Street-network Sprawl in Mian Channu, 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.

Mian Channu: 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 Mian Channu, Pakistan on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Mian Channu as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.23, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.8, 3.1, 2.42 and 3.44. Disconnectivity in street construction in Mian Channu follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 2001-2014.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Mian Channu spans a total of 175 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 1.8, 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 1.8, 2.09, 2.1 and 2.23. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Mian Channu has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.29 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.13.

Mian Channu and Punjab do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Mian Channu 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 Mian Channu fare in comparison to others in Punjab? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Mian Channu was the 26th-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 Mian Channu has become more disconnected. Mian Channu ranked 35th in 1975, 30th in 1976-1990, 32nd in 1991-2000 and 26th in 2001-2014.

Mian Channu and Pakistan do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Mian Channu 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 Mian Channu fare in comparison to others in Pakistan? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Mian Channu was the 53rd-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 Mian Channu has become more disconnected. Mian Channu ranked 83rd in 1975, 65th in 1976-1990, 60th in 1991-2000 and 53rd in 2001-2014.

Mian Channu and Punjab follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi for both of these rose steadily.

To date, Mian Channu is the 51st-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 Mian Channu has become more connected. Mian Channu ranked 35th in 1975, 47th in 1976-1990, 49th in 1991-2000 and 51st in 2001-2014.

Mian Channu and Pakistan follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi for both of these rose steadily.

To date, Mian Channu is the 115th-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 Mian Channu has become more connected. Mian Channu ranked 83rd in 1975, 110th in 1976-1990, 113th in 1991-2000 and 115th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Mian Channu had a built-up area of 4.06 square kilometers, and a population of 56321 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: