Street-network Sprawl in Belgorod, 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.

Belgorod: city in 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 Belgorod, Russia on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Belgorod as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.2, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.88, 2.82, 3.36 and 2.89. Street construction in Belgorod increased in disconnectivity initially but has since improved. The streets constructed in 1991-2000 were the most disconnected.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Belgorod spans a total of 538 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 1.88, 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 1.88, 2.01, 2.12 and 2.2. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Belgorod has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.13 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.08.

Belgorod and Belgorod do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Belgorod peaked in 1991-2000, while the SNDi of street constructions in Belgorod peaked in 1976-1990.

How do development practices in Belgorod fare in comparison to others in Belgorod? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Belgorod was the 1st-most disconnected out of the 1 cities in Belgorod. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Belgorod ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

Belgorod and Russia do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Belgorod peaked in 1991-2000, while the SNDi of street constructions in Russia rose steadily.

How do development practices in Belgorod fare in comparison to others in Russia? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Belgorod was the 102nd-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 Belgorod has become more connected. Belgorod ranked 82nd in 1975, 74th in 1976-1990, 81st in 1991-2000 and 102nd in 2001-2014.

Belgorod and Belgorod do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Belgorod rose steadily, while the SNDi of street constructions in Belgorod peaked in 1991-2000.

To date, Belgorod is the 1st-most disconnected out of the 1 cities in Belgorod. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Belgorod ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Belgorod is the 71st-most disconnected out of the 206 cities in Russia. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Russia, the street network in Belgorod has become more disconnected. Belgorod ranked 82nd in 1975, 80th in 1976-1990, 75th in 1991-2000 and 71st in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Belgorod had a built-up area of 56.35 square kilometers, and a population of 316614 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: