Rhode Island: region in 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 Rhode Island, United States on the sprawlmap
Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Rhode Island as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 3.82, which is highly disconnected.
Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 3.13, 5.97, 7.56 and 6.34. Street construction in Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island spans a total of 11311 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 3.13, 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 3.13, 3.47, 3.59 and 3.82. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Rhode Island has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.34 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.23.
The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Rhode Island peaked in 1991-2000. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Rhode Island, we can consider two of its most populous cities: Providence and Woonsocket. Out of the two cities, Providence does not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Providence rose steadily.
How do development practices in Rhode Island fare in comparison to others in United States? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Rhode Island was the 12th-most disconnected out of the 46 regions in United States. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in United States, street construction in Rhode Island has become more disconnected. Rhode Island ranked 20th in 1975, 6th in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 12th in 2001-2014.
As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Rhode Island is Woonsocket with an SNDi of 3.59, which is highly disconnected. Conversely, the most connected city is Providence with an SNDi of 2.85, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness. See trends for these cities: Providence, Woonsocket
The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Rhode Island rose steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Rhode Island, we can consider two of its most populous cities: Providence and Woonsocket. Disconnectivity in the most populous cities in Rhode Island follow the same region trend.
To date, Rhode Island is the 22nd-most disconnected out of the 46 regions in United States. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other regions in United States, the street network in Rhode Island has become more connected. Rhode Island ranked 20th in 1975, 21st in 1976-1990, 22nd in 1991-2000 and 22nd in 2001-2014.