Street-network Sprawl in Chenab Nagar, Pakistan

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.

Chenab Nagar: city in Punjab, Pakistan

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 Chenab Nagar, Pakistan on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Chenab Nagar as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 1.94, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.53, 1.54, 0.38 and 3.05. Disconnectivity in street construction in Chenab Nagar 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 Chenab Nagar spans a total of 109 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 1.54, 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 1.53, 1.54, 1.5 and 1.94. Disconnectivity in Chenab Nagar's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1991-2000, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Chenab Nagar fare in comparison to others in Punjab? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Chenab Nagar was the 34th-most disconnected out of the 99 cities in Punjab. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Punjab, street construction in Chenab Nagar has become more disconnected. Chenab Nagar ranked 42nd in 1975, 57th in 1976-1990, 54th in 1991-2000 and 34th in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Chenab Nagar fare in comparison to others in Pakistan? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Chenab Nagar was the 64th-most disconnected out of the 198 cities in Pakistan. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Pakistan, street construction in Chenab Nagar has become more disconnected. Chenab Nagar ranked 93rd in 1975, 117th in 1976-1990, 94th in 1991-2000 and 64th in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Chenab Nagar is the 57th-most disconnected out of the 99 cities in Punjab. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Punjab, the street network in Chenab Nagar has become more connected. Chenab Nagar ranked 42nd in 1975, 64th in 1976-1990, 70th in 1991-2000 and 57th in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Chenab Nagar is the 126th-most disconnected out of the 198 cities in Pakistan. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Pakistan, the street network in Chenab Nagar has become more connected. Chenab Nagar ranked 93rd in 1975, 136th in 1976-1990, 144th in 1991-2000 and 126th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Chenab Nagar had a built-up area of 2.88 square kilometers, and a population of 68822 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: