Street-network Sprawl in Kosovo

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.

Kosovo

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 Kosovo on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Kosovo as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 6.68, which is highly disconnected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 5.8, 7.22, 7.62 and 7.09. Street construction in Kosovo 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 Kosovo spans a total of 12927 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 7.22, 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 5.8, 6.59, 6.67 and 6.68. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Kosovo has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.79 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.01.

The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Kosovo peaked in 1991-2000. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Kosovo, we can consider three of its most populous regions: Pristina, Prizren and Kosovska Mitrovica. Out of the three regions, Pristina does not follow the same trend as the country. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Pristina peaked in 1976-1990.

How do development practices in Kosovo fare in comparison to others in the world? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Kosovo was the 7th-most disconnected out of the 155 countries in the world. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other countries in the world, street construction in Kosovo has become more connected. Kosovo ranked 6th in 1975, 3rd in 1976-1990, 5th in 1991-2000 and 7th in 2001-2014.

The largest city in Kosovo is Pristina, with a population of 196900 people. Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Pristina as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 5.47, which is highly disconnected. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Pristina peaked in 1976-1990.

As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Kosovo is Ferizaj with an SNDi of 6.49, which is highly disconnected. Conversely, the most connected city is Gjakovë with an SNDi of 4.15, which is highly disconnected. See trends for these cities: Gjakovë, Ferizaj

The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Kosovo rose steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Kosovo, we can consider three of its most populous regions: Pristina, Prizren and Kosovska Mitrovica. Out of the three regions, Prizren and Kosovska Mitrovica do not follow the same trend as the country. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Prizren peaked in 1991-2000. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Kosovska Mitrovica peaked in 1991-2000.

To date, Kosovo is the 4th-most disconnected out of the 155 countries in the world. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other countries in the world, the street network in Kosovo has become more disconnected. Kosovo ranked 6th in 1975, 3rd in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 4th in 2001-2014.

The largest city in Kosovo is Pristina, with a population of 196900 people. Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Pristina as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 5.47, which is highly disconnected. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Pristina rose steadily.