LRS Release User Guide

<p>LRS stands for Linear Referencing System, which is a method for referencing data that has a spatial component based on its location relative to linear features.  An LRS provides the backbone necessary to systematize disparate spatial data from a variety of sources into a common data model which greatly increases the ability to perform analytical tasks. </p><p>At the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the LRS serves many purposes. At its most basic level, the combination of route name, measure values, and route sequencing form the basis of a common referential underpinning that can be used to translate the spatial positioning of other linear or point features that occur on or near the roadway. LRS can also be presented as two-dimensional GIS features to be displayed on a map, providing a visual representation of the state&apos;s roadway network.  Use of LRS as GIS features provides the ability to display, query, edit, and measure VDOT routes based on roadway-specific attribution. The Federal Highway Administration, under their Highway Performance Monitoring System, uses state Department of Transportation LRS-based data to determine the federal funding that is apportioned to each state based upon the total mileage of each functional classification of roadway that the state DOT maintains.</p>