ranked 23rd in 1975, 73rd in 1976-1990, 50th in 1991-2000 and 75th in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Qingzhou fare in comparison to others in China? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Qingzhou was the 1154th-most disconnected out of the 1651 cities in China. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in China, street construction in Qingzhou has become more connected. Qingzhou ranked 642nd in 1975, 1238th in 1976-1990, 783rd in 1991-2000 and 1154th in 2001-2014.

Qingzhou and Shandong do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Qingzhou followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease, while the SNDi of street constructions in Shandong peaked in 1976-1990.

To date, Qingzhou is the 72nd-most disconnected out of the 113 cities in Shandong. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Shandong, the street network in Qingzhou has become more connected. Qingzhou ranked 23rd in 1975, 68th in 1976-1990, 60th in 1991-2000 and 72nd in 2001-2014.

Qingzhou and China do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Qingzhou followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease, while the SNDi of street constructions in China peaked in 1976-1990.

To date, Qingzhou is the 1349th-most disconnected out of the 1651 cities in China. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in China, the street network in Qingzhou has become more connected. Qingzhou ranked 642nd in 1975, 1267th in 1976-1990, 1240th in 1991-2000 and 1349th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Qingzhou had a built-up area of 66.34 square kilometers, and a population of 370081 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: