[CTPP] TIGER 2000 redistricting release

To: CTPP-News "Redistricting Census 2000 TIGER/Line Files -- The Redistricting Census 2000 TIGER/Line files, intended to support the needs of state redistricting efforts, are being released by state. Files for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will be available over the next several weeks. These files do not contain Census 2000 population data." The Census Bureau is releasing the new Census 2000 TIGER/line files, for redistricting purposes. As of this morning (1/2/01), data for seven states has been released (IN, LA, NJ, NY, OH, TX, VA). http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/index.html I've reviewed the metadata and caveats regarding these "Redistricting TIGER Files" and have some questions. Apparently these are the "semi-final" TIGER 2000 files, and don't include the final address ranges or the ZCTAs (zip code areas.), but: 1. Do these TIGER files include the "final" Census Tracts, Block Groups, Blocks that will be used in PL 94-171, SF-1, etc, ? 2. Do these TIGER files include the "final" validated travel analysis zones that we've been working on? 3. We're working in ArcView 3.x at my agency. There is a shareware Arcview extension "TIGER Reader" (dated 12/7/98) by www.mapclick.com, that I downloaded from ESRI's site. I was able to import the TIGER 2000 data using MapClick's extension for some county in Louisiana, but I'm not sure that this extension is working perfectly with TIGER 2000 (and I haven't been able to access mapclick's web site....) So, are there any users out there who know about other more recent ArcView extensions to read in raw TIGER 2000 files, or can provide any other advice? 4. Are there any other GIS and Census related listservs (internet mailing lists) that are relevant to this discussion? 5. *When* do we know when the TIGER files (and PL 94-171 files) for our state are ready? Do I have to visit the Census Bureau's web site once in a while to check out what's new? What about the Census Bureau instituting some sort of "user notification system" that notifies users when their relevant data files are now available (i.e., data files released by state.) Or does this system exist already? Thanks in advance & Happy New Years to All! Chuck Purvis, MTC (SF Bay Area) ******************************************************* e-mail: cpurvis(a)mtc.ca.gov Chuck Purvis, AICP Senior Transportation Planner/Analyst, Planning Section Metropolitan Transportation Commission 101 Eighth Street, Oakland, CA 94607-4700 (510) 464-7731 (voice) (510) 464-7848 (fax) WWW: http://www.mtc.ca.gov/ MTC DataMart: http://www.mtc.ca.gov/datamart/ MTC FTP Site: ftp://ftp.abag.ca.gov/pub/mtc/planning/ *******************************************************