Street-network Sprawl in Valencia, 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.

Valencia: city in Comunidad Valenciana, 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 Valencia, Spain on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Valencia as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 0.9, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 0.71, 1.97, 2.27 and 2.44. In each period, new street development in Valencia steadily grows more disconnected than in the last. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 1.26 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.16.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Valencia spans a total of 4066 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 0.71, 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 0.71, 0.82, 0.86 and 0.9. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Valencia has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.12 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.05.

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

How do development practices in Valencia fare in comparison to others in Comunidad Valenciana? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Valencia was the 3rd-most disconnected out of the 8 cities in Comunidad Valenciana. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Comunidad Valenciana, street construction in Valencia has become more connected. Valencia ranked 2nd in 1975, 4th in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 3rd in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Valencia fare in comparison to others in Spain? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Valencia was the 22nd-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 Valencia has become more disconnected. Valencia ranked 33rd in 1975, 26th in 1976-1990, 29th in 1991-2000 and 22nd in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Valencia is the 3rd-most disconnected out of the 8 cities in Comunidad Valenciana. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Comunidad Valenciana, the street network in Valencia has become more connected. Valencia ranked 2nd in 1975, 4th in 1976-1990, 3rd in 1991-2000 and 3rd in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Valencia is the 34th-most disconnected out of the 72 cities in Spain. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Spain, the street network in Valencia has become more connected. Valencia ranked 33rd in 1975, 38th in 1976-1990, 37th in 1991-2000 and 34th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Valencia had a built-up area of 183.68 square kilometers, and a population of 1393120 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: