1. A method, in a data processing system, for pruning a layer trait library for use in wire routing in an integrated circuit design process, comprising: receiving a plurality of wirecodes and a metal stack definition; generating a verbose layer trait library based on all possible combinations of the wirecodes and layers of the metal stack definition; generating a pruned layer trait library by pruning the verbose layer trait library to remove redundant layer traits from the verbose layer trait library; and storing the pruned layer trait library for performing wire routing of an integrated circuit design.