Street-network Sprawl in Izabal, Guatemala

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.

Izabal: region in Guatemala

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 Izabal, Guatemala on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Izabal as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 5.1, which is highly disconnected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 3.68, 5.13, 7.11 and 6.67. Street construction in Izabal 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 Izabal spans a total of 992 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 5.13, 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 3.68, 4.49, 4.93 and 5.1. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Izabal has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.81 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.17.

The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Izabal peaked in 1991-2000. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Izabal, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Morales, Puerto Barrios and El Estor. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Morales followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Puerto Barrios rose steadily. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in El Estor followed a zig-zag trend.

How do development practices in Izabal fare in comparison to others in Guatemala? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Izabal was the 4th-most disconnected out of the 19 regions in Guatemala. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in Guatemala, street construction in Izabal has become more disconnected. Izabal ranked 5th in 1975, 2nd in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 4th in 2001-2014.

As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Izabal is Morales with an SNDi of 4.83, which is highly disconnected. Conversely, the most connected city is El Estor with an SNDi of 2.29, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness. See trends for these cities: El Estor, Morales

The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Izabal rose steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Izabal, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Morales, Puerto Barrios and El Estor. Out of the three cities, El Estor does not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in El Estor followed a zig-zag trend.

To date, Izabal is the 1st-most disconnected out of the 19 regions in Guatemala. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in Guatemala, the street network in Izabal has become more disconnected. Izabal ranked 5th in 1975, 2nd in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.