Street-network Sprawl in Pointe-à-Pitre, France

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.

Pointe-à-Pitre: region in France

View Pointe-à-Pitre, France on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Pointe-à-Pitre as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 4.77, which is highly disconnected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 3.47, 5.4, 6.35 and 6.65. In each period, new street development in Pointe-à-Pitre steadily grows more disconnected than in the last. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 1.93 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.3.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Pointe-à-Pitre spans a total of 2126 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 5.4, 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 3.47, 4.41, 4.64 and 4.77. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Pointe-à-Pitre has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.93 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.13.

The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Pointe-à-Pitre rose steadily. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Pointe-à-Pitre, we can consider one of its most populous cities: Les Abymes. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Les Abymes peaked in 1976-1990.

How do development practices in Pointe-à-Pitre fare in comparison to others in France? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Pointe-à-Pitre was the 6th-most disconnected out of the 20 regions in France. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in France, street construction in Pointe-à-Pitre has become more disconnected. Pointe-à-Pitre ranked 9th in 1975, 3rd in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 6th in 2001-2014.

As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Pointe-à-Pitre is Les Abymes with an SNDi of 3.12, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness. Conversely, the most connected city is Les Abymes with an SNDi of 3.12, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness. See trends for these cities: Les Abymes, Les Abymes

The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Pointe-à-Pitre rose steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Pointe-à-Pitre, we can consider one of its most populous cities: Les Abymes. Disconnectivity in the most populous cities in Pointe-à-Pitre follow the same region trend.

To date, Pointe-à-Pitre is the 7th-most disconnected out of the 20 regions in France. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in France, the street network in Pointe-à-Pitre has become more disconnected. Pointe-à-Pitre ranked 9th in 1975, 7th in 1976-1990, 7th in 1991-2000 and 7th in 2001-2014.