Street-network Sprawl in Bida, Nigeria

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.

Bida: city in Niger, Nigeria

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 Bida, Nigeria on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Bida as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.79, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 2.79, 2.94, 2.06 and 2.87. Disconnectivity in street construction in Bida follows a zig-zag trend. In 1991-2000, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 1976-1990.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Bida spans a total of 332 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 2001-2014. These roads have an SNDi of 2.87, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness.

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 2.79, 2.81, 2.74 and 2.79. Disconnectivity in Bida's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1991-2000, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 1976-1990.

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

How do development practices in Bida fare in comparison to others in Niger? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Bida was the 4th-most disconnected out of the 13 cities in Niger. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Niger, street construction in Bida has become more connected. Bida ranked 2nd in 1975, 4th in 1976-1990, 5th in 1991-2000 and 4th in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Bida fare in comparison to others in Nigeria? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Bida was the 177th-most disconnected out of the 411 cities in Nigeria. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Nigeria, street construction in Bida has become more connected. Bida ranked 59th in 1975, 110th in 1976-1990, 156th in 1991-2000 and 177th in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Bida is the 3rd-most disconnected out of the 13 cities in Niger. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Niger, the street network in Bida has become more connected. Bida ranked 2nd in 1975, 3rd in 1976-1990, 3rd in 1991-2000 and 3rd in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Bida is the 143rd-most disconnected out of the 411 cities in Nigeria. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Nigeria, the street network in Bida has become more connected. Bida ranked 59th in 1975, 92nd in 1976-1990, 114th in 1991-2000 and 143rd in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Bida had a built-up area of 14.57 square kilometers, and a population of 280560 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: