We try to maintain zip code boundaries using existing parcel boundaries and a list of known addresses that we get from the postal service every quarter. Zip codes do change significantly on a quarterly basis though, depending on new addresses, retired addresses, vacant addresses, PO box demand, and delivery demand. To add to this, zip codes are clearly not contiguous with themselves. They very definitely skip around, sometimes even skipping around among addresses within a parcel (and even more so when you get into the ZIP+4, which is what you need to assign specific community names). Even with full time people working on it, it is a nightmare that we only really do every couple of years for ~500 sq mi. It is possible, but certainly not easy.
Brett Lord-Castillo Information Systems Designer/GIS Programmer St. Louis County Police Office of Emergency Management 14847 Ladue Bluffs Crossing Drive Chesterfield, MO 63017 Office: 314-628-5400 Fax: 314-628-5508 Direct: 314-628-5407 -----Original Message----- Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2010 07:18:57 -0500 From: Nathan Edgars II <nerou...@gmail.com> To: Talk Openstreetmap <talk-us@openstreetmap.org> Subject: [Talk-us] Boundaries of cities used in postal addresses? Message-ID: <aanlktikj+jy1xm=_cue244uiqub1bow_ofi=_=kp5...@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Would it be possible to get the boundaries of the areas where a certain place name is accepted by the USPS in addresses? For example, any places not within the Orlando city limits have Orlando, FL addresses, and someone searching for said place is likely to type that into the search box. Are these simply combinations of areas covered by zip codes? If so, is there a suitable source for zip code boundaries, or are they copyrighted by the USPS? _______________________________________________ Talk-us mailing list Talk-us@openstreetmap.org http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-us