Street-network Sprawl in Chaouia - Ouardigha, Morocco

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.

Chaouia - Ouardigha: region in Morocco

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 Chaouia - Ouardigha, Morocco on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Chaouia - Ouardigha as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 1.38, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.1, 1.25, 1.28 and 1.74. In each period, new street development in Chaouia - Ouardigha steadily grows more disconnected than in the last.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Chaouia - Ouardigha spans a total of 11218 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 2001-2014. These roads have an SNDi of 1.74, 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 1.1, 1.22, 1.22 and 1.38. Disconnectivity in Chaouia - Ouardigha's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, the region was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 2001-2014.

The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Chaouia - Ouardigha rose steadily. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Chaouia - Ouardigha, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Khouribga, Settat and Berrechid. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Khouribga was at its lowest in 1976-1990. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Settat was at its lowest in 1976-1990. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Berrechid followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase.

How do development practices in Chaouia - Ouardigha fare in comparison to others in Morocco? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Chaouia - Ouardigha was the 10th-most disconnected out of the 14 regions in Morocco. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in Morocco, street construction in Chaouia - Ouardigha has become more disconnected. Chaouia - Ouardigha ranked 12th in 1975, 14th in 1976-1990, 13th in 1991-2000 and 10th in 2001-2014.

As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Chaouia - Ouardigha is Settat with an SNDi of 1.34, which is relatively well-connected. Conversely, the most connected city is Berrechid with an SNDi of 0.82, which is relatively well-connected. See trends for these cities: Berrechid, Settat

The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Chaouia - Ouardigha followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Chaouia - Ouardigha, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Khouribga, Settat and Berrechid. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Khouribga was at its lowest in 1976-1990. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Settat was at its lowest in 1976-1990. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Berrechid rose steadily.

To date, Chaouia - Ouardigha is the 12th-most disconnected out of the 14 regions in Morocco. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Chaouia - Ouardigha ranked 12th in 1975, 12th in 1976-1990, 12th in 1991-2000 and 12th in 2001-2014.