Street-network Sprawl in Waikato, New Zealand

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.

Waikato: region in New Zealand

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 Waikato, New Zealand on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Waikato as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 4.82, which is highly disconnected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 4.35, nan, 6.35 and 5.9. Data was not available in 1976-1990.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Waikato spans a total of 7840 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 4.35, 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 4.35, 4.35, 4.67 and 4.82. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Waikato has become more disconnected.

The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Waikato followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Waikato, we can consider one of its most populous cities: Hamilton. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Hamilton followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase.

How do development practices in Waikato fare in comparison to others in New Zealand? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Waikato was the 4th-most disconnected out of the 7 regions in New Zealand. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other regions in New Zealand, street construction in Waikato has become more connected. Waikato ranked 3rd in 1975, 3rd in 1991-2000 and 4th in 2001-2014. There was no ranking in 1976-1990 due to unavailable data.

As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Waikato is Hamilton with an SNDi of 4.55, which is highly disconnected. Conversely, the most connected city is Hamilton with an SNDi of 4.55, which is highly disconnected. See trends for these cities: Hamilton, Hamilton

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

To date, Waikato is the 2nd-most disconnected out of the 7 regions in New Zealand. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in New Zealand, the street network in Waikato has become more disconnected. Waikato ranked 3rd in 1975, 3rd in 1976-1990, 2nd in 1991-2000 and 2nd in 2001-2014.