Street-network Sprawl in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

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.

Northern Ireland: region in United Kingdom

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 Northern Ireland, United Kingdom on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Northern Ireland as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 5.89, which is highly disconnected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 5.82, 6.47, 7.66 and 5.69. Street construction in Northern Ireland 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 Northern Ireland spans a total of 23926 kilometers. The period with the greatest volume of street construction was 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 6.47, 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 5.82, 5.83, 5.97 and 5.89. The aggregate street network in Northern Ireland increased in disconnectivity initially,but the trend has turned around after 2000.

The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Northern Ireland peaked in 1991-2000. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Northern Ireland, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Belfast, Londonderry/Derry and Bangor. Disconnectivity in the most populous cities in Northern Ireland follow the same region trend.

How do development practices in Northern Ireland fare in comparison to others in United Kingdom? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Northern Ireland was the 1st-most disconnected out of the 4 regions in United Kingdom. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Northern Ireland ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Northern Ireland is Londonderry/Derry with an SNDi of 7.72, which is highly disconnected. Conversely, the most connected city is Belfast with an SNDi of 5.38, which is highly disconnected. See trends for these cities: Belfast, Londonderry/Derry

The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Northern Ireland peaked in 1991-2000. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Northern Ireland, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Belfast, Londonderry/Derry and Bangor. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Belfast rose steadily. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Londonderry/Derry rose steadily. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Bangor rose steadily.

To date, Northern Ireland is the 1st-most disconnected out of the 4 regions in United Kingdom. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Northern Ireland ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.