Street-network Sprawl in Juchitán, Mexico

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.

Juchitán: city in Oaxaca, Mexico

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 Juchitán, Mexico on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Juchitán as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 1.86, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.86, 1.97, 1.42 and 2.99. Disconnectivity in street construction in Juchitán follows a zig-zag trend. In 1991-2000, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 2001-2014.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Juchitán spans a total of 220 kilometers. The period with the greatest volume of street construction was 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 1.97, 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 1.86, 1.91, 1.78 and 1.86. Disconnectivity in Juchitán's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1991-2000, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 1976-1990.

Juchitán and Oaxaca do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Juchitán followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Oaxaca peaked in 1991-2000.

How do development practices in Juchitán fare in comparison to others in Oaxaca? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Juchitán was the 5th-most disconnected out of the 6 cities in Oaxaca. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Oaxaca, street construction in Juchitán has become more connected. Juchitán ranked 2nd in 1975, 5th in 1976-1990, 5th in 1991-2000 and 5th in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Juchitán fare in comparison to others in Mexico? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Juchitán was the 99th-most disconnected out of the 166 cities in Mexico. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Mexico, street construction in Juchitán has become more connected. Juchitán ranked 35th in 1975, 77th in 1976-1990, 134th in 1991-2000 and 99th in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Juchitán is the 4th-most disconnected out of the 6 cities in Oaxaca. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Oaxaca, the street network in Juchitán has become more connected. Juchitán ranked 2nd in 1975, 3rd in 1976-1990, 3rd in 1991-2000 and 4th in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Juchitán is the 93rd-most disconnected out of the 166 cities in Mexico. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Mexico, the street network in Juchitán has become more connected. Juchitán ranked 35th in 1975, 61st in 1976-1990, 82nd in 1991-2000 and 93rd in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Juchitán had a built-up area of 6.12 square kilometers, and a population of 77984 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: