State Address Dataset

The Colorado Governor's Office of Information Technology (OIT) with local, state and federal partners is developing processes to gather and sustain a database of physical addresses in the state. The purpose of this work is to increase the accuracy of the broadband mapping effort. More generally, these data will also improve the efficiency and effectiveness of governmental decisions involving citizens, property, and the economy by way of precise and comprehensive georeferenced addressing.

Current, complete and accurate georeferenced address points have multiple benefits including:

• Increasing the accuracy of broadband mapping availability portrayed by the State of Colorado's Broadband Data Mapping and Development Program products
• Helping to manage inter and intra-district boundaries and enumerations within these boundaries for taxation, registration, and government accountability
• Assisting in the notification, evacuation, and recovery of personnel and property from facilities in response to natural and man-made emergencies

The goals of this project and the path to achieve them are described in the Colorado State Address Dataset 2012 Project Plan. These goals include:

1. A statewide database of available address data in a common data model based on federal standards.
2. Criteria and mechanisms for assessing and describing the quality of the address data.
3. Automated, repeatable processes for gathering and storing address.
4. Training for local emergency services and other personnel on updating address data.
5. Web services to publish and utilize the data.

To accomplish these goals, OIT will identify industry, state and local policies within the state that inform and/or govern address assignment and encourage the adoption of best practices for managing address information within local government.  Identified publications, policies, and practices will be available for access and review in our addressing policy and best practice library. OIT will also objectively and quantitatively measure quality per jurisdiction in accordance with previously agreed upon address data quality criteria defined in collaboration with stakeholders. Actively measuring data quality allows jurisdictions to improve their data as they see fit over time.

Communication

Local, state, and federal address and GIS professionals across Colorado participate in an Address Working Group to guide and support the implementation of this work. Through coordinated participation within this Working Group and its SubGroups (Data Modeling and Data Quality), regional events and communication with local leaders assure that these efforts are realistic and benefit both individual jurisdictional needs and the common good. OIT also coordinates with address working groups of the National States Geographic Information Council and the National Emergency Numbering Association. View our event calendar to find upcoming events in which you can participate. Please contact us if you have interest in supporting or benefiting from this work!

Training

OIT is working with local jurisdictions to plan and provide training to emergency response personnel and others to create, update, and validate address location information. The Colorado Georeferenced Address Data Creation, Maintenance, and Validation Plan generally describes the audience, processes, technology, and means for this instruction across the state.  This plan is used as a template for local jurisdiction-specific training plans that detail the timing and scope of this instruction according to their needs, constraints, and opportunities.

For more information, please contact:
Nathan Lowry, GISP
GIS Outreach Coordinator
Governor's Office of Information Technology
(303) 764-7801
nathan.lowry@state.co.us