Street-network Sprawl in Qina, 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.

Qina: 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 Qina, Egypt on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Qina as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 4.6, which is highly disconnected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 4.64, 4.04, 7.44 and 4.46. Disconnectivity in street construction in Qina follows a zig-zag trend. In 1976-1990, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 1991-2000.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Qina spans a total of 7311 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 4.64, 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 4.64, 4.49, 4.61 and 4.6. Disconnectivity in Qina's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1976-1990, the region was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 1975.

The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Qina followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Qina, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Qus, Nag Hammadi and Qena. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Qus peaked in 1976-1990. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Nag Hammadi followed a zig-zag trend. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Qena followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease.

How do development practices in Qina fare in comparison to others in Egypt? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Qina was the 12th-most disconnected out of the 25 regions in Egypt. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other regions in Egypt, street construction in Qina has become more connected. Qina ranked 3rd in 1975, 9th in 1976-1990, 3rd in 1991-2000 and 12th in 2001-2014.

As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Qina is Abu Manna Gharb with an SNDi of 6.36, which is highly disconnected. Conversely, the most connected city is Armant Al-Waburat with an SNDi of 2.25, which is relatively well-connected. See trends for these cities: Armant Al-Waburat, Abu Manna Gharb

The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Qina followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Qina, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Qus, Nag Hammadi and Qena. Out of the three cities, Qus and Nag Hammadi do not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Qus peaked in 1991-2000. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Nag Hammadi peaked in 1976-1990.

To date, Qina is the 4th-most disconnected out of the 25 regions in Egypt. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other regions in Egypt, the street network in Qina has become more connected. Qina ranked 3rd in 1975, 5th in 1976-1990, 5th in 1991-2000 and 4th in 2001-2014.