A computer-implemented method is described for determining cost in a non-blocking routing network that provides routing functionality using a single level of a plurality of multiplexers in each row of the routing network. The method includes assigning a respective numerical value, represented by bits, to each row of the routing network. A number of bits that differ between the respective numerical values of each pair of rows of the routing network indicates a number of row traversals necessary to traverse from a first row of the pair to a second row of the pair. A signal routing cost is computed from the number of bits that differ between the respective numerical values of the first row and the second row of the routing network. The calculated signal routing cost is provided to a placement module.