Street-network Sprawl in Chiang Mai, Myanmar

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.

Chiang Mai: region in Myanmar

View Chiang Mai, Myanmar on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Chiang Mai as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 5.52, which is highly disconnected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 5.02, 5.5, 6.15 and 7.92. In each period, new street development in Chiang Mai steadily grows more disconnected than in the last.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Chiang Mai spans a total of 9344 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 5.5, 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 5.02, 5.28, 5.35 and 5.52. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Chiang Mai has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.26 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.17.

The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Chiang Mai rose steadily. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Chiang Mai, we can consider one of its most populous cities: Ban Arunothai. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Ban Arunothai followed a zig-zag trend.

How do development practices in Chiang Mai fare in comparison to others in Myanmar? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Chiang Mai was the 1st-most disconnected out of the 14 regions in Myanmar. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in Myanmar, street construction in Chiang Mai has become more disconnected. Chiang Mai ranked 2nd in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Chiang Mai is Ban Arunothai with an SNDi of 2.07, which is relatively well-connected. Conversely, the most connected city is Ban Arunothai with an SNDi of 2.07, which is relatively well-connected. See trends for these cities: Ban Arunothai, Ban Arunothai

The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Chiang Mai rose steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Chiang Mai, we can consider one of its most populous cities: Ban Arunothai. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Ban Arunothai followed a zig-zag trend.

To date, Chiang Mai is the 1st-most disconnected out of the 14 regions in Myanmar. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in Myanmar, the street network in Chiang Mai has become more disconnected. Chiang Mai ranked 2nd in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.