Street-network Sprawl in Dhenkanal, 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.

Dhenkanal: city in Odisha, 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 Dhenkanal, India on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Dhenkanal as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.41, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 3.07, 2.13, 2.91 and 2.29. Disconnectivity in street construction in Dhenkanal follows a zig-zag trend. In 1976-1990, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 1975.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Dhenkanal spans a total of 65 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 2001-2014. These roads have an SNDi of 2.29, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness.

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 3.07, 2.28, 2.5 and 2.41. Disconnectivity in Dhenkanal's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1976-1990, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 1975.

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

How do development practices in Dhenkanal fare in comparison to others in Odisha? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Dhenkanal was the 24th-most disconnected out of the 57 cities in Odisha. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Odisha, street construction in Dhenkanal has become more connected. Dhenkanal ranked 14th in 1975, 25th in 1976-1990, 19th in 1991-2000 and 24th in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Dhenkanal fare in comparison to others in India? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Dhenkanal was the 820th-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 Dhenkanal has become more connected. Dhenkanal ranked 290th in 1975, 688th in 1976-1990, 557th in 1991-2000 and 820th in 2001-2014.

Dhenkanal and Odisha do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Dhenkanal followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease, while the SNDi of street constructions in Odisha rose steadily.

To date, Dhenkanal is the 31st-most disconnected out of the 57 cities in Odisha. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Odisha, the street network in Dhenkanal has become more connected. Dhenkanal ranked 14th in 1975, 26th in 1976-1990, 29th in 1991-2000 and 31st in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Dhenkanal is the 868th-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 Dhenkanal has become more connected. Dhenkanal ranked 290th in 1975, 684th in 1976-1990, 721st in 1991-2000 and 868th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Dhenkanal had a built-up area of 2.08 square kilometers, and a population of 248835 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: