Street-network Sprawl in Greensboro, 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.

Greensboro: city in North Carolina, 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 Greensboro, United States on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Greensboro as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.73, 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 2.29, 4.88, 5.85 and 7.17. In each period, new street development in Greensboro steadily grows more disconnected than in the last. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 2.59 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 1.32.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Greensboro spans a total of 1619 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 2.29, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness.

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 2.29, 2.51, 2.66 and 2.73. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Greensboro has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.22 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.07.

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

How do development practices in Greensboro fare in comparison to others in North Carolina? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Greensboro was the 2nd-most disconnected out of the 8 cities in North Carolina. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in North Carolina, street construction in Greensboro has become more disconnected. Greensboro ranked 6th in 1975, 7th in 1976-1990, 7th in 1991-2000 and 2nd in 2001-2014.

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

How do development practices in Greensboro fare in comparison to others in United States? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Greensboro was the 43rd-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 Greensboro has become more disconnected. Greensboro ranked 165th in 1975, 131st in 1976-1990, 132nd in 1991-2000 and 43rd in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Greensboro is the 7th-most disconnected out of the 8 cities in North Carolina. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in North Carolina, the street network in Greensboro has become more connected. Greensboro ranked 6th in 1975, 7th in 1976-1990, 7th in 1991-2000 and 7th in 2001-2014.

Greensboro 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, Greensboro is the 197th-most disconnected out of the 315 cities in United States. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in United States, the street network in Greensboro has become more connected. Greensboro ranked 165th in 1975, 196th in 1976-1990, 194th in 1991-2000 and 197th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Greensboro had a built-up area of 102.61 square kilometers, and a population of 167975 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: