Street-network Sprawl in Kolar Gold Fields, India

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.

Kolar Gold Fields: city in Karnataka, India

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 Kolar Gold Fields, India on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Kolar Gold Fields as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 1.17, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 0.84, 1.46, 1.05 and 1.43. Disconnectivity in street construction in Kolar Gold Fields 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 Kolar Gold Fields spans a total of 205 kilometers. The period with the greatest volume of street construction was 2001-2014. These roads have an SNDi of 1.43, 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 0.84, 1.1, 1.08 and 1.17. Disconnectivity in Kolar Gold Fields's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 2001-2014.

Kolar Gold Fields and Karnataka do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Kolar Gold Fields followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Karnataka rose steadily.

How do development practices in Kolar Gold Fields fare in comparison to others in Karnataka? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Kolar Gold Fields was the 86th-most disconnected out of the 147 cities in Karnataka. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Karnataka, street construction in Kolar Gold Fields has become more connected. Kolar Gold Fields ranked 65th in 1975, 74th in 1976-1990, 86th in 1991-2000 and 86th in 2001-2014.

Kolar Gold Fields and India do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Kolar Gold Fields followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in India rose steadily.

How do development practices in Kolar Gold Fields fare in comparison to others in India? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Kolar Gold Fields was the 964th-most disconnected out of the 1716 cities in India. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in India, street construction in Kolar Gold Fields has become more connected. Kolar Gold Fields ranked 674th in 1975, 857th in 1976-1990, 856th in 1991-2000 and 964th in 2001-2014.

Kolar Gold Fields and Karnataka do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Kolar Gold Fields followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Karnataka rose steadily.

To date, Kolar Gold Fields is the 113th-most disconnected out of the 147 cities in Karnataka. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Karnataka, the street network in Kolar Gold Fields has become more connected. Kolar Gold Fields ranked 65th in 1975, 92nd in 1976-1990, 100th in 1991-2000 and 113th in 2001-2014.

Kolar Gold Fields and India do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Kolar Gold Fields followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in India rose steadily.

To date, Kolar Gold Fields is the 1274th-most disconnected out of the 1716 cities in India. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in India, the street network in Kolar Gold Fields has become more connected. Kolar Gold Fields ranked 674th in 1975, 1039th in 1976-1990, 1156th in 1991-2000 and 1274th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Kolar Gold Fields had a built-up area of 1.6 square kilometers, and a population of 216929 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: