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WisDOT - How Wisconsin Roads are Segmented

This article outlines how roadways in Wisconsin are segmented.

Lauren Miller avatar
Written by Lauren Miller
Updated this week

In Network Screening - Segments, all routes in Wisconsin are subdivided into segments to make network screening easier. This allows you to compare smaller portions of a roadway with similar characteristics in Network Screening rather than evaluating an entire route.

NOTE: The Network Screening applications display both local road and State Highway segments on a single map.

When segmenting a route, a new segment is created each time one or more of the following roadway characteristics changes:

  1. Volume on the route (AADT, or Annual Average Daily Traffic)

  2. When a route changes between Urban and Rural

  3. When a route changes between Freeway and Non-Freeway

  4. When the number of lanes changes on the route

  5. When a route changes between Divided and Undivided

  6. When a route changes between Two-Way Left-Turn Lane and Other Median Type

  7. When a route changes between State Highway Network and Local Road Network

  8. When the route intersects a State Highway Intersection

After segments are created following the guidelines above, minimum and maximum segment lengths are used to ensure that segments are not too small or too large.

Min/Max Segment Lengths

After segments are created following the criteria above, minimum and maximum segment lengths are used to ensure that segments are not too small or too large, based on the following parameters:

  • Any segment that is < 0.05 miles will be added to the smallest adjoining segment.

  • Any segment that is > 2 miles will be segmented at the 2-mile mark.

Local Road Crashes

All crashes on Local Road segments are designated as taking place on the Primary side.

NOTE: For Local Road segments, “Primary” and “Opposite” refer to the direction of traffic flow.

This is called “Cardinal” and “Non-Cardinal” for State Highway segments.

State Highway Crashes

Divided roadways within the State Highway Network will have both Cardinal and Non-Cardinal designations. Crashes on undivided State Highway roadways will always be designated as Cardinal.

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