Street-network Sprawl in Neftekamsk, Russia

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.

Neftekamsk: city in Bashkortostan, Russia

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 Neftekamsk, Russia on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Neftekamsk as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.34, 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 2.47, 2.39, 2.55 and 1.26. Disconnectivity in street construction in Neftekamsk follows a zig-zag trend. In 2001-2014, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 1991-2000.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Neftekamsk spans a total of 205 kilometers. The period with the greatest volume of street construction was 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 2.39, 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 2.47, 2.43, 2.48 and 2.34. Disconnectivity in Neftekamsk's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 2001-2014, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 1991-2000.

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

How do development practices in Neftekamsk fare in comparison to others in Bashkortostan? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Neftekamsk was the 6th-most disconnected out of the 7 cities in Bashkortostan. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Bashkortostan, street construction in Neftekamsk has become more connected. Neftekamsk ranked 2nd in 1975, 6th in 1976-1990, 5th in 1991-2000 and 6th in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Neftekamsk fare in comparison to others in Russia? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Neftekamsk was the 153rd-most disconnected out of the 206 cities in Russia. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Russia, street construction in Neftekamsk has become more connected. Neftekamsk ranked 41st in 1975, 102nd in 1976-1990, 109th in 1991-2000 and 153rd in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Neftekamsk is the 3rd-most disconnected out of the 7 cities in Bashkortostan. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Bashkortostan, the street network in Neftekamsk has become more connected. Neftekamsk ranked 2nd in 1975, 2nd in 1976-1990, 2nd in 1991-2000 and 3rd in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Neftekamsk is the 60th-most disconnected out of the 206 cities in Russia. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Russia, the street network in Neftekamsk has become more connected. Neftekamsk ranked 41st in 1975, 50th in 1976-1990, 46th in 1991-2000 and 60th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Neftekamsk had a built-up area of 19.21 square kilometers, and a population of 111198 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: