Street-network Sprawl in Albacete, Spain

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.

Albacete: city in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

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 Albacete, Spain on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Albacete as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is -0.41, which is very well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are -0.61, 0.45, -0.36 and 0.46. Disconnectivity in street construction in Albacete 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 Albacete spans a total of 313 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of -0.61, which is very 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 -0.61, -0.47, -0.47 and -0.41. Disconnectivity in Albacete's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Albacete fare in comparison to others in Castilla-La Mancha? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Albacete was the 2nd-most disconnected out of the 4 cities in Castilla-La Mancha. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Castilla-La Mancha, street construction in Albacete has become more disconnected. Albacete ranked 4th in 1975, 4th in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 2nd in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Albacete fare in comparison to others in Spain? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Albacete was the 61st-most disconnected out of the 72 cities in Spain. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Spain, street construction in Albacete has become more disconnected. Albacete ranked 70th in 1975, 64th in 1976-1990, 61st in 1991-2000 and 61st in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Albacete is the 4th-most disconnected out of the 4 cities in Castilla-La Mancha. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Albacete ranked 4th in 1975, 4th in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 4th in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Albacete is the 70th-most disconnected out of the 72 cities in Spain. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Albacete ranked 70th in 1975, 70th in 1976-1990, 70th in 1991-2000 and 70th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Albacete had a built-up area of 12.27 square kilometers, and a population of 93876 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: