Street network connectivity leads to denser urban form in Canadian cities

The layout of streets forms a skeleton of cities that shapes the long-term development of urban form and land use. The enduring nature of street connectivity implies that any later modifications to other elements of urban infrastructure cannot escape the constraints imposed by the initial street connectivity. Hence, this study examines whether initial street network connectivity leads to subsequent densification. Using Canadian urban neighborhoods as an empirical context, we provide a causal estimation of the effect of the Street-Network Disconnectedness index (SNDi)—a measure of how disconnected a street network is—on densification. Our estimation shows that a 10 % increase in SNDi leads to a considerable 17 % decrease in population density change. The study also provides strong evidence of the spillover effect of surrounding SNDi on the subsequent evolution of density. These results underscore the necessary function of street network connectivity in densification, reinforcing its need in planning policies aimed at reducing transport emissions through densification. • Offers causal evidence of low street connectivity being ‘density-proof’. • Transitioning from a cul-de-sac to a grid results in a neighborhood that is 190 % denser. • Influence of the street network on the urban form transcends both time and space.