Street-network Sprawl in Pokrovsk, Ukraine

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.

Pokrovsk: city in Donets'k, Ukraine

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 Pokrovsk, Ukraine on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Pokrovsk as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 1.17, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 2.58, 1.07, 2.47 and 15.02. The disconnectivity of new streets constructed in Pokrovsk fell, then rose. In 1976-1990, new street layouts were the most connected.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Pokrovsk spans a total of 202 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 1.07, 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 2.58, 1.14, 1.15 and 1.17. The SNDi of the aggregate street network in fell at first, but Pokrovsk has worsened in disconnectivity since 1990.

Pokrovsk and Donets'k do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Pokrovsk was at its lowest in 1976-1990, while the SNDi of street constructions in Donets'k rose steadily.

How do development practices in Pokrovsk fare in comparison to others in Donets'k? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Pokrovsk was the 1st-most disconnected out of the 11 cities in Donets'k. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Pokrovsk ranked 1st in 1975, 9th in 1976-1990, 6th in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

Pokrovsk and Ukraine do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Pokrovsk was at its lowest in 1976-1990, while the SNDi of street constructions in Ukraine rose steadily.

How do development practices in Pokrovsk fare in comparison to others in Ukraine? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Pokrovsk was the 2nd-most disconnected out of the 78 cities in Ukraine. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Ukraine, street construction in Pokrovsk has become more disconnected. Pokrovsk ranked 12th in 1975, 64th in 1976-1990, 41st in 1991-2000 and 2nd in 2001-2014.

Pokrovsk and Donets'k do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Pokrovsk was at its lowest in 1976-1990, while the SNDi of street constructions in Donets'k rose steadily.

To date, Pokrovsk is the 8th-most disconnected out of the 11 cities in Donets'k. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Donets'k, the street network in Pokrovsk has become more connected. Pokrovsk ranked 1st in 1975, 8th in 1976-1990, 8th in 1991-2000 and 8th in 2001-2014.

Pokrovsk and Ukraine do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Pokrovsk was at its lowest in 1976-1990, while the SNDi of street constructions in Ukraine rose steadily.

To date, Pokrovsk is the 64th-most disconnected out of the 78 cities in Ukraine. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Ukraine, the street network in Pokrovsk has become more connected. Pokrovsk ranked 12th in 1975, 64th in 1976-1990, 65th in 1991-2000 and 64th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Pokrovsk had a built-up area of 14.03 square kilometers, and a population of 72405 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: