[Imports] [Talk-us] Zipcode Import

[jamesmikedupont at googlemail.com]

On Sun, Dec 20, 2009 at 8:53 PM, Chris Hunter <chunter952 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> On Sun, Dec 20, 2009 at 12:53 PM, Anthony <osm at inbox.org> wrote:
>>
>> No, the code doesn't represent a geographic area.  You can force it into a
>> geographic area, by defining the area in some particular way (e.g. a
>> multipolygon of all buildings which receive mail addressed to that zip
>> code).  Of course, given that definition, some zip codes will overlap
>> (probably not much area-wise if you use only 5 digit zip codes), and lots of
>> areas will have no zip code (what's the zip code for a particular point on
>> the highway of I-95?).
>>
> Also, some zip codes not only overlap, but overlap on only one side of a
> street inside an area kind of like two interlocking combs.
>
> <gory example>
> In another example, when Collegedale, TN (http://osm.org/go/ZQvRbHZs-)
> incorporated as a city, the USPS assigned ZIP 37315 to all PO Boxes, but
> left all home mailboxes in ZIP 37363 (unincorporated Ooltewah, TN).  To add
> to the fun, all home mailboxes inside Collegedale city limits must be
> physically located on the odd numbered side of the street.
>
> Incorporated Collegedale, TN (ZIP 37363) and incorporated Chattanooga, TN
> (ZIP 374xx) have annexed most if not all of unincorporated Ooltewah, TN but
> the 37363 ZIP code remains.
>
> Every time a house is purchased inside Collegedale city limits the new owner
> has to choose to either register the address as a delivery point with the
> 37363 post office, or lease a PO box in the 37315 post office.
> </gory example>
>
> To summarize, the USPS ZIP data is constantly in flux and does not
> necessarily map to any particular geographic or political boundaries.  Yes,
> we could theoretically import ZIP data as polygons, but then someone would
> have to automate and QC weekly/monthly/annual diffs as the USPS data
> changed.

Wow. So let me as you, this :

Would OSM be able to display or store this ? I think so.

Would it be easy to process the data once encoded? not always, but we
dont have to make it easy, just possible.

The PO Boxes dont show up on the map, or would at least all go to a
single point, the post office, or a set of them.
37315  PO box , one point.

and the rest of them would be a wild mix between :
37363  home mailboxes in ZIP 37363 (unincorporated Ooltewah, TN).
374xx  Chattanooga, TN

So, I guess that we would need to tag each house or street with the
zip to display if it was in what region. I guess it would be possible.

What are the usages of such a system?

Given a house number on a street, or a point on the map determine what
postcode it has.
Given a zip code, determine the streets contained in it.

These are valid usages. Even if the result is not always easy to use,
for example if you have a street that is split between two zip codes,
you could always segment it, no?


please advise,

mike