Street-network Sprawl in Hinche, Haiti

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.

Hinche: city in Centre, Haiti

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 Hinche, Haiti on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Hinche as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 0.49, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are -0.83, -0.07, 1.01 and 2.36. In each period, new street development in Hinche steadily grows more disconnected than in the last.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Hinche spans a total of 62 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1991-2000. These roads have an SNDi of 1.01, 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 -0.83, -0.24, 0.2 and 0.49. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Hinche has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.59 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.29.

Hinche and Centre follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi for both of these rose steadily.

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

Hinche and Haiti do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Hinche rose steadily, while the SNDi of street constructions in Haiti peaked in 1991-2000.

How do development practices in Hinche fare in comparison to others in Haiti? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Hinche was the 15th-most disconnected out of the 22 cities in Haiti. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Haiti, street construction in Hinche has become more disconnected. Hinche ranked 20th in 1975, 18th in 1976-1990, 16th in 1991-2000 and 15th in 2001-2014.

Hinche and Centre follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi for both of these rose steadily.

To date, Hinche is the 2nd-most disconnected out of the 2 cities in Centre. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Hinche ranked 2nd in 1975, 2nd in 1976-1990, 2nd in 1991-2000 and 2nd in 2001-2014.

Hinche and Haiti follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi for both of these rose steadily.

To date, Hinche is the 21st-most disconnected out of the 22 cities in Haiti. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Haiti, the street network in Hinche has become more connected. Hinche ranked 20th in 1975, 21st in 1976-1990, 21st in 1991-2000 and 21st in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Hinche had a built-up area of 1.78 square kilometers, and a population of 78290 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: