Functional Classification is a way of grouping highways and streets according to the character of service they provide within the local community and as part of the statewide transportation network. For local travel, the emphasis is on access between residential neighborhoods, urban city centers, schools, health care facilities, retail and commercial centers, municipal and government buildings recreational and industrial areas, airports and harbors, etc. For inter-city and interstate travel, the emphasis is on travel mobility and connectivity between cities, towns, and surrounding states.
Several programs and initiatives use the functional classification of roads and streets for decision making:
- Federal transportation funding eligibility
- Program budgeting and project prioritization
- Highway performance measurement and reporting
- Collection of traffic count data
- Highway maintenance planning
- Highway design
Approved Functional Classification maps for urban areas and rural areas (counties) are linked below. The rural maps include rural communities with populations under 5,000.
Functional Classification in urban and rural areas is updated after each decennial Census and takes several years to complete. However, review of existing Functional Classification designations can occur at any time, if necessary. WisDOT Planning staff coordinate with appropriate municipal, county, or
MPO officials to review, update, and approve Functional Classification changes. After final Federal Highway Administration approval, the updated functional classification maps are official until the next round of statewide review and updates.
For further information, see WisDOT’s
Functional Classification Criteria and Procedures.
Contact
John Nordbo
john.nordbo@dot.wi.gov
(608) 267-7751
Urban Functional Classification Maps
Rural Functional Classification Maps
Supplemental Documentation