Street-network Sprawl in Songkhla, Thailand

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.

Songkhla: city in Thailand

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 Songkhla, Thailand on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Songkhla as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 5.43, which is highly disconnected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 2.62, 5.59, 4.69 and 6.74. Disconnectivity in street construction in Songkhla 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 Songkhla spans a total of 511 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 5.59, which is highly disconnected.

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 2.62, 5.28, 5.2 and 5.43. Disconnectivity in Songkhla's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Songkhla fare in comparison to others in Songkhla? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Songkhla was the 1st-most disconnected out of the 2 cities in Songkhla. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Songkhla ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 2nd in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Songkhla fare in comparison to others in Thailand? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Songkhla was the 18th-most disconnected out of the 42 cities in Thailand. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Thailand, street construction in Songkhla has become more disconnected. Songkhla ranked 29th in 1975, 11th in 1976-1990, 36th in 1991-2000 and 18th in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Songkhla is the 1st-most disconnected out of the 2 cities in Songkhla. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Songkhla ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Songkhla is the 14th-most disconnected out of the 42 cities in Thailand. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Thailand, the street network in Songkhla has become more disconnected. Songkhla ranked 29th in 1975, 11th in 1976-1990, 13th in 1991-2000 and 14th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Songkhla had a built-up area of 21.54 square kilometers, and a population of 162380 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: