Street-network Sprawl in Cadiz, Philippines

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.

Cadiz: city in Negros Occidental, Philippines

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 Cadiz, Philippines on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Cadiz as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 1.87, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are -0.21, 2.91, -0.28 and 2.32. Disconnectivity in street construction in Cadiz 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 Cadiz spans a total of 44 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 2.91, 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 -0.21, 2.06, 1.92 and 1.87. The aggregate street network in Cadiz increased in disconnectivity initially,but the trend has turned around after 1990.

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

How do development practices in Cadiz fare in comparison to others in Negros Occidental? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Cadiz was the 4th-most disconnected out of the 4 cities in Negros Occidental. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Cadiz ranked 4th in 1975, 3rd in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 4th in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Cadiz fare in comparison to others in Philippines? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Cadiz was the 81st-most disconnected out of the 89 cities in Philippines. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Philippines, street construction in Cadiz has become more disconnected. Cadiz ranked 85th in 1975, 71st in 1976-1990, 82nd in 1991-2000 and 81st in 2001-2014.

Cadiz and Negros Occidental do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Cadiz peaked in 1976-1990, while the SNDi of street constructions in Negros Occidental rose steadily.

To date, Cadiz is the 4th-most disconnected out of the 4 cities in Negros Occidental. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Cadiz ranked 4th in 1975, 3rd in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 4th in 2001-2014.

Cadiz and Philippines do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Cadiz peaked in 1976-1990, while the SNDi of street constructions in Philippines rose steadily.

To date, Cadiz is the 86th-most disconnected out of the 89 cities in Philippines. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Philippines, the street network in Cadiz has become more connected. Cadiz ranked 85th in 1975, 83rd in 1976-1990, 85th in 1991-2000 and 86th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Cadiz had a built-up area of 1.06 square kilometers, and a population of 57221 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: