Street-network Sprawl in Lafayette, United States

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.

Lafayette: city in Louisiana, United States

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 Lafayette, United States on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Lafayette as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.83, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.85, 3.8, 3.51 and 5.18. Disconnectivity in street construction in Lafayette 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 Lafayette spans a total of 925 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 1.85, 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 1.85, 2.66, 2.69 and 2.83. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Lafayette has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.81 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.14.

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

How do development practices in Lafayette fare in comparison to others in Louisiana? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Lafayette was the 4th-most disconnected out of the 6 cities in Louisiana. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Louisiana, street construction in Lafayette has become more disconnected. Lafayette ranked 5th in 1975, 4th in 1976-1990, 6th in 1991-2000 and 4th in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Lafayette fare in comparison to others in United States? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Lafayette was the 155th-most disconnected out of the 315 cities in United States. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in United States, street construction in Lafayette has become more disconnected. Lafayette ranked 224th in 1975, 215th in 1976-1990, 275th in 1991-2000 and 155th in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Lafayette is the 3rd-most disconnected out of the 6 cities in Louisiana. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Louisiana, the street network in Lafayette has become more disconnected. Lafayette ranked 5th in 1975, 3rd in 1976-1990, 3rd in 1991-2000 and 3rd in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Lafayette is the 180th-most disconnected out of the 315 cities in United States. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in United States, the street network in Lafayette has become more disconnected. Lafayette ranked 224th in 1975, 182nd in 1976-1990, 192nd in 1991-2000 and 180th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Lafayette had a built-up area of 51.08 square kilometers, and a population of 97041 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: