Street-network Sprawl in Waco, 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.

Waco: city in Texas, 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 Waco, United States on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Waco as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 0.98, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 0.78, 1.48, 3.42 and 2.83. Street construction in Waco 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 Waco spans a total of 997 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 0.78, 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 0.78, 0.92, 0.97 and 0.98. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Waco has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.14 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.02.

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

How do development practices in Waco fare in comparison to others in Texas? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Waco was the 23rd-most disconnected out of the 26 cities in Texas. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Texas, street construction in Waco has become more connected. Waco ranked 21st in 1975, 22nd in 1976-1990, 22nd in 1991-2000 and 23rd in 2001-2014.

Waco and United States follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi for both of these peaked in 1991-2000.

How do development practices in Waco fare in comparison to others in United States? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Waco was the 287th-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 Waco has become more disconnected. Waco ranked 307th in 1975, 307th in 1976-1990, 279th in 1991-2000 and 287th in 2001-2014.

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

To date, Waco is the 23rd-most disconnected out of the 26 cities in Texas. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Texas, the street network in Waco has become more connected. Waco ranked 21st in 1975, 22nd in 1976-1990, 22nd in 1991-2000 and 23rd in 2001-2014.

Waco 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, Waco is the 309th-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 Waco has become more connected. Waco ranked 307th in 1975, 307th in 1976-1990, 308th in 1991-2000 and 309th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Waco had a built-up area of 52.28 square kilometers, and a population of 101897 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: