Street-network Sprawl in Al Minya, Egypt

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.

Al Minya: region in Egypt

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 Al Minya, Egypt on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Al Minya as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 5.28, which is highly disconnected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 5.05, 6.1, 7.96 and 6.65. Street construction in Al Minya 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 Al Minya spans a total of 5029 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 5.05, which is highly disconnected.

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 5.05, 5.1, 5.23 and 5.28. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Al Minya has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.05 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.05.

The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Al Minya peaked in 1991-2000. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Al Minya, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Al-Minya, Mallawi and Al Manshiyah al Qibliyah. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Al-Minya followed a zig-zag trend. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Mallawi followed a zig-zag trend. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Al Manshiyah al Qibliyah rose steadily.

How do development practices in Al Minya fare in comparison to others in Egypt? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Al Minya was the 1st-most disconnected out of the 25 regions in Egypt. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Al Minya ranked 1st in 1975, 2nd in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Al Minya is Shimm al Basal al Bahari with an SNDi of 9.23, which is highly disconnected. Conversely, the most connected city is Nazlet Abu Haseiba with an SNDi of -2.65, which is very well-connected. See trends for these cities: Nazlet Abu Haseiba, Shimm al Basal al Bahari

The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Al Minya rose steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Al Minya, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Al-Minya, Mallawi and Al Manshiyah al Qibliyah. Out of the three cities, Al-Minya and Mallawi do not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Al-Minya peaked in 1976-1990. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Mallawi followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase.

To date, Al Minya is the 1st-most disconnected out of the 25 regions in Egypt. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Al Minya ranked 1st in 1975, 2nd in 1976-1990, 2nd in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.