Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau released updates to its venerable TIGER (Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing) database, which comprises the master geographical imaging files the Bureau uses for creating maps. Updated sporadically since 1992 and annually since 2006, the files have become widely used in mapping applications across disciplines. Major updates in this year’s version include more accurate coverage of freeways, mountain roads, small towns and new developments. Some nifty visualizations of the year-over-year changes have already been created by mapping software company MapBox.
An Update to the U.S. Master Map
