Street-network Sprawl in Beni Suef, 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.

Beni Suef: city in Bani Suwayf, 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 Beni Suef, Egypt on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Beni Suef as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 1.18, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.11, 2.62, 1.86 and 1.93. Disconnectivity in street construction in Beni Suef follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 1976-1990.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Beni Suef spans a total of 404 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 1.11, 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 1.11, 1.18, 1.16 and 1.18. Disconnectivity in Beni Suef's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 1976-1990.

Beni Suef and Bani Suwayf do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Beni Suef followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Bani Suwayf peaked in 1976-1990.

How do development practices in Beni Suef fare in comparison to others in Bani Suwayf? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Beni Suef was the 1st-most disconnected out of the 8 cities in Bani Suwayf. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Bani Suwayf, street construction in Beni Suef has become more disconnected. Beni Suef ranked 4th in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Beni Suef fare in comparison to others in Egypt? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Beni Suef was the 73rd-most disconnected out of the 170 cities in Egypt. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Egypt, street construction in Beni Suef has become more disconnected. Beni Suef ranked 129th in 1975, 79th in 1976-1990, 59th in 1991-2000 and 73rd in 2001-2014.

Beni Suef and Bani Suwayf do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Beni Suef followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Bani Suwayf peaked in 1976-1990.

To date, Beni Suef is the 5th-most disconnected out of the 8 cities in Bani Suwayf. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Bani Suwayf, the street network in Beni Suef has become more connected. Beni Suef ranked 4th in 1975, 5th in 1976-1990, 5th in 1991-2000 and 5th in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Beni Suef is the 146th-most disconnected out of the 170 cities in Egypt. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Egypt, the street network in Beni Suef has become more connected. Beni Suef ranked 129th in 1975, 142nd in 1976-1990, 143rd in 1991-2000 and 146th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Beni Suef had a built-up area of 16.3 square kilometers, and a population of 479649 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: