In Settlers of Catan, can a player contruct a settlement in between two of their road segments?

Question

I'm not sure if a player can build a settlement in between two road segments of their color, or if players have to construct settlements at the ends of their roads.

Answer 1

As long as the location is otherwise legal, yes. So there must be at least two sides between the new settlement and any existing ones of any player, but if that restriction is met, you can build anywhere along your road.

Answer 2

No, there must always be at least two road segments between any two given settlements. It may be unwise to build these shorter roads, unless a high frequency, high-demand resource is ajacent to those settlements which you are building.