[Talk-us] [Imports] Zipcode Import

[jamesmikedupont at googlemail.com]

Based on what is posted there, the OSM could become a good source of zip data.
We import the census data, and then let people update it. Eventually,
if we all work together, we can build the best zip code database in
the county.
mike

On Sun, Dec 20, 2009 at 5:32 PM, Anthony <osm at inbox.org> wrote:
> On Sun, Dec 20, 2009 at 10:46 AM, Jeff Barlow <Jeff at wb6csv.net> wrote:
>>
>> Anthony <osm at inbox.org>  wrote:
>>
>> >No.  Zip codes do not represent geographic regions.  They should not be
>> > in a
>> >the map data, but in a separate database.
>>
>> Please explain your reasoning. This claim seems quite
>> counterintuitive to me.
>>
>> A Zip is part of everyone's address just like city and state.
>> I've seen them on many commercial printed maps.
>
> A zip code is part of every USPS address, yes.  But unless you are going to
> map zip codes as huge multipolygons of thousands of individual buildings
> each (in some cases probably overlapping), that doesn't make them geographic
> areas.
>
> http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/tigermap.html#ZIP
>
> If you *really really* want zip codes in OSM, then put them in
> addr:postcode, on buildings or nodes (by themselves or as part of an
> interpolation way).  Or better yet use a relation (since a zip code is
> actually a relation, not an area).  But personally I think even that is
> better stored in an external database.
>
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