Street-network Sprawl in Bhokar, 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.

Bhokar: city in Maharashtra, 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 Bhokar, India on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Bhokar as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 1.33, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 0.22, 3.18, 2.24 and 3.22. Disconnectivity in street construction in Bhokar follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 2001-2014.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Bhokar spans a total of 20 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 0.22, which is very 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 0.22, 0.56, 1.07 and 1.33. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Bhokar has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.35 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.25.

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

How do development practices in Bhokar fare in comparison to others in Maharashtra? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Bhokar was the 81st-most disconnected out of the 186 cities in Maharashtra. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Maharashtra, street construction in Bhokar has become more connected. Bhokar ranked 80th in 1975, 33rd in 1976-1990, 73rd in 1991-2000 and 81st in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Bhokar fare in comparison to others in India? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Bhokar was the 628th-most disconnected out of the 1716 cities in India. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in India, street construction in Bhokar has become more disconnected. Bhokar ranked 760th in 1975, 404th in 1976-1990, 687th in 1991-2000 and 628th in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Bhokar is the 126th-most disconnected out of the 186 cities in Maharashtra. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Maharashtra, the street network in Bhokar has become more connected. Bhokar ranked 80th in 1975, 131st in 1976-1990, 128th in 1991-2000 and 126th in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Bhokar is the 1220th-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 Bhokar has become more connected. Bhokar ranked 760th in 1975, 1170th in 1976-1990, 1157th in 1991-2000 and 1220th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Bhokar had a built-up area of 0.59 square kilometers, and a population of 59202 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: