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The Redistricting Data Program

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Block Boundary Suggestion Project
Verification GUPS User’s Guide
Instructions for Using the
Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS)

U.S. Department of Commerce
Economic and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
census.gov

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Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Table of Contents
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement:......................................................................... iii
Introduction ...................................................................................................................1
Part 1.

BBSP Overview ..............................................................................................2

Section 1.

Planned 2020 Census Tabulation Block Boundaries........................... 2

Section 2.

Suggested Workflow ..............................................................................4

Section 3.

File Submission through Secure Web Incoming Module .................. 12

Part 2.

Participating in the Block Boundary Suggestion Project Using GUPS .... 13

Section 4.

Getting Started ..................................................................................... 14

Section 5.

GUPS Basics: Map Management, View and Tools ............................. 25

Section 6.

BBSP Update Activities in GUPS ........................................................ 69

6.1

Linear Feature Review ................................................................................... 71

6.2

Area Landmark Review .................................................................................. 80

6.3

Legal Boundary Updates (New for 2020) ....................................................... 94

6.4

Point Landmark Review ............................................................................... 104

6.5

2010/2020 Linear Feature Extension Review ............................................... 107

6.6

To Review and Assign Flags to 2010 Feature Extensions:........................... 108

6.7

Block Size Review ....................................................................................... 110

6.8

Block Boundary Suggestion Flagging .......................................................... 113

6.9

Block Area Grouping Delineation ................................................................. 123

6.10

Block Boundary Review (Required) ............................................................. 125

6.11

Review Change Polygons and Geography Review ...................................... 127

6.12

Closed Polygon Check ................................................................................. 139

6.13

Work Delegated? ......................................................................................... 141

Section 7.
APPENDIX A

File Submission through SWIM ......................................................... 149
Updates Allowed by MTFCC .......................................................... A-1

A.1 Area Landmark Updates Permitted ................................................................... A-1
A.2 Linear Feature Updates Permitted .................................................................... A-2
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

A.3 Point Landmark Updates Permitted ................................................................... A-3
APPENDIX B

Street Type Abbreviations ............................................................. B-1

APPENDIX C

MTFCC Descriptions ...................................................................... C-1

APPENDIX D

SHAPEFILE DATA DICTIONARY ................................................... D-1

APPENDIX E

Acronyms........................................................................................ E-1

APPENDIX F

BBSP Participation Support .......................................................... F-1

APPENDIX G

County Completion Tracking Sheet .............................................. G-1

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement:
A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty
for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of information displays a current
valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number. This collection is
voluntary. The authority for conducting this collection comes from Title 13 United States
Code (U.S.C.), Sections 16, 141, and 193.
The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 0607-0988. Public reporting
for this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 186 hours per
response, including the time for reviewing instructions, completing and reviewing the
collection of information.
Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden and suggestions for reducing the
burden should be directed to:
Paperwork Reduction 0607-0988
United States Census Bureau
4600 Silver Hill Road, Room 4H177
Washington, DC 20233

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

iii

Introduction
Public Law (P.L.) 94-171 stipulates that the U.S. Census Bureau work in a nonpartisan
manner with the states to identify and provide the small-area population counts
necessary for legislative redistricting. The Census Bureau is required to provide these
counts within one year of Census Day, to the governor and the officers or public bodies
responsible for redistricting in each state. For the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau
must deliver the counts by April 1, 2021.
The Census Redistricting & Voting Rights Data Office (CRVRDO) implements the
requirements of P.L. 94-171 through five phases of the Redistricting Data Program
(RDP):
Phase 1: Block Boundary Suggestion Project (BBSP)
Phase 2: Voting District Project (VTDP)
Phase 3: Delivery of the 2020 P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data Files
Phase 4: Collection of Post-2020 Redistricting Plans
Phase 5: Review of 2020 Census Redistricting Data Program and Recommendations for
Census 2030
This document addresses Phase 1: Block Boundary Suggestion Project (BBSP) of the
RDP. Through the BBSP program, liaisons designated by the legislative leadership in
each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, have the opportunity to influence
the delineation of the 2020 Census tabulation blocks. States influence tabulation block
delineation by suggesting linear features (e.g. roads, rivers, railroads, invisible
boundaries, etc.) to be ‘held’ as 2020 block boundaries or ‘not held’ as block boundaries.
The Census Bureau refers to this as ‘suggesting’ block boundaries, or ‘setting’ or
‘flagging’ ‘Must Holds’ or ‘Do Not Holds’ on the features. State participants can also
influence block boundaries by adding and deleting linear features or edges, and
updating boundaries for other census geographic entities, including incorporated places,
minor civil divisions (MCDs), counties, area landmarks and area hydrography, all of
which can be potential block boundaries.
This guide is intended for state participants using the Census Bureau’s Geographic
Update Partnership Software (GUPS) tool to participate in the program.
Part 1 of the document provides the conceptual overview of the 2020 BBSP, including a
suggested workflow, update activities, quality control activities, and what is new or
updated for 2020. Part 1 provides you a conceptual understanding of the 2020 BBSP
prior to moving on to Part 2, the technical directions. There are also hyperlinks in Part 1
to the technical directions in Part 2 for each of topics.
Part 2 of the document contains the technical directions for using the GUPS to
accomplish the updates outlined in Part 1. Part 2 walks you through using the GUPS
tools, step-by-step, for each of the activities outlined in the Suggested BBSP Workflow.
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Part 1.
BBSP Overview
Section 1. Planned 2020 Census Tabulation Block
Boundaries
Census tabulation block boundaries primarily follow visible features, such as roads and
rivers, as well as any edges that bound legal or statistical geographic areas or selected
area landmarks stored in the Master Address File (MAF) / Topologically Integrated
Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) database, hereafter referred to as the
MAF/TIGER System. Census blocks nest within all other tabulated census geographic
entities and are the basis for all data tabulated for the decennial census.
Table 1 lists the feature and boundary types currently planned as 2020 Census
tabulation block boundaries. If state participants flag the features below as ‘Do Not
Holds’ (i.e. request that the feature or boundary type not become a 2020 tabulation block
boundary), the Census Bureau may not accept the ‘Do Not Hold’ suggestion.
Table 1 2020 Census Planned Tabulation Block Boundaries
by MAF/TIGER Feature Classification Code
MTFCC

DESCRIPTION

MTFCC

DESCRIPTION

G2120

Hawaiian Home Land

G5200

Congressional District

G2130

Alaska Native Village Statistical Area

G5210

State Legislative District (Upper Chamber)

G2140

Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Area

G5220

State Legislative District (Lower Chamber)

G2150

State-designated Tribal Statistical Area

G5240

Voting District

G2160

Tribal Designated Statistical Area

G5400

Elementary School District

G2170

American Indian Joint Use Area

G5410

Secondary School District

G2200

Alaska Native Regional Corporation

G5420

Unified School District

G2300

Tribal Subdivision

G6330

Urban Growth Area

G2400

Tribal Census Tract

K2110

Military Installation

G2410

Tribal Block Group

K2181

National Park Service Land

G4000

State or State Equivalent

K2182

National Forest or Other Federal Land

G4020

County or State Equivalent

K2540

University or College

G4040

County Subdivision

K1235

Juvenile Institution

G4050

Estate

K1236

Local Jail or Detention Center

G4060

Sub-Minor Civil Division

K1237

Federal Penitentiary, State Prison, or Prison
Farm

G4110

Incorporated Place

K1238

Other Correctional Institution

G4120

Consolidated City

S1100

Primary Road

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

G5020

Census Tract

G5035

Block Area Grouping

S1200

Secondary Road

Primary and secondary roads (MAF/TIGER Feature Class Codes (MTFCCs) S1100 and
S1200) are planned tabulation block boundaries. Other features, such as local roads,
alleys, railroads, and perennial water, may or may not qualify as tabulation block
boundaries based on the established criteria. These other features can be selected as
'Must Hold' or 'Do Not Hold' block boundaries.
You can determine whether a feature is a planned block boundary by the feature’s value
in the Census Block Boundary Flag (CBBFLG) field in the edge attribute table of the
edge shapefile. A CBBFLG value of “4” indicates the feature is a planned 2020 block
boundary, while a CBBFLG value of “9” indicates the feature is ineligible as a 2020
tabulation block boundary. A CBBFLG value of "1" indicates the feature was designated
a "Must Hold" by the participant during the initial BBSP (December 2015 - May 2016),
and a CBBFLG value of "2" indicates the feature was designated a "Do Not Hold" by the
participant.
The technical details for reviewing features and assigning block boundary suggestion
flags are contained in Part 2.
Note: Appendix C: MTFCC Descriptions - Complete List contains the list of MTFCC
values in the partnership shapefiles and their descriptions.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Section 2. Suggested Workflow
Figure 1 depicts the suggested workflow for reviewing and updating Census Bureau data
for the BBSP. The technical details for acquiring GUPS and spatial data for the BBSP
are contained in Part 2, the technical section, of this document. There is a separate
chapter outlining the activities associated with each of the workflow process (square)
boxes. The BBSP participant is not required to perform all the update activities shown in
the flowchart, with the exception of the quality control activities.
Work is performed at a county level and should be submitted to the Census Bureau on a
flow basis, as each county is completed. Submitting work on flow basis permits the
CRVRDO and the Census Bureau to review the files early in the process, provide
feedback as necessary, and facilitates our file processing.
GUPS contains validation tools to ensure BBSP updates meet the established criteria
and submission files meet Census Bureau processing requirements. Although the closed
polygon quality control check is shown later in the BBSP workflow, we suggest that the
check be utilized often at the beginning of update work to identify errors and to avoid
potentially extensive re-work later on.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

GUPS & Geospatial Data
Available on DVD

RDP Liaison
Delegates
Work?

YES
Designee Completes Work

Linear Feature
Review

Area
Landmark
Review

Legal
Boundary
Review

Point
Landmark
Review

Geographic Data Reviews
2010 Feature
Extension
Review

Block Size
Review
(Manual
Process)

Block
Boundary
Flagging

Block Area
Grouping
Review

BBSP Update Activities

YES

Block
Boundary
Review

Closed
Polygon Check

Quality Control
Changes
Needed?

Submit Work
to RDP Liaison

Submit Data to
Census

Designee
Creates Data
Output File

Create Data
Submission
File

YES

Was Work
Delegated?

Figure 1 Suggested BBSP Workflow

2.1.

Linear Feature Review

You may want to review the Census Bureau’s linear features (all edges layer) to
determine whether there are features to be added or deleted. Pay particular attention to
any areas that have experienced population growth, where there may be new housing or
subdivisions not reflected in the Census Bureau’s geospatial data.
The Census Bureau will also accept attribute updates (name, classification code, and
address ranges) for selected features. Added road features with MTFCC S1100-Primary
Road, or S1200-Secondary Road, require a feature name.
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

The GUPS will allow you to import street centerline, hydrographic, imagery and other
user-provided geospatial data for reference and comparison against the Census Bureau
data.
Please be aware that the Census Bureau will not process the wholesale spatial
realignment of features to enhance spatial accuracy. If a feature is in the incorrect
location in the Census Bureau’s feature network, delete the feature and add it in the
correct location. Take this action only if the feature is over 7.6 meters off or interferes
with relationships to other features.
Click here to review the GUPS technical instructions for Linear Feature Review.
Appendix A2: Linear Feature Updates Permitted lists the feature updates the Census
Bureau will accept.

2.2.

Area Landmark and Area Hydrography Review

The Census Bureau accepts updates to area landmarks and area hydrography as part of
the BBSP.
Allowable updates include:
•

Boundary corrections (adding and removing area);

•

Creating a new area landmark or hydrographic area;

•

Removing an area landmark or hydrographic area; and

•

Changing or adding a name.

If your state plans to reallocate prisoners during redistricting, you may wish to review the
existing area landmarks with MTFCCs K1235, K1236, K1237, and K1238, which
represent areas with prison populations.
Click here to review the GUPS technical instructions for Area Landmark Review
(including hydrographic areas).
Appendix A1: Area Landmark Updates Permitted lists the feature updates the Census
Bureau will accept.

2.3.

Legal Boundary Review and Update (New for 2020)

At the recommendation of many states, the Census Bureau is introducing a Boundary
and Annexation Survey (BAS) review as part of Phase 1 (BBSP) and Phase 2 (VTD) of
the Redistricting Data Program.
During the initial delineation phase and the subsequent verification phase of the BBSP,
state redistricting liaisons may provide legal updates (annexations, deannexations,
incorporations and disincorporations), including boundary corrections, and supporting
documentation. The Census Bureau will assume the responsibility for reconciling the
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

updates with the appropriate local governments as part of our 2016 and 2017 Boundary
and Annexation Surveys.
You may submit legal boundary updates for counties, county subdivisions, incorporated
places, and consolidated cities. Although legal documentation (effective date, authority
type, and documentation number) is not required for boundary updates submitted
through the BBSP, we strongly encourage you to submit the documentation to expedite
our ability to reconcile and process any legal updates reported. You should submit
annexations, deannexations, incorporations and disincorporations without supporting
documentation as boundary corrections.
Click here to review the GUPS technical instructions for Legal Boundary Updates.

2.4.

Point Landmark Review

Point landmark review is an optional activity. Because many of the point landmarks
contained in the Census Bureau’s MAF/TIGER system originate from the Geographic
Names Information System (GNIS), the official vehicle for names use by the Federal
Government, permitted updates are very limited.
Click here to review the GUPS technical instructions for Point Landmark Review.
Appendix A3: Point Landmark Updates Permitted, lists the feature updates the Census
Bureau will accept.

2.5.

2010 Linear Feature Extension Review

All block boundary suggestions are contingent upon the lines intersecting to form a
closed polygon at the time the Census Bureau creates tabulation blocks. As a result, all
block boundary “Must-Hold” suggestions, when combined with the features identified as
planned holds, should form a closed polygon.
For Census 2010, BBSP participants could place a “Must-Hold” on an existing feature
that did not form a closed a polygon. To do this, the participant also added a feature
extension to close the polygon and create a new block. The 2010 feature extensions are
included in the 2020 BBSP files for review and update.
The GUPS requires you to review the 2010 feature extensions. Please be aware that if
you would like a 2010 feature extension held as 2020 block boundary, you must take an
action on the 2010 feature extension.
During the 2010 feature extension review, you may:
•

Hold the 2010 feature extension for 2020. The feature from which the
extension originates is automatically flagged as a Must-Hold block boundary,
along with the extension.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

•

Delete the 2010 feature extension. Marking 2010 feature extensions for
deletion will help the Census Bureau remove features from the MAF/TIGER
system that no longer serve a current data tabulation purpose.

•

Ignore the 2010 feature extension. Be aware that the Census Bureau may not
hold 2010 feature extensions, and the features with which they are associated,
as 2020 tabulation block boundaries. If you take no action on a 2010 feature
extension, the Census Bureau will determine whether to hold the extension and
the feature associated with it as a 2020 block boundary.

Click here to review the GUPS technical instructions for 2010 Linear Feature Extension
Review.

2.6.

Block Size Review (New for 2020)

To facilitate your BBSP work, the Census Bureau created “planned” 2020 tabulation
blocks based on the 2020 planned tabulation block boundaries, and estimated the
number of housing units within each of these blocks. The Census Bureau assigned a
block size indicator to each block, which is based on the range of the estimated number
of housing units in the planned block.
Note: Although discrete numbers have been established in order to assign each block a
size value, the actual number of housing units in a block is approximate.
Block size indicators range from “A” through “I,” with “A” blocks having the most housing
units and “I” having the least. Planned blocks estimated to contain no housing units are
assigned an indicator letter of “Z.”
There is no specific GUPS tool for block size review. However, Part 2 of the guide
includes instructions for reviewing blocks by size category.
Click here to review the technical instructions for Block Size Review.

2.7.

Block Boundary Suggestion Flagging (Must Hold and Do
Not Hold)

The Census Bureau has identified features planned as 2020 tabulation block
boundaries, as reflected in the provided BBSP data files. You can refer to Section 1,
Planned 2020 Tabulation Block Boundaries, for the complete feature list. The planned
tabulation block boundaries may change if the criteria change, or if a feature’s attributes
are updated through other Census programs.
The Census Bureau has also identified features that are ineligible as 2020 block
boundaries. There are features with no block boundary status assigned. You are not
required to assign a BBSP flag (Must Hold or Do Not Hold) to every feature, including
street features, in the file.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

2.7.1

Assigning a Must Hold Flag:

You may assign a Must Hold flag to features to suggest them as 2020 tabulation block
boundaries. Candidates for assigning a Must Hold block boundary suggestion flag are:
•

Newly added features;

•

Features not currently planned as block boundaries; and

•

Features already planned as 2020 block boundaries but you want held should
their status change.

You may wish to assign a Must Hold flag to features that are planned 2020 block
boundaries. If the block definition criteria or feature classification codes change between
the time the Phase 1 BBSP occurs and when the Census Bureau creates 2020 census
tabulation blocks, assigning a Must Hold to a planned block boundary feature may
increase the likelihood that the feature will become a 2020 block boundary.
If you wish to hold a feature as a 2020 block boundary, but the feature does not form a
closed polygon, you may add a feature extension to close the polygon. Feature
extensions must meet the established criteria. (See Create 2020 Feature Extension)
Be aware that assigning a Must Hold flag to a feature that is ineligible to be a block
boundary does not ensure that the Census Bureau will honor your request, but we will
reevaluate the feature’s status based on your suggestion.
All Must Hold block boundary suggestions are contingent upon the lines intersecting to
form a closed polygon at the time the Census Bureau creates the 2020 tabulation
blocks.

2.7.2

Assigning a Do Not Hold Flag:

You may assign Do Not Hold flags to features that you do not want to become 2020
tabulation block boundaries. Potential candidates for assigning a Do Not Hold block
boundary suggestion flag may include:
•

Private roads, trails, and unimproved roads;

•

Hydrographic features with no area, shown as a single-line feature, such as
streams or creeks;

•

Any feature creating unnecessary blocks, such as highway ramps, traffic circles
shown as open circles or “lollipops” in the Census geospatial files, and similar
features.

Be aware that assigning a Do-Not-Hold flag to a feature that is a 2020 planned block
boundary does not ensure that the Census Bureau will honor your request.
Click here to review the GUPS technical instructions for Block Boundary Suggestion
Flagging.
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

2.8.

Block Area Grouping Delineation (Updated for 2020)

During the 2020 Census tabulation block creation, the Census Bureau will automatically
group islands to form a single tabulation block if they have no road features and the
islands fall within a 5-kilometer radius.
You may also group specific islands to create a single 2020 Census tabulation block,
called a Block Area Grouping (BAG). The criteria for creating a Block Area Grouping are:
•

BAG must consist of two or more islands.

•

BAG perimeter must be entirely over water.

•

BAGs cannot overlap.

•

BAGs cannot cross the boundary of other tabulation geographies, such as county
or incorporated place boundaries.

Block Area Grouping delineation is optional, and probably most appropriate for states
with hydrographic areas that contain a number of islands.
Click here to review the GUPS technical instructions for Block Area Grouping
Delineation.

2.9.

Block Boundary Review

You must review your block boundary suggestions at least once before submitting an
updated county to the Census Bureau (if you are the designated State Redistricting
Liaison) or to the State Liaison (if you have been delegated work by the state). The
GUPS Block Boundary Review tool allows you to systematically traverse to features on
the map by 2020 BBSP category (Must Hold and Do Not Hold) for review and further
update if desired.
Click here to review the GUPS technical instructions for the Block Boundary Review.

2.10. Review Change Polygons and Geography Review
GUPS provides two sets of tools for reviewing your updated data layers.
The first tools are available under the Review Change Polygons button: Small Area
Check and Find Holes. These checks ensure that you do not submit area changes that
are too small to process or that there are no “holes” in areas due to potential delineation
errors. The tools also provide the ability to make changes to legal boundary updates as
you review your original updates.
The second set of tools for reviewing all shapefile layers is available under the
Geography Review button. You can filter layers based on field values in the attribute
table. However, be aware that you cannot make changes using the Geography Review
tool.
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Click here to review the GUPS technical instructions for the Review Change Polygons
and Geography Review.

2.11. Closed Polygon Check
The GUPS contains a closed polygon check tool that will identify any non-closed
polygons. A non-closed polygon exists where you have placed one or more Must Hold”
block boundary flags on features but the features, when combined with the planned
block boundaries, do not “close” to form a tabulation census block. The Closed Polygon
Check tool provides the opportunity for you to refine your suggested block boundaries if
non-closed polygons are present.
Click here to review the GUPS technical instructions for the Closed Polygon Check.

2.12. Work Delegated?
The Census Bureau works with the State Redistricting Data Program nonpartisan
Liaison, designated by the governor and legislative leadership of the state. To maintain
this nonpartisan relationship, the Census Bureau only accepts completed work from the
designated State Restricting Data Program Liaison.

2.12.1

YES, State’s designee performed the work (not the State
RDP Liaison)

Any work performed on behalf of the State Redistricting Data Program Liaison, such as
by a county or a contractor, must be submitted to the State Liaison(s) for review and
approval. The State RDP Liaison will submit the work to the Census Bureau if they
approve the work. If the State RDP Liaison determines that BBSP work completed by a
designee requires changes or additional work, it is the State Liaison’s responsibility to
decide whether to make the changes or return the project to their designee for further
updates.

2.12.2

NO, State RDP Liaison performed the work

The State RDP Liaison submits completed, county-level files on flow basis to the Census
Bureau through the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM). Do not hold files to submit all
at once. Submit files as you complete them, especially at the beginning of the update
period, so that the Census Bureau can provide feedback if there are errors, omissions,
or other concerns.
Click here to review the instructions for creating export files for submission to the RDP
Liaison or to the Census Bureau.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Section 3. File Submission through Secure Web
Incoming Module
The Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM) is a tool for U.S. Census Bureau partners to
send their geospatial data to a Census Bureau server. For security reasons, we cannot
accept files sent via email or through our former ftp site.
The Census Bureau provides each State RDP Liaison a SWIM token to establish a
personal SWIM account. Once registered, you no longer need the token to log into the
system. You use your SWIM account to submit updates for all phases of the 2020 RDP.
If you are a participant for other Census Bureau geographic programs, you may use your
SWIM account to submit files for these other geographic programs, too.
Note: For the RDP, including the Phase 1 BBSP, the Census Bureau only accepts files
submitted by the State RDP Liaison. If a county, agency, or contractor performs
work on behalf of the state, the files must be sent to the state for review, approval,
and submission.
Click here to review the technical instructions for submitting files through the Secure
Web Incoming Module (SWIM).

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Part 2.

Participating in the Block Boundary
Suggestion Project Using GUPS

Figure 1 in Part 1 depicts the Suggested BBSP Workflow for reviewing and updating
Census Bureau data using GUPS. Part 2 (this part) of the User’s Guide outlines in
separate headings the step-by step instructions for performing the workflow activities.
A State Liaison participating in the BBSP may decide to perform the work in-house or
delegate the work to staff members, their state’s counties, or a contractor. In this
document, these persons are collectively referred to as designees. State designees
must return the completed work to the State Liaison for review, approval, and
submission. Only the designated State Redistricting Liaison may submit completed work
to the Census Bureau.
Section 4, Getting Started, explains how to install the GUPS and access the spatial data.
Section 5, GUPS Basics: Map Management, View and Tools, provides a general
overview of the Geographic Update Partnership Software. Information on using the
BBSP-specific updating activities, after the GUPS has been installed, starts in Section 6.
A BBSP participant is not required to perform all update activities shown in the workflow
diagram. The area landmark, legal boundary, block area grouping, and point landmark
reviews are all optional. We suggest, however, that you make the decision whether to
perform each of these review/update activities based on your State redistricting
requirements and available resources. States with laws that require the re-allocation of
prison populations for the purposes of redistricting may wish to review the area
landmarks with the MTFCCs that represent prisons (K1235, K1236, K1237, and K1238).
Since legal boundaries are always tabulation block boundaries, all states may wish to
review the legal boundaries, as reflected in the Census Bureau data, to ensure they are
accurate as of the review date. States with numerous islands may wish to create block
area groupings (BAGs) for 2020.
GUPS contains several required quality control checks to ensure that BBSP updates
meet the established criteria and submission files meet Census Bureau processing
requirements. Although the closed polygon check tool is included as a later step in the
BBSP workflow, you can initiate this tool at any time during update work. We suggest
that you utilize the closed polygon check tool early in the review and update process,
and then periodically afterwards, to lessen the possibility of extensive rework later.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Section 4. Getting Started
4.1

System and Hardware Requirements

GUPS is based on QGIS (formerly known as Quantum GIS), a free and open-source
desktop geographic information system application. You can learn more about QGIS at
http://www.qgis.org/en/site/. Table 2 below lists the hardware and software requirements
to install and run GUPS, and submit files through the SWIM website.
Table 2 GUPS Hardware and Software Requirements
Hardware
Required Disk
Space:
For GUPS
application:
~1.3 GB of disk
space.
Shapefiles: Vary by
State/County
RAM:
4 GB recommended
minimum

Operating System
Windows:
To run the GUPS, users will need one of the
following Windows operating systems:

Browser
Minimum Browser
Versions for SWIM:

Internet Explorer 8

Windows XP

Google Chrome 3

Windows Vista

Mozilla Firefox 3.5

Windows 7

Apple Safari 4.1.3

Windows 8
Windows 10
Apple Mac OS X:
Mac OS X users must secure a license for
Microsoft Windows and use a Windows bridge.
The suggested bridge software is Boot Camp,
which comes pre-installed on all Mac
computers. See instructions for using Boot
Camp at:
https://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/getst
arted/
Note: Since Boot Camp requires you to restart
your computer to set up the bridge, be sure to
print the instructions provided at the URL
above before you begin.

Depending on the Windows OS version, the GUPS dialog boxes may have a different
appearance than the screenshots contained in the user guide, although the content is
the same.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

4.2

Installing GUPS and Census Bureau Spatial Data

The Census Bureau provides two DVDs for utilizing the GUPS:
•
•

One DVD contains the GUPS software installer and a readme file with installation
instructions.
The second DVD contains the respondent guides, a Quick Start Guide,
partnership shapefiles, and block size shapefiles for the counties in your state.

Please be aware that the GUPS software, shapefiles, and guides are also available for
download from the 2020 Programs page at the CRVRDO’s website at
http://www.census.gov/rdo
Note: The partnership shapefiles for BBSP are different from standard TIGER/Line
shapefiles. GUPS will only run using the partnership shapefiles.

4.2.1

Installing the GUPS Application

To install the GUPS application you must have Administrator privileges for your
computer. If you already have GUPS loaded, please make sure you are using the most
current version. Compare the version on your computer with the one provided on the
Census Bureau's installation DVD to acquire the latest version. To complete the
installation, follow the steps in Table 3.
Table 3 Install the GUPS Application
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Place the installation DVD into your computer’s DVD drive. For some
users, a Windows protected your PC pop-up box may appear.

To continue, click ‘More info’, then select ‘Run anyway?’.
Step 2

Other users may receive a user account control pop-up that asks, “Do you
want to run this file?”, “Do you want to allow the following program from an
unknown publisher to make changes to this computer?”, or a similar query.
See an example below.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

If you receive such a pop-up, click ‘Run’, ‘Yes’, ‘Allow’, or an option that
allows you to proceed. The software should begin to run automatically.
Step 3

If the software does not run automatically, open Windows Explorer,
navigate to your DVD drive, and double-click on the file named Setup2.0.0-x.bat. Note: The name of this file may vary slightly, but it will be the
only setup .bat file available.
If the software still does not run properly, contact your System
Administrator for assistance.

Step 4

When the installer opens, the Welcome to the QGIS GUPS Setup Wizard
screen appears. Note: The number 1.5.0 in the screen title below is the
version number. The version you see will be 2.0.0 or greater.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result
Before proceeding, close all other programs or applications you have open.
Once other programs and applications are closed, click the Next
button.

Step 5

The License Agreement screen appears.

Read the License Agreement and click the I Agree
continue.
Step 6

button to

The Choose Install Location screen opens.

The Browse button on this screen allows you to browse your computer for installation location. We recommend that
you install the application at the default location shown: (C:\Program files\QGIS GUPS).

To begin the installation, click Next
Step 7

to continue.

The Choose Components screen opens.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

‘QGIS’ in the Select components to install field is grayed out since it is
the default. You do not need to select it, simply click Install
continue.

If you want to review a previous screen or reread the license agreement,
click the Back button (each screen contains this button). This returns you
to the previous screen.
Step 8

The software should take between 5 and 10 minutes to install. When it is
finished, the Completing the QGIS GUPS Setup Wizard screen opens.

Click the Finish
and then click Finish.

button. If the ‘Reboot now’ appears, select it

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 9

A blue GUPS icon appears on your desktop.

4.2.2

Accessing the Census Bureau Spatial Data

There are two different types of shapefiles available to support the BBSP update
activities: partnership shapefiles and block size shapefiles. The easiest ways to add
these shapefiles to your project are the “Census Web” and “CD/DVD” options in the
drop-down menu selection in Map Management, which automatically opens each time
you start GUPS. When you select “Census Web,” GUPS will download the shapefiles
from the Census Bureau’s website into your home directory. When you select the
“CD/DVD” option, GUPS will download the files to your home directory from the inserted
DVD. In both cases, the shapefiles are copied into the home directory of your computer
in a folder that was created during the GUPS installation process. GUPS unzips the files
and displays them in the application, managing the files for you. You do not need to take
any further action.
GUPS stores the files in your home directory at C:\Users\ (with the
displaying your specific username). For the purposes of this guide, we
assume the home directory is C:\Users\. If you cannot locate your home
directory, contact your system administrator for assistance.
There is a third option for loading the shapefiles into your project, also available from the
drop down menu, called “My Computer.” Using this option, GUPS will automatically load
the shapefiles from a location on your computer into your project, but you must first
manually download the shapefiles to that location from the Census Bureau’s FTP site.
This option can be useful if you need to download the files for an entire state or multiple
counties within your states, as the Census Web and CD/DVD methods will only
download and load one county at a time. Sections 4.2.3 and 4.2.4 describe how to
download the files manually.
Click here for the technical instructions on how to load the partnership shapefiles using
Map Management in the GUPS.
Click here for the technical instructions on manually loading the block size shapefiles
using the Add Vector Layer button on the Add Data toolbar.
Caution: Do not change any shapefile name or folder location. The shapefiles and
folders must have the exact, given names and locations for the GUPS
application to recognize them.
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

4.2.3
Obtaining Partnership Shapefiles and Block Size Shapefiles
for an Entire State from the Census Bureau Web Site
Note: BBSP participants are not required to go to the Census Bureau’s Web site to
download the files because all data required to participate in the BBSP are
available on the Census-provided DVDs or through an automatic download
process. We are providing the information in this section as a courtesy, in the
event a state or their designee may need to obtain the files from the sites directly.
State-level users may download partnership shapefiles and the block size shapefiles for
all the counties in their state. Both sets of shapefiles are available from the Census
Bureau’s ftp2 site. The block size shapefiles are located in a different directory than the
partnership shapefiles, so they require a separate download.

4.2.4

Download the Partnership Shapefiles from FTP2 Site:

Follow the steps in Table 4 below to download the files from the ftp2 site to your hard
drive.
Table 4 Download Shapefiles from ftp2 Site to a Hard Drive (State Users)
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Using Internet Explorer (IE) or a web browser of your choice navigate to
ftp://ftp2.census.gov/. The ftp root at ftp2.census.gov main page opens.

Step 2

Open the Census Bureau FTP site in windows explorer (sometimes called file
explorer). If using windows explorer, you do not need a username or password to
access the ftp2 site.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

On your browser menu, select View, then click Open FTP Site in File Explorer.

If you have an FTP client software such as WinSCP or FileZilla (or other) you may
connect to ftp2.census.gov without a password. Enter ‘anonymous’ as your user
name and enter your email address in place of a password.
Step 3

After the Census Bureau ftp site has been opened in file explorer, click the geo
folder.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 4

Within the geo folder, click the pvs folder.

Step 5

Select the state folder that contains the county(s) for which you are downloading
data. The state folders are represented using two-digital state FIPS codes.

Step 6

There are several sets of shapefiles within each state directory. For the BBSP, you
will want to download the most recent partnership shapefiles. These shapefiles are
contained within a ZIP file with the prefix
partnership_shapefiles_16v2_ssccc.zip. Where represents the FIPS
state and county code (e.g., 55025). Make sure to choose the filename with
"16v2", because the "16v1" files are sometimes also available in the folders.

Step 7

Right click on your county .zip file to download the data to a folder on your
computer. Select the county or counties that you intend to download and copy to
your local or network drive. You can download all counties at once if you prefer.
You may copy the files to any location you wish.
Once the files are copied to your home directory, the GUPS application manages
them. You do not need to do anything else. When you select your state and
county in Map Management, GUPS will ask you to specify the location (CD/DVD,
My Computer, or Census Web) of your files. When you select "My Computer",
GUPS locates the files where you saved them, unzips and loads them into the
application, and moves them to a directory folder established during the GUPS
installation.

4.2.5

Download the Blocksize Shapefiles from FTP2:

Follow the steps in Table 5 below to download the files from the ftp2 site to your hard
drive.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Table 5 Download Blocksize Shapefiles from ftp2 Site to a Hard Drive (State Users)
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Using Internet Explorer (IE) or a web browser of your choice navigate to
ftp://ftp2.census.gov/.The FTP root at ftp2.census.gov main page
opens.

If you are using an FTP client software such as WinSCP or FileZilla (or
other), you can connect to ftp2.census.gov without a password. Enter
“anonymous” as your username and enter your email address in place of
a password.
Step 2

Step 3

To download multiple datasets, open the FTP site in Windows Explorer
(sometimes called File Explorer). On the browser menu, Select View,
then click Open FTP Site in File Explorer. You do not need a username
or password to access the ftp2 site using Windows Explorer.

Double-click the geo folder, and then within the geo folder, double click
the pvs folder, then the bbsp folder. The file directory is:
ftp://ftp2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bbsp/. Within the bbsp folder, there is a .zip
file with the 2020 prototype blocks with the naming convention
bbsp_2016_prototype_blocks_.zip, where represents the FIPS
state code (e.g., 55). Make sure you are using the files with “2016” in

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result
the name, as older versions with “2015” in the file name are also in that
folder.

Step 4

Right-click on your state .zip file to copy the data to a folder on your
computer. The states are identified by 2-digit FIPS codes (e.g. 55). For
this example, state 55 is chosen.
Step 5

Unzip the county files into the GUPS-created directory
C:\users\>username>\GUPSGIS\gupsdata\BBSP\shape\,where
ssccc is the state and county code. Or, if you prefer, you can unzip all
the county files to a single directory on your computer. Just remember
where you place these files because GUPS does not automatically load
the block size shapefiles. You will need to manually add them using the
Add Data Toolbar.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Section 5. GUPS Basics: Map Management, View and
Tools
5.1

Starting GUPS (Map Management)

After successfully installing the Geographic Update Partnership Software, you are ready
to start your Block Boundary Suggestion Project.
If you have not yet started a GUPS project:
To open the GUPS application and begin, follow the steps in Table 6 below. Before
beginning, note that:
1. If you wish to practice using GUPS without committing the changes you make,
simply exit the system without saving. Before the system closes, it will give you
the option to discard the changes.
2. If you feel comfortable with the system, but you do not want to make all your
changes in one session, simply save your changes, then close the system. When
you open GUPS later, it will allow you to reopen the project and continue
working.
Table 6 Open the GUPS and Start a New Project

Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Double-click the GUPS icon on your desktop.

The QGIS splash screen appears. (Note: QGIS is the open-source platform
on which GUPS is built.)

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step
Step 2

Action and Result
Wait until the application loads (If you have an older computer, this may
require a few minutes). When the GUPS application has loaded, the GUPS
main page opens and the QGIS Tips! box appears.

Note: Since GUPS was built on the QGIS open-source platform, you may see
references to QGIS in several locations within the GUPS application.
Step 3

If you wish to view QGIS system tips, click the Next button to read the first tip.
Thereafter use the Previous and Next buttons to navigate within tips. If you
do not wish to see tips again, click the checkbox in the bottom left-hand
corner that reads ‘I’ve had enough tips, don’t show this on start up any
more!’

Step 4

To begin a GUPS project, close the QGIS Tips! Box by clicking the OK
button. The box closes and the Map Management dialog box opens, as
shown below.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

If you have not yet started a GUPS project:
Step 5

In the Map Management dialog box, use the drop-down menu next to the
Program field to select your program, ‘Block Boundary Suggestion Project
Verification’. ‘Block Boundary Suggestion Project Verification’ populates the
field.
In the State field, use the drop-down menu to select your state. The scroll bar
to the right allows you to move up and down the list of states. Choose your
State. Choose the County to update.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result
1. Choose Block Boundary
Suggestion Project Verification
from the Program drop-down menu.
(In the example shown, “Block
Boundary Suggestion Project” is
selected and can be used, but we
recommend using the Verification
version even if you did not
participate in the intial BBSP in 2016,
as it has added functionality.)
2. Choose your State from the dropdown menu.
3. Choose the county you want to
update from the Working County
drop-down menu.
The Window populates with all the other counties in the state. The counties
adjacent to the working county you selected are highlighted in yellow. If you
check the checkbox for an adjacent county, it will be loaded in the map view
along with your working county. Be aware that you can only update the
working county. It is not required that you display the adjacent counties, but is
sometimes helpful in reviewing legal boundaries that cross county boundaries.
There is a maximum of 10 counties that can be loaded into GUPS, including the
working county.

Click the Open button.
Step 6

After you select the working county, GUPS asks you to specify the location
from which you want to pull the county’s (or county equivalent’s) shapefile.
The Select Data Folder, Directory or Location box opens.

GUPS will only ask you to specify a location the first time you open a
county’s shapefile. When you come back to work on the same county again,
the shapefile will automatically load, even if you made no changes in your first
session.
Step 7

In the Select Data Folder, Directory or Location box drop-down menu,
select the location from which you wish to pull the file. This example assumes

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result
the user is pulling the data from the website, so click on ‘Census Web’ in the
drop-down menu.

Step 8

Once you click on ‘Census Web’, the shapefile for the county begins to load
and progress is displayed by a blue striped bar (color may vary), with the
percentage of the upload completed displayed to the right.

Step 9

As GUPS loads the data, it unzips and copies the files to a folder that was
created on your computer’s home directory during the installation process. It
then pulls the file into the GUPS application.

Step 10 GUPS automatically loads the default layers for the BBSP and opens the
map. This GUPS project is Dane County Wisconsin, the working county
selected.

Step 11 If the shapefiles are not in the location you selected from the Select Data
Folder, Directory, or Location drop down menu, or the files are corrupted
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result
and cannot be loaded, you will receive an error message. This example
shows a load failure for 55001.

Click the OK button, which returns you to the Map Management dialog box.
Try another method for loading the files, or contact the CRVRDO at 301-7634039, or email [email protected].
If you have already started a project, on which you want to continue working
follow the steps in Table 7 below.
Table 7 Continuing a Project in GUPS
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
In the Map Management window, click on the Open Recent drop-down
menu.

Choose the project from the list of projects in the directory. This example shows 3
projects. The drop-down list includes all previous projects, with the most recent one
at the top of the list. GUPS automatically creates the project name as the
State/County code each time you save a project file.
Step 2

GUPS automatically loads your previous project. The map view defaults to the view
when you last saved your project, and displays any layer symbology changes you
made in the project.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

If you are the State RDP Liaison and need to import a county from a designee for review
follow the steps in Table 8.
Table 8 Importing a County for Review in GUPS
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

In the Map Management window, click on the Import Project ZIP file
button.

Step 2

Navigate to the folder directory where you have saved the DataDirectory.zip file
from your designee. Click on the bbspv17__DataDirectory.zip file name
and click the Open button at the bottom of the Windows Explorer window.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Step 3

Action and Result

When you import a file from a designee, you may receive a confirmation dialog
box to overwrite existing shapefiles. This message appears if you have previously
loaded the shapefiles for the same county.

Click the OK button to import your designee’s file for review.
Step 4

Step 5

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result
Do not save the .zip files you receive from your designees in the \shape folder in
the directory C:\Users\\GUPSGIS\gupsdata\BBSP\shape\. You must
save .zip files in a different directory on your computer for GUPS to recognize and
import the .zip files.

If you need to start a project (county) completely anew (you want to discard all changes
previously made to a county and start over), please contact the CRVRDO at 301-7634039 or email [email protected].

5.2

Page Layout

Figure 2 below illustrates the GUPS page layout. The page components are labeled,
including the Menu & Toolbars, the Map View, the Table of Contents, and the Add Data
Toolbar.

Figure 2. GUPS Page Layout

5.2.1

Map View

This area displays the map of the data layers automatically loaded by the GUPS for the
program you selected in Map Management. You can turn layers on and off, adjust their
symbology, pan around the map or zoom in and out. The map and the table of contents
are interdependent: changes you make in the table of contents are reflected on the map.
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

5.2.2

Menu and Toolbars

The GUPS user interface includes a menu bar and toolbars at the top of the page
window, as shown in Figure 3. The menu bar at the very top allows you to access GUPS
features using a standard hierarchical menu. The Standard toolbar in the middle
provides basic map navigation and data query and editing tools. The BBSP toolbar at
the bottom provides software functions to support the Block Boundary Suggestion
Project.

Figure 3 GUPS Menu and Toolbars

5.2.3

Menu Bar

The menu bar allows you to access GUPS using a standard hierarchical menu. The toplevel menu, drop-down menus, and menu functions are listed below.

Table 9 GUPS Menu Bar

Tab

Drop-down Menu

Function / Description

Project

Project allows you to save a
project, create a .png file of the
image displayed in the Map View,
or exit the GUPS application. If
you choose Save as Image, the
GUPS allows you to name the
.png file created and save it to
any location on your computer.

Edit

Edit allows you to Undo and
Redo the last user actions, as
long as you have not saved your
project.
Note: For Undo to work, the
correct layer must be
selected in the Table of
Contents. For example, if
you added a linear feature
in the edges layer, then
made updates in the area

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Tab

Drop-down Menu

Function / Description
landmarks layer, Undo will
not allow you to delete the
linear feature. You must
make the edges layer the
active layer again to undo
the linear feature addition.

View

The View tab allows you to
complete several actions also
available on the Standard
toolbar. Included are options for
navigating the map, identifying
feature attributes, measuring
distance, and creating spatial
bookmarks to return to the same
map view at a later time.
From this location you can also:
• Set what toolbars display.
• Restore the Table of
Contents if you earlier
closed it (click ‘Panels’ in the
drop-down menu, click the
right arrow, click ‘Layers’ in
the Layers down-menu).
• Refresh the map to restore it
to the original map extent.

Layer

The Layer tab allows you to add
and remove layers from the map,
set the map projection or
Coordinate Reference System
(CRS), and display or hide
layers.
Note: Many of these same
functions are more conveniently
located on the Add Layers
toolbar and the small toolbar that
sits at the top of the Table of
Contents.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Tab

Drop-down Menu

Settings

Function / Description
Settings allows you to customize
the Coordinate Reference
System (CRS), customize map
display options, and set snapping
tolerances. The snapping
tolerances in the GUPS are predefined by layer. The default
snapping tolerance for edges is
set to15 pixels, as shown in the
Snapping Options dialog box
below.

You may wish reset the snapping tolerance for a layer to make
boundary corrections. Please be aware that we often cannot make
small boundary adjustments submitted by participants because the
MAF/TIGER System is a fully integrated topological database.
Vector

The Vector tab provides access
to several Geoprocessing Tools,
which allow you to create buffers
around features, overlay areas so
that you can create an
intersection, union, or
symmetrical difference, merge
features, and perform other
common geoprocessing actions.

Raster

Raster has a Raster Calculator
that allows you to perform
calculations on the basis of
existing raster pixel values. It
also provides a Georeferencer

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Tab

Drop-down Menu

Function / Description
tool, which allows you to assign
coordinates to the raster.

Processing

Although available to the GUPS
user, the Processing menu
options are not required for
Census Bureau geographic
program participation. The sub
menus all pertain to algorithms,
creating models, viewing the
results of algorithms executed,
and history.

Help

The Help tab provides tools for
understanding QGIS (the opensource platform on which GUPS
was developed) and the GUPS
application itself. It also contains
CRVRDO contact information,
access to the online version of
this guide, and other information.

GUPS

The GUPS tab provides quick
access to the key tools also
available on the Standard and
BBSP toolbars, including those
needed to manage maps, make
linear changes, make area
changes, create BBSP
suggestions, review and validate
work, import county ZIP files from
other users, export work and
submission files, export maps,
and add imagery.
Click the ‘About GUPS’ option in
the drop-down menu to find the
GUPS version number. If you call
for technical support, you will
need to supply this number Here
the version number is 1.5.0-12.
The number you see will be more
recent.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Tab

5.2.4

Drop-down Menu

Function / Description

Toolbars

There are two toolbars for the Geographic Update Partnership Software, as shown in
Figure 4. The top toolbar is the Standard toolbar, which provides map navigation and
data query and manipulation tools. The BBSP toolbar on the bottom provides the
functionality needed for the Block Boundary Suggestion Project.

Figure 4 GUPS Toolbars

You can resize the toolbars and reposition them by dragging them to your desired
location. They can float on the desktop or be docked along the outer edges of the GUPS
page. The Standard toolbar and BBSP toolbar buttons, names, and functions are
highlighted in separate sections below. Hover your mouse over a button when you are in
the GUPS application to see the tool description.

5.2.4.1.

Standard Toolbar Functions

The Standard toolbar, shown in Figure 5, provides the tools necessary to interact with
the map and layers’ attribute tables. It is comprised of 3 separate toolbars, identified by
the grouping bars on the tool, as shown in Figure 5. The first toolbar contains the buttons
for saving projects, changing map projects and conducting searches; the second
contains the tool buttons for map navigation; the third provides tools for identifying
features, selecting features, making measurements, and creating spatial bookmarks.
The Standard toolbar buttons, names, and functions are shown in Table 10.

Figure 5 Toolbar Grouping Bars

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Table 10 Standard Toolbar Grouping
Button

Name
Save

Function
Saves the current GUPS county project, including any user changes
to layer properties, projection, last viewed extent, layers added.

Allows the user to choose the geographic participant program and
Map
Management working county in GUPS. Automatically loads the default map display
layers based on program and county chosen.
Clean GUPS
Warning! This tool deletes files and folders permanently! Allows
Data
the user to delete a single or multiple county project(s). The user can
select the project to delete or choose to delete all the projects in a
specific program. The active project in the current session is
highlighted in red. Cleanups that include the current session will
cause GUPS to shut down.
Search

Enables user to search the map by census tract, block, landmark or
street name and zoom to the feature.

Touch Zoom Designed for touchscreen computers. You can zoom in and out on
and Pan the map to increase or decrease the map scale with finger gestures.

Pan Map

Shifts the map in the display window without changing the map scale.

Pan Map to Shifts the map in the display window to the rows selected in the
Selection attribute table.
Zoom In

Displays the map in the window at a larger scale.

Zoom Out

Displays the map in the window at a smaller scale.

Zoom Full

Zooms the map view to the full extent of the county.

Zoom to
Selection

Zooms the map view to the rows selected by in the attribute table.

Zoom to
Layer

Zooms the map view to the extent of the active layer.

Zoom Last

Zooms the map view to the previous map extent.

Zoom Next Zooms the map view forward to the next map extent.
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Refresh

Displays map view to initial full display.

Identify
Features

Identifies the geographic feature on which the user clicks.

Select
Enables user to select layer features in the map window with a single
Features by
click, dragging a box, or drawing graphics on the screen. Referred to
Area or Single
as the Select Features button in this guide.
Click
Deselect
Features
From All
Layers

Deselects selected features from all layers.

Select
Features Allows attribute table records request by querying the table based on
Using an table fields and/or values in the fields.
Expression
Measure

Provides options to measure linear distance, area, and angles on the
map.

Map Tips

Shows information about a feature when the mouse is hovered over
it.

New
Bookmark

Enables user to create and name a spatial bookmark of the current
map view.

Show
Displays all bookmarks created by the user.
Bookmarks

5.2.4.2. Data Manipulation, Selection, Identification, Measurement and
Bookmarking Toolbar Grouping
As shown in Table 11 the last toolbar grouping on the Standard toolbar allows you to
identify features, select features several ways, deselect features selected, query the
data, make measurements, and bookmark map views.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Table 11 Data Manipulation Toolbar Grouping

Data Manipulation Toolbar Grouping

A click on the
Identify Features button, followed by a click on a feature on the map
identifies the feature at the location. Results are displayed in the Identify Results
window, including feature attributes.

Edgewood Ct is highlighted in red when you click first on the Identify button and then the
Edgewood Ct feature on the map (the edges layer is the active layer). The Identify
Results dialog box opens below the Table of Contents. It displays the feature’s
attributes.
A click on the

Select Features button allows you to select features several ways.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

To select a single feature, click the
Select Features button, choose Select
Feature(s) from the drop-down menu, and click the feature on the map. To select
multiple features, hold down the CTRL key as you select the features. To remove one or
more features from a selection of multiple features, hold down the CTRL key and click
the feature(s) again. You can also use Select Features by Polygon, Select Features by
Freehand, and Select Features by Radius tools to select multiple features using graphics
you draw on the screen.
A click on the
Deselect Features from all Layers button deselects the selected
features in all layers in a single action.
A click on the
Select Features Using an Expression button allows you to select
features by querying the attribute table. See Table 12 below for an example.

In the example shown in Table 12, we want to view the features to which we have
assigned a Must Hold flag.
Table 12 Querying Features Assigned A Must Hold Flag
Step

Step 1

Step 2

Action and Result

Click the Select Features by Expression button on the Standard toolbar.

The Select by Expression dialog box opens.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step 3

Step 4

Double-click on a field name to add it to the Expression window.

Single-click on an operator button to add it to the Expression window. In this
example, the “=” was chosen.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step 5

Click on the all unique button, which shows the values present for the chosen
field name. Double-click a value to add it to the Expression window.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step 6

Step 7

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

If you would like to review the selected features individually, you can do that by opening
the attribute table as seen in Table 13.

Table 13 Layers Attribute Table
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Right click on the layer name in the Table of Contents.

Step 2

The Edges Attribute table opens.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 3

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 4

A click on the
Measure button allows you to determine distance between two or
more points on the map. Select the layer in the Table of Contents on which you want to
measure to make it the active layer. Click on the Measure button. Then click on the first
point on your map and continue clicking on points until you reach the final point. Each
segment length, as well as the total length, appears in the Measure window.
A click on the
New Bookmark button allows you to create and save geographic
locations in your map view and return to them later. To create a bookmark:

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

A click on the
Show Bookmarks buttons allows you to view and manage your spatial
bookmarks. You cannot edit the bookmark name or coordinates. To zoom to a
bookmark, click on a bookmark name in the Geospatial Bookmarks dialog box and then
click the Zoom to button. To delete a bookmark, click on the bookmark name, then press
the Delete button.

5.2.4.3.

BBSP Toolbar

The BBSP toolbar provides the software functionality to complete the activities outlined
in the Suggested BBSP Workflow diagram. Detailed explanations for using the BBSP
toolbar buttons to accomplish BBSP updates are contained in Section 6, with the
exception of the Export Map for Printing function, which is outlined after Table 14.

Figure 6 BBSP Toolbar

Table 14 BBSP Toolbar Buttons, Names, and Functions
Button

Name
Add Linear Feature
Delete Linear
Feature

Function
Enables user to add a linear feature.
Enables user to delete a linear feature.

Display All Names

Displays all names for a street with multiple names
assigned in the MAF/TIGER System.

Modify Linear
Feature Attributes

Enables user to edit attribute fields for a selected
feature.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Button

Name

Function

Modify Area
Feature

Enables user to select faces (polygons) for adding
and deleting area from area landmarks and legal
entities, creating new entities or deleting existing
ones.

Show/Hide Legend

Shows or hides the legend.

Add Point
Landmark

Enables user to add a point landmark.

Edit Point
Landmark

Enables user to modify the attributes of a point
landmark.

Delete Point
Landmark

Enables user to delete a point landmark.

Review Block
Boundary

Enables user to systematically review features by
BBSP category (Hold, Do Not Hold, NULL) and to
review suggestions made during the initial BBSP.

Geography Review
Tool

Enables user to review the attribute table by field
values for all data layers.

Review Change
Polygons

Enables user to review the transaction polygons
for area landmarks, area hydrography, and legal
geography updates and make further updates

Closed Polygon
Check

Initiates a validation check to identify any nonclosed polygons.

Import County Zip

Enables the RDP Liaison to import a designee’s
data output .zip file into GUPS for review and
update.

Export to Zip

Creates the .zip file containing all required data
and shapefiles for submission to the Census
Bureau, or for sharing between the State RDP
Liaison and their designees.

Export Map to Print

Enables user to export a printable map in .pdf,
png, .tif, or jpeg format.

2020 Feature
Extension Review
Add Feature
Extension

Enables user to systematically review 2010 linear
feature extensions and take an action for 2020
(Hold, Delete, Ignore).
Enables user to add a 2020 linear feature
extension to create a closed polygon for a
suggested 2020 tabulation block.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Button

Name
Feature Flagging
Tool (Hold/Do Not
Hold)
Add Block Area
Grouping

Function
Enables user to assign a “Must Hold” or “Do Not
Hold” flag to a linear feature selected in the map
window.
Enables user to create a Block Area Grouping
over water.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

5.2.4.4.

Exporting a Map for Printing

Follow the steps in Table 15 below to export a map for printing.
Table 15 Exporting a Map for Printing
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Click the Export Map to Print button on the BBSP Toolbar.

Step 2

Type a Map Title and a Map Subtitle, if desired, in the fields provided.

Click the radio button for Portrait or Landscape under Page Orientation.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step
Step 3

Action and Result
Click a radio button under Map Scale to select either the current view in the map
(Match Current Map Extent) or a Fixed Scale.

Click the radio button for Letter or Ledger under Desired Page Size to select map
output size.

Click the radio button under Export File Format to select how you want to save the
map.

Click the Save
Step 4

button to create the map.

Specify a name for your exported map file. The file type (.pdf) is preset based on
your selection in the Map Export dialog box.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Click the Save button.
Step 5
A dialog box opens indicating that the map file was created.

5.2.4.5.

Add Data Toolbar

The Add Data Toolbar allows you to add vector and raster data layers and import data
tables. When you first open the GUPS, the default Add Data Toolbar position is on the
left side of the GUPS page layout. You can click and drag the toolbar to one of the top
toolbars if you like, which provides more screen space for the map view. Table 16 lists
the Add Data Toolbar buttons, names and functions

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Table 16 Add Data Toolbar Buttons, Names, and Functions
Button

Name

Function

Add Vector
Layer

Enables user to add shapefiles and geodatabase files
to the GUPS project.

Add Raster
Layer

Enables user to add raster datasets such as imagery.

Add PostGIS
Layer
Add
SpatialLite
Layer

Enables user to add a PostGIS layer.

Enables user to add data from a SpatialLite database.

Add MSSQL
Spatial Layer

Enables user to add MS SQL 2008 Spatial data.

Add Oracle
Spatial Layer

Enables user to add data from an Oracle Spatial
database.

Add WM(T)S
Layer

Enables user to add Web Mapping Services and Web
Mapping Tile Services. Publicly accessible and
secured WMS services are supported.

Add WCS
Layer

Enables User to add Web Coverage Services, which
provides access to raster data useful for client-side
map rendering.

Add WFS
Layer

Enables user to add Web Feature Services.

New
Shapefile
Layer
Enables user to add a new shapefile layer or new
temporary scratch layer.
Some of the more commonly used tools from the Add Data Toolbar are discussed
further below.

5.2.4.6.

Adding Vector Data

A click on the
Add Vector Layer button allows you to add shapefile and
geodatabase files to your GUPS project.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Table 17 Adding Vector Data

Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Step 2

Click the Browse button. Navigate to the folder where the file you want to add is located.
For this example, we’ll add the block size shapefile, located at:
C:\Users\\GUPSGIS\gupsdata\BBSP\shape\ssccc\bbsp_2015_block_ssccc.shp,
where ssccc is the State/County code. Choose the filename with .shp as the file extension.
(This example assumes you initially loaded the shapefiles from the Census-provided DVD,
which automatically places the files this directory.)

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 3

5.2.4.7.

Adding a Web Mapping Service:

A click on the
Add WM(T)S Layer button allows you to add a Web Mapping Service
to your GUPS project. If you do not have a statewide or county web mapping service,
one option for adding imagery may be the National Agricultural Imagery Service (NAIP),
supplied in web mapping service format by the U.S. Geological Survey. The
instructions in Table 18 below outline the steps for adding a web mapping service to
GUPS using a URL for the USGS NAIP imagery.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Table 18 Adding a Web Mapping Service
Step

Action and Result

Step 1 &
Step 2

Step 3
through
Step 6

If your working environment is inside a firewall, you may be
prompted for your Username and Password to obtain resources
from outside the firewall.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 7
through
Step 9

Step 10

The WMS is added to the map. It appears at the top of the Table
of Contents, which means it displays over the top of the other
layers. You may want to move it to the bottom of the Table of
Contents by clicking on the layer name and dragging it to the
bottom.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

A click on the
Add Raster Layer button allows you to add imagery to your GUPS
project if you do not have access to a web mapping service, if you have a poor Internet
connection, or a restrictive firewall. If you do not have a county or state imagery dataset,
you can download the U.S. Geological Service imagery on a county-per-county basis.
After clicking on the Add Raster layer button, the Open a GDAL Supported Raster
Data Source dialog box opens. Navigate to the folder on your computer where the
imagery file is stored. Click on the file name in the window and Open. The imagery loads
into the GUPS.

5.2.5

Table of Contents

The Table of Contents, depicted in Figure 7, shows the layers on the map and the
features represented by the layer. The GUPS will automatically load and display a set of
default data layers defined by the Census Bureau for each geographic participant
program. You can reorder the layers to change the map display; add and remove layers
including user-provided data; display or hide layers; and change the layer symbology
and labeling. As depicted in Figure 8, the expanded edges layer menu displays after the
user clicks the (+) sign to change it to the (-) sign.

Figure 7 GUPS Table of Contents

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Figure 8 GUPS Table of Contents, Expanded Edges Layer Menu

The toolbar buttons at the top of the Table of Contents, shown in Figure 9, allow you to
add and remove layers or groups, manage layer visibility, filter the legend by map
content, and expand and contract the layers.

Figure 9 Table of Contents Toolbar

Table 19 below describes the functions of the tools on the Table of Contents Toolbar.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Table 19 Table of Contents Toolbar Buttons, Names and Functions
Button

Name

Function
Allows layers in the Table of Contents to be organized into
groups in one of two ways:
1. Click on the
button on the Table of Contents Toolbar
to add a new group. Type in a name for the group and press
the Enter key. Click on an existing layer and drag it into the
group you just created; or

Add Group

2. Select one or more layers in the Table of Contents, right
click in the Table of Contents window, and choose Group
Selected. The selected layers are automatically placed in a
new group. To select more than one layer or group at the
same time, hold down the CTRL key while selecting the layers
with the left mouse button.
To remove a layer from a group, you can click on the layer
and drag it out of the group or you can right click on the layer
and choose Make top level item. Groups can also be nested
inside other groups. You can show or hide all the layers in the
group with a single click in the group’s checkbox.
Allows preset layer views created by the user.
You can add preset views in the Table of Contents by clicking
on the
button on the Table of Contents Toolbar. You can
choose to display a layer with specific categorization and add
this view to the Presets list. To add a preset view, click on the

Manage
Layer
Visibility
(and Preset
Views)

button, choose Add Preset from the drop-down menu,
and assign a name to the preset view. By clicking on the
button, you can view the list of all preset views that you have
established and from which you can choose.
A layer can be selected and dragged up or down in the Table
of Contents to change the order in which layers are drawn.
Layers are drawn in the reverse order in which they appear in
the table contents. Layers that appear at the bottom of the
table of contents are drawn first and the layers near the top
are drawn “over” the layers near the bottom.

Filter
Legend by

Displays in the Table of Contents only the map layers in the
current map view.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Map
Content

You can remove from the Table of Contents display any
layers that are not currently in the map view extent by clicking
on the
button. This feature ensures that the Table of
Contents does not contain entries for items not currently in the
map view.
Expands to show all menus.

Expand All
(+)

You can display all layers in a group by clicking on the
button on the Table of Contents toolbar.
Collapses all menus.

Collapse All
(-)

You can turn off the visibility of layers in a group by clicking on
the

button on the Table of Contents toolbar.

Removes layer or group from the Table of Contents.
You can remove a layer or a group in the Table of Contents
clicking on the
button. To remove a layer, click on the
layer you want to remove, and while holding down the CTRL

Remove
Layer/Group key, click the
button. To remove a group, follow the same
process, first selecting the group to be removed, and while
holding down the CTRL key, click the

5.2.5.1.

button.

Re-ordering the Data Layers

In the Table of Contents, the order in which the layers are listed determines how the
layers are drawn on the map. The layers at the top draw on top of those below them. A
layer can be selected and dragged up or down in the table of contents to change the
drawing order.
To move a layer up or down: Click the mouse on the layer and drag the layer to the
desired position in the layer list. Release the mouse button to place the layer in its new
position.

5.2.5.2.

Setting Layer Symbology

The GUPS loads a default layer symbology established for each Census Bureau
geographic partnership program. You can change the default symbology to suit your
preferences. To change the default symbology for a layer in GUPS:

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Table 20 Changing Default Symbology
Step

Action and Result

Step 1 &
Step 2

Step 3 &
Step 4

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step 5 &
Step 6

5.2.5.3.

Label Display

You can change the default GUPS labeling display for features. To change the default
labeling for a layer in GUPS:
Table 21 Change Default Labeling

Step

Action and Result

Step 1 &
Step 2

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result
Step 3

through
Step 5

To restore the default setting for a layer:
Step 1
through
Step 4

5.2.5.4.

Layer Display

The checkbox for each of the data layers indicates whether the layer is displayed or
hidden.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Figure 10 Data Layer Display

5.2.5.5.

Adding and Removing Layers

GUPS automatically loads a default set of data layers specified by the Census Bureau
for each geographic partnership program. You can add other data layers from the
Census Bureau’s partnership shapefile that are not in the default data layer set, or you
can add user-provided data.
A click on the
Add Vector Layer button on the Add Data Toolbar allows you to add
shapefile and geodatabase files to your GUPS project. More detailed instructions, with
accompanying graphics, are included under the Add Data Toolbar section.
To remove a layer, click on the layer you want to remove, and while holding down the
CTRL key, click the

5.3

Remove Layer/Group button on the Table of Contents menu.

Status Bar

The Status Bar, as shown in Figure 11, displays information about the map. It allows you
to adjust the map scale and see the mouse cursor’s coordinates on the map. Table 22
lists the Status Bar elements and their descriptions and functions.

Figure 11 Status Bar
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Table 22 Status Bar Element and Function/Description
Status Bar Element

Function/Description

Toggle

Allows you to toggle between the mouse’s coordinate position or the
map view extents as you pan and zoom in and out on the map.

Coordinate
Display
Map Scale

Rotation
Map Render
(Draw)
Projection
Properties

Log Messages

Shows your current position in map coordinates (default is decimal
degrees for GUPS) as your map cursor is moved across the map.
Shows the ratio of a distance on the map to the corresponding
distance on the ground.
Allows you to define a current clockwise rotation for you map view in
degrees.
Allows you to temporarily prevent layers from drawing by clicking the
checkbox immediately to the left of “Render”.
Clicking on the icon will open the projection properties for the current
map.
Clicking on the icon will display 3 tabs that contain messages about
the GUPS application launch, python scripting, and the QGIS plugins developed for GUPS.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Section 6. BBSP Update Activities in GUPS
Figure 12 on the next page depicts the Suggested BBSP Workflow for reviewing and
updating Census Bureau data using GUPS. Step-by-step instructions for each of the
workflow activities are outlined in a separate heading.
A State RDP Liaison participating in the BBSP may decide to perform the work in-house
or delegate the work to their staff, state’s counties, or a contractor. Any work performed
on behalf of the State Redistricting Data Program Liaison must be submitted to the State
Liaison for review and approval. Only the designated State Redistricting Data Program
Liaison may submit completed work to the Census Bureau.
A BBSP participant is not required to perform all update activities shown in the workflow
diagram. The area landmark, legal boundary, block area grouping, and point landmark
reviews are all optional. We suggest, however, that you make the decision whether to
perform each of these review/update activities based on your state’s redistricting
requirements and available resources. States with laws that require the re-allocation
prison populations for the purposes of redistricting may wish to review the area
landmarks with the MTFCCs that represent prisons (K1235, K1236, K1237, and K1238).
Since legal boundaries are always tabulation block boundaries, all states may wish to
review the legal boundaries, as reflected in the Census Bureau data, to ensure they are
accurate as of the review date. States with numerous islands may wish to create block
area groupings (BAGs) for 2020.
The Geographic Update Partnership Software contains several validation tools for
quality control. These tools help ensure that BBSP updates meet the established criteria
and submission files meet Census Bureau processing requirements. The validation
checks include block boundary review, the small area and find holes checks as part of
change polygon review, and the closed polygon check. Although the BBSP workflow
shows these quality control checks as later steps in the BBSP workflow, you may initiate
these checks at any time during update work. We suggest that the closed polygon check
tool be utilized early during the review and update process and then periodically
afterwards to lessen the possibility of extensive rework later.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

GUPS & Geospatial Data
Available on DVD

NO
RDP Liaison
Completes Work

RDP Liaison
Delegates
Work?

YES
Designee Completes Work
Linear Feature
Review

Area
Landmark
Review

Legal
Boundary
Review

Point
Landmark
Review

Geographic Data Reviews
2010 Feature
Extension
Review

Block Size
Review
(Manual
Process)

Block
Boundary
Flagging

Block Area
Grouping
Review

BBSP Update Activities

YES

Block
Boundary
Review

Closed
Polygon Check

Quality Control
Changes
Needed?

Submit Work
to RDP Liaison

Submit Data to
Census

Designee
Creates Data
Output File

Create Data
Submission
File

YES

Was Work
Delegated?

Figure 12 Suggested BBSP Workflow

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

6.1

Linear Feature Review

We recommend that you review the linear features in the Census Bureau file to
determine whether there are missing features or existing features that should be deleted.
You can import your own shapefiles, geodatabases, Web Mapping Services and/or
imagery for comparison against Census Bureau data. If you plan to import data for
reference purposes, follow the directions for importing user-provided geospatial data
and/or web mapping services listed in the Add Data Toolbar section. Then return to this
section for instructions for adding and deleting features or changing a feature’s
attribution. Another option for automatically adding imagery is to use the “Add Imagery”
button on the BBSP toolbar.
Click Appendix A2: Linear Feature Updates Permitted for the list of feature updates the
Census Bureau will accept.
Note: GUPS will not allow you to make edits (add, delete, update attributes) for many
BBSP update activities, including linear feature updates, unless you are at a map
scale greater than 1:20,000. This means the second number in the map scale,
shown on the status bar at the very bottom of the GUPS page, must be less than
20,000.

Figure 13 Warning Displayed When Working at Too Small a Scale

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

6.1.1

To Add a Linear Feature:
Table 23 Add a Linear Feature

Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Click on the Add Linear Feature button on the BBSP toolbar.

Step 2

Digitize the new linear feature by A) left- clicking the mouse at the starting point
of line and continuing to click at each vertex (shape) point of the line. B) Rightclicking the mouse when you have completed the new line.

Step 3

The Add Linear Feature dialog box opens.
Click on the MTFCC drop-down menu to choose the appropriate code from the
drop-down menu.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Type the name of the feature, if the feature is named, in the Name field. Refer
to Appendix B for the list of standardized street type abbreviations.
Click the OK button.
Step 4

GUPS will not allow one linear feature to be placed on top of another. If you
attempt to add a road over a boundary, a dialog box with the message “Added
Line Overlays an Existing Line” opens. Instead, select the Modify Linear
Features Attributes button on the BBSP toolbar, select the boundary line
coincident with the road feature, and after the Update Attributes dialog box
opens, change the MTFCC to the appropriate Sxxxx MTFCC. Provide a name
for the road. The feature remains a “boundary” because all geographic entity
boundaries are determined by faces (polygons), not by linear features.

6.1.2

To Delete a Linear Feature:

Note: You are not actually “deleting” a feature in the Census Bureau file. The software
assigns a “deletion” change type to the feature in the attribute table. After
receiving the file, the Census Bureau first reviews the deletion before deleting the
feature. The feature flagged for deletion will appear on the GUPS map with a
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

heavier weight orange dashed symbology on top of the feature’s original
symbology.

Table 24 Delete a Linear Feature
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Click on the Delete Linear Feature button on the BBSP toolbar.

Step 2

Click on the feature(s) on the map you want to delete.

Click OK to delete the feature.
Step 3

The deleted feature appears on the map with a dashed orange line symbology
on top of the original feature symbology.

If you delete a feature that you added, meaning the feature was not originally
in the Census Bureau partnership shapefile, the GUPS actually deletes the
feature. This occurs because the Census Bureau processes the “changes”
from the original file. You cannot restore a deleted linear feature you added;
you will need to add it again if you deleted it in error.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

6.1.3

To Restore a Deleted Linear Feature:
Table 25 Restore a Linear Feature

Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click on the Delete Linear Feature button on the BBSP toolbar.

Step 2

Step 3

6.1.4

Before Changing the Attribution of a Linear Feature (Name, MTFCC, Add
Address Range)

Depending on the attribute update actions you intend to initiate, there a few steps that
we suggest you take first before editing a linear feature.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Table 26 Review the Attribution of a Linear Feature
Step

Action and Result

Step 1 &
Step 2

Step 3

Before changing the name of a linear feature, check to see whether the
feature has an alternative name in the partnership shapefile.

through
Step 5

3. Click on the

Display All Names button on the BBSP toolbar.

4. Click the feature on the map.
The Display All Names dialog box opens, displaying the primary name of
the feature. The Alt. Name field shows the alternate name for the feature,
if one is present.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result
5. Click on the drop-down menu of the Alt. Name field to see a third
alternative name, if one is present.

6.1.5

Edit the Attribution of a Linear Feature:
Table 27 Edit a Linear Feature

Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click on the Modify Linear Feature Attributes button on the BBSP toolbar.

Step 2

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 3
through
Step 5

Do not update the address ranges to provide exact/actual ranges. The Census Bureau uses potential
address ranges for a number of reasons. If providing address ranges for a new street, provide potential
address ranges for blocksides between intersecting features, such as 0-98, 100-198, etc. for even parity
and 1-99, 101-199, etc. for odd parity address ranges.

The graphic below shows the FROM/TO nodes for a newly added road feature, which
has been named New Rd. The illustration below the graphic indicates the “right” and
“left” sides of the line segment, based on the red directional arrows which indicate the
FROM and TO nodes, with the potential address ranges added.

TO
Node

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

FROM
Node

This is how the LTOADD, RTOADD, LFROMADD, and RFROMADD
address fields should be populated for the New Rd example above.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

6.2

Area Landmark Review

The Census Bureau accepts updates to area landmarks, including hydrographic areas,
as part of the Block Boundary Suggestion Project.
Allowable updates include:
•

Boundary corrections (adding and removing area)

•

Creating a new area landmark or hydrographic area

•

Removing an area landmark or hydrographic area

•

Changing or adding a name

Adding or removing area from an area landmark, including areal hydrography, is
accomplished by selecting the face or faces (polygons) that comprise the area of
change. If a face boundary does not already reflect the area needed for a boundary
update, you must digitize a linear feature to split the face and assign it the proper
MTFCC. Instructions for adding linear features are contained in Section 6.1.
If your state plans to reallocate prisoners during redistricting, you may wish to review the
existing area landmarks with MTFCCs K1235, K1236, K1237, and K1238, which
represent areas that contain prison populations.
The GUPS displays area landmarks in different symbology depending on categorization,
as shown in Figure 14. Area landmarks deleted by the user are shown in gray
symbology.

Figure 14 Area Landmark Symbology

There are some restrictions to area landmark updates. Appendix A1: Area Landmark
Updates Permitted lists the feature updates the Census Bureau will accept.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

6.2.1

To Review Area Landmarks, Including Area Hydrography:
Table 28 Review Area Landmarks

Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BBSP toolbar.

Step 2

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.
Choose Area Landmark/Area Hydrography from the drop-down menu.
The info window populates with the list of area landmarks and area
hydrography in the county.
Clicking on the blue arrows on the toolbar moves you up and down through the
list, highlighting the feature on the map as the feature is highlighted in the Info
window.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 3

Step 4

You can make changes to the selected areal landmark with the tools above the Info
window.

Table 29 Modify Area Feature Toolbar Buttons and Functions

Button

Function
Select Features
Add selected faces to target entity

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Remove selected faces from target entity
Select and zoom to previous entity on the list
Select and zoom to next entity on the list
Add new entity
Modify attributes of target entity
Delete selected entity

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

6.2.2

To Add Area to an Area Landmark:
Table 30 Add Area to an Area Landmark

Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BBSP toolbar.

Step 2

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.
Choose Area Landmark/Area Hydrography from the drop-down menu.

The Info window populates with the list of area landmarks and area
hydrography in the county.
Clicking on the blue arrows on the toolbar moves you up and down through the
list.
Step 3
&

Click on a row in the list to select the landmark to update. The map zooms you
to the selected landmark (St Mary’s Hosp).

Step 4

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result
Click on the Select Features button on the toolbar. Choose the method from
the drop-down menu to select the face(s) to add to the area landmark.

Step 5

Click on the face(s) on the map you want to add to the area landmark. To add
more than one face, click on the first face, hold down the CRTL key, and click
on the remaining faces you want to add.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 6

6.2.3

To Remove Area from an Area Landmark:
Table 31 Remove an Area from an Area Landmark

Step

Action and Result

Step 1

1.Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BBSP toolbar.

Step 2

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result
2. Choose Area Landmark/Area Hydrography from the drop-down menu.

The Info window populates with the list of area landmarks and area
hydrography in the county.
Clicking on the blue arrows on the toolbar moves you up and down through the
list, highlighting the feature on the map as the feature is highlighted In the Info
window.
Step 3
&
Step 4

3. Click on a row in the list to select the landmark to update. The map
zooms you to the selected landmark (St Mary’s Hosp).
4. Click on the Select Features button on the toolbar. Choose the method
from the drop-down menu to select the face(s) to remove from the
landmark.
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 5

5. Click on the face(s) on the map you want to remove from the area
landmark. To remove more than one face, click on the first face, hold
down the CRTL key, and click on the remaining faces you want to
remove.
Step 6

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

6.2.4

To Create a New Area Landmark:
Table 32 Create a New Area Landmark

Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Step 2

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BBSP toolbar.

Step 3

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.
Choose Area Landmark/Area Hydrography from the drop-down menu.

The Info window populates with the list of area landmarks and area
hydrography in the county.
Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result
Clicking on the blue arrows on the toolbar moves you up and down through the
list, highlighting the feature on the map as the feature is highlighted in the Info
window.

Step 4
&

4. Click on the Select Features button on the toolbar. Choose the selection
method from the drop-down menu to add faces (polygons) to create the
landmark.

Step 5

Because areal features are comprised of faces (polygons), you may need to
“split” a face to accurately reflect an entity’s boundary. To split a face, digitize a
new line that represents the boundary’s location and assign it the appropriate
MTFCC. This “splits” the original face into two faces. You can now select the
face (polygon) for addition to the new entity. Click here for directions on adding
a linear feature.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 6

Step 7
&

The Add Entity Attributes dialog box opens. The State and County code fields are prepopulated.

Step 8

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 9

6.2.5

To Delete an Area Landmark:
Table 33 Delete a New Area Landmark

Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BBSP toolbar.

Step 2

The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.
Choose Area Landmark/Area Hydrography from the drop-down menu.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 5

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

6.3

Legal Boundary Updates (New for 2020)

Block Boundary Suggestion Project participants may submit legal boundary updates
(annexations, deannexations, incorporations and disincorporations) for counties, county
subdivisions, incorporated places, and consolidated cities. You may also submit
boundary corrections. The Census Bureau will reconcile the boundary submissions with
the appropriate local governments as part of our 2017 Boundary and Annexation Survey.
Although legal documentation (effective date, authorization type, and ordinance number)
is not required for boundary updates submitted through the BBSP, we strongly
encourage you to submit the documentation to expedite our ability to reconcile and
process any legal updates reported.
Important Note: If you do not plan to provide the legal documentation for a legal
boundary change you must report your boundary update as a Boundary Correction, not
a Legal Change. This is for Census Bureau processing purposes, regardless of whether
if it is annexation or deannexation. You make this selection in the Select Output Type
dialog box by clicking the radio button for Boundary Correction.
You do not have to provide the legal paperwork for a legal change, just the effective
date, authorization type, and documentation number for the Census Bureau to process a
change as a Legal Change.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

The GUPS will not allow you to make edits (add, delete, update attributes) for many
BBSP update activities, including legal boundary updates, unless you are at a map
scale greater than 1:20,000. This means the second number in the map scale, shown
on the status bar at the very bottom of the GUPS page, must be less than 20,000.

6.3.1

To Add or Delete Area to Make a Boundary Change, for both
Legal Changes and Boundary Corrections
Table 34 Boundary Changes

Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BBSP toolbar.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 2
&
Step 3

Step 4
&
Step 5

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Step

Action and Result

Step 6

On the Modify Area Feature toolbar, click the Add Area or the Remove Area
button, as appropriate. For this example, Add Area is chosen.
At this point, follow the directions for submitting a Legal Change (Table 35), or
for submitting a Boundary Correction (Table 36).
Because areal features are comprised of faces (polygons), you may need to “split” a face to accurately
reflect an entity’s boundary. To split a face, digitize a new line that represents the boundary’s location
and assign it the appropriate MTFCC. This “splits” the original face into two faces. You can now select
the face (polygon) for addition to the new entity. Click here for directions on adding a linear feature.
If you need to make boundary updates for an incorporated place that is located in one or more
counties, and the updates are in more than one county, you must make the updates in the working
county. After completing the updates in your initial working county, return to Map Management, select
the other county as the working county, and make the boundary updates. Repeat this process for each
additional county as necessary.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

6.3.2

To Submit a Legal Change:
Table 35 Submit Legal Change

Step

Action and Result

Step 7

The Choose Change Type dialog box opens. Click the Legal Change radio
button.

Step 8

The Create Change Polygon dialog box opens. The State, County, Place
Name, and LSAD fields are prepopulated.

through
Step 13

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Step

Action and Result
8. Fill in the Effective Date (EFF_DATE).
9. Select the Authorization Type (AUTHTYPE) from the drop-down menu:
L – Local Law
O – Ordinance
R – Resolution
S – State-Level Action
X – Other
11. Type in the Documentation Number (DOCU) or appropriate information
from the authorization type chosen if you do not plan to provide the actual
legal action paperwork.
OR
Click the Open Folder button if you wish to provide the paperwork to support
the documentation. Navigate to the folder on your computer to select the file
for upload. The GUPS automatically populates the DOCU field with the file
name.
12. Choose the appropriate Change Type (CHNG_TYPE) from the drop-down
menu.
13. Click OK to save the change.

6.3.3

To Submit a Boundary Correction

The steps for submitting a boundary change are the same as Steps 1 through 6 above,
but choose the Boundary Correction radio button instead of the Legal Change radio
button:

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

Table 36 Submit a Boundary Correction
Step

Action and Result

Step 7

Click the radio button for Boundary Correction.
Click OK.
If you plan to provide legal documentation for boundary changes such as annexations and
deannexations, choose the Legal Change radio button. You only need to provide the effective
date, authorization type, and documentation number. You are not required to provide the
paperwork, although you have that option.
Note: If you do not plan to provide the legal documentation (effective date authorization type,
and documentation number), then choose the Boundary Correction radio button.

Step 8

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6.3.4

To Add a New Legal Entity:
Table 37 Add a New Legal Entity

Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BBSP toolbar.

Step 2

2. Click on the Geography drop-down menu to choose the type of legal entity
to add.

through

3. Click the Select Features button.

Step 3

Step 4
through
Step 5

Step 6

The Add New Entity dialog box opens.

through
Step 11

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Step

Action and Result

Step 12

If the new entity crosses a county boundary, you must add the new entity in both counties
separately. After making the change in your working county, return to Map Management,
select the other county as the working county, and proceed to add the new entity in this county
as well. If the added entity crosses more than one county boundary, complete the addition in
each county affected.

6.3.5

To Delete a Legal Entity
Table 38 Delete a New Legal Entity

Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click the Modify Area Feature button on the BBSP toolbar.

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Step
Step 2
through

Action and Result
The Modify Area Feature dialog box opens.

Step 3

Step 4

If the deleted entity crosses a county boundary, you must delete the entity in both counties separately.
After making the change in your working county, return to Map Management, select the other county
as the working, and proceed to delete the entity in this county as well. If the deleted entity crosses
more than one county boundary, complete the deletion in each county affected.

Step 5

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Step

6.4

Action and Result

Point Landmark Review

Point landmark review is an optional activity. Updates are limited because many of the
point landmarks stored in the MAF/TIGER System originate from the national
Geographic Names Information System. Appendix A3: Point Landmark Updates
Permitted, lists the feature updates the Census Bureau will accept.
The GUPS will not allow you to make edits (add, delete, update attributes) for many BBSP update
activities, including point landmark updates, unless you are at a map scale greater than 1:20,000. This
means the second number in the map scale, shown on the status bar at the very bottom of the GUPS
page, must be less than 20,000.

6.4.1

To Add a Point Landmark:
Table 39 Add a Point Landmark

Step

Action and Result

Step 1

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Step

Action and Result

Step 2
through
Step 5

Step 6

6.4.2

To Modify Point Landmark Attribution:
Table 40 Modify Point Landmark Attribution

Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Step 2

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Step

Action and Result
The Edit Point Landmark dialog box opens.

Step 3
through
Step 5

6.4.3

To Delete a Point Landmark:
Table 41 Delete a Point Landmark

Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Step 2

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Step

Action and Result

Step 3

Step 4

The point landmark is deleted.

Note: In this instance, the point landmark no longer appears on the map
because this feature was not originally in the Census Bureau shapefile, it was
a user- added feature. Existing features in the Census Bureau shapefile that
are deleted by the user still appear on the map, but with different symbology
and a deletion flag assigned for Census Bureau processing.

6.5

2010/2020 Linear Feature Extension Review

GUPS allows you to review the 2010 and 2020 feature extensions. Please be aware that
if you would like a 2010 feature extension held as a 2020 block boundary, you must take
an action on the feature extension. The Census Bureau will not automatically hold the
2010 feature extensions as block boundaries for 2020. If you created 2020 feature
extensions during BBSP last year, you do not need to take any further action for those to
be considered.
During the 2010 feature extension review, you may:
1) Hold the feature extension. A 2010 feature extension flagged as a feature
extension for 2020 will be automatically flagged as Must Hold, along with the
feature segment from which they extending.
2) Delete the 2010 feature extension. Deleting an unwanted 2010 feature
extension will help the Census Bureau remove features from the MAF/TIGER
System that no longer serve a current data tabulation purpose.
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3) Ignore the 2010 feature extension. If you take no action on a 2010 feature
extension, the Census Bureau will determine whether to hold the extension and
the feature associated with it as a 2020 block boundary. Be aware that if you do
not assign an ‘Ignore’ flag to a 2010 linear feature extension during your review,
each time you activate the 2010 Linear Feature Extension Review tool in GUPS,
the tool will display the entire list of 2010 linear feature extensions which were
not assigned a flag. If you assign a flag (Hold, Delete, or Ignore) to a 2010 linear
feature extension, it is removed from the 2010 feature extensions review list.

6.6

To Review and Assign Flags to 2010 Feature Extensions:
Table 42 Review/Assign Flags

Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click the 2010 Feature Extension Review button on the BBSP toolbar.

Step 2

Step 3

The search results if there are no 2010 Linear Feature Extensions in the
county:

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Step

Action and Result
Click the OK button.

Step 4

The search results if there are 2010 linear feature extensions present: The
dialog box window populates with the 2010 Linear Feature Extensions.

Step 5
&
Step 6

Step 7

As you assign a Must Hold, Delete Linear, or Ignore action to a 2010 linear
feature extension, the extension’s status updates in the Status column.

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Step

6.7

Action and Result

Block Size Review

To facilitate your BBSP work, the Census Bureau created “planned” 2020 tabulation
blocks based on the 2020 planned tabulation block boundaries, and estimated the
number of housing units within each of these blocks. The Census Bureau assigned a
block size indicator to each block, which is based on the range of the estimated number
of housing units in the planned block.
Note: Although discrete numbers have been established in order to assign each block a
size value, the actual number of housing units in a block is approximate.
Block size indicators range from “A” through “I,” with “A” blocks having the most housing
units and “I” having the least. Planned blocks estimated to contain no housing units are
assigned an indicator letter of “Z.”
Factors considered when establishing the block sizes were the criteria for blocks groups,
with a minimum housing unit count threshold of 240 and a maximum of 1200, and the
census tract criteria, with a minimum housing unit count of 480, optimum count of 1,600,
and a maximum of 3,200. The block size indicator is found in the BLKSZIND field of the
bbsp_2016_block_ shapefile. Table 43 lists the block size categories and
indicator values.

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Table 43 Block Size Categories
Size

Approximate Number
Housing Units

Greater than 2,000 housing units

1,600-1,999

1,200-1,599

1,000-1,199

700-999

480-699

400-479

240-399

1-239

Potential “0” housing unit block

Note: The planned block size shapefile was created specifically for BBSP participants
and is not included in the normal suite of partnership shapefiles, however they will
download and automatically load in your project if you load files via the “Census
Web” or “CD/DVD” option in Map Management. If you want to add them manually,
the block shapefiles (bbsp_2016_block_) are on the provided data DVD
or can be downloaded from the following Census FTP site:
ftp://ftp2.census.gov/geo/PVS/bbsp
GUPS does not contain a specific tool for reviewing the 2020 planned blocks by size.
However, the directions below will allow you to review blocks by size category to
determine whether you wish to take an action on a planned 2020 tabulation block.
Factors to consider when reviewing block size are the block boundaries necessary for
the 2020 Participant Statistical Areas Program. For example, you may wish to review
planned blocks in the “A” and “B” size categories because they are near or exceed the
optimum 2020 census tract housing unit count. You may also choose to review blocks in
the C through H categories to suggest block boundaries, as appropriate, for the
delineation of the 2020 block groups.

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To review blocks by size:
Table 44 Review Blocks by Size
Step
Step 1

Step 2

Action and Result
Right-click the mouse on the block_ssccc layer in the Table of Contents.
Select Open Attribute Table in the menu.

The block attribute table opens. There are 10,319 blocks in county 55025.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 3
&
Step 4

If you click on the map after opening the attribute table, the attribute table may
seem to “disappear". It’s still open. Click on the QGIS task icon on the
Windows task bar, which opens active QGIS functions. Click on the Attribute
table line to restore the attribute table view.

You can follow the same procedures outlined above to review small blocks (size
category “Z”) if you wish, time permitting. You may wish to place a Do Not Hold flag on
one or more of the planned block boundaries. Small block candidates for review include
highway cloverleafs and medians.

6.8

Block Boundary Suggestion Flagging

To identify linear features that you want the Census Bureau to hold or not hold as 2020
Census tabulation block boundaries, you will use the BBSP feature flagging button on
the BBSP toolbar in the GUPS.
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You can refer to the list of features and boundaries planned as 2020 tabulation block
boundaries in Part 1, Chapter 1, Planned 2020 Census Tabulation Block Boundaries.
Because these features are planned boundaries, it is not necessary for you to place a
must-hold flag on them. However, you may place a must-hold flag on a feature that is a
2020 planned block boundary to help ensure that the feature is held if the 2020
tabulation block criteria or the feature’s classification changes from now until the time the
Census Bureau creates the 2020 tabulation blocks.
You may also place a Do Not Hold flag on features that are not desirable as block
boundaries. Features that are potential candidates for assigning a Do Not Hold flag
include private roads, trails, unimproved roads and single line hydrographic features. Be
aware that assigning a Do Not Hold flag to a feature that is a 2020 planned block
boundary does not ensure that the Census Bureau will honor your request.
The GUPS will not allow you to make edits (add, delete, update attributes) for many BBSP
update activities, including flagging block boundaries, unless you are at a map scale greater
than 1: 20,000. This means the second number in the map scale, shown on the status bar at
the very bottom of the GUPS page, must be less than 20,000.

Status Bar

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The GUPS displays the planned 2020 Census tabulation block boundaries (CBBFLG =
“4” in the edge attribute table) in light blue on the map. The GUPS displays ineligible
block boundaries (CBBFLG = “9” in the edge attribute table) in light red on the map. As
you assign Must Hold (BBSP_ 2020 = 1) and Do Not Hold (BBSP_2020 = 2) flags to
features, the feature symbology displayed by the GUPS changes. Features assigned a
Must Hold flag will have the heavier weight dashed blue symbology added on top of the
original feature symbology. Features assigned a Do Not Hold flag will have the heavier
weight dashed red line added on top of the original feature symbology. This dual
symbology allows you to visualize the planned or ineligible status of the feature and the
flag, if any, that you assigned to the feature.
Figure 14 shows the map symbology as displayed in the Table of Contents. Figure 15
shows the map symbology as displayed on the map.
If you participated in the initial BBSP last year and flagged any features as Must Holds or
Do Not Holds, you will also see these uniquely symbolized. Holds set during BBSP are
represented with blue triangles while Do Not Holds are represented with red triangles.

Figure 15 Block Boundary Symbology in the Table of Contents

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Figure 16 Block Boundary Symbology on the Map

If you want to use an existing feature as a 2020 block boundary but it does not form a
closed a polygon, you may create a 2020 linear feature extension. Click here for
technical directions on how to create a 2020 linear feature extension.

6.8.1 To Assign a 2020 Block Boundary Suggestion Flag to a Feature:
Table 45 Assign Block Boundary Suggestion Flag
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Zoom to your area of interest on the map.

Step 2

Click the Feature Flagging Tool button on the BBSP toolbar.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 3
&
Step 4

Note: All features not assigned as a 2020 planned or ineligible block boundary
by the Census Bureau have a null value. It is not necessary to assign a BBSP
flag to every feature. The NULL value in the dropdown menu allows you to
revert the status of a feature to null after you have assigned a Hold or Do not
hold flag.
Step 5

Step 6

If you assign a “Do not hold” BBSP flag to a planned 2020 tabulation block
boundary, you receive a warning message. You may either change the BBSP
flag you assigned or retain it by clicking the OK button.

If you assign a ”Hold” BBSP flag to an ineligible 2020 tabulation block
boundary, you receive a warning message. You may provide a justification for
your request by clicking the Yes button. Otherwise, click the No button.
Note: You are not required to provide a justification, although it may aid the
Census Bureau in reviewing your request.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 7

6.8.2 To Assign a 2020 Block Boundary Suggestion to Multiple
Features at Once
Table 46 Assign Block Boundary Suggestion to Multiple Features
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click the Select Features button on the Standard toolbar. Choose a method to
select multiple features. This example shows selecting features by drawing a
polygon. You can also select multiple features by clicking on the 1st feature,
holding down the CTRL key, then clicking on additional features.

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Step

Step 2

Action and Result

Draw a polygon around the edges you want to select by clicking points on the
map to capture the edges. Right click the mouse to end the polygon.

The selected edges within the polygon are highlighted.

Step 3

Step 4

Click the Feature Flagging Tool button on the BBSP toolbar.

The Feature Flagging Tool (Edge Hold/Do Not Hold) dialog box opens. The
number of selected edges (8) is indicated. Choose the flag type to assign to
the selected edges from the drop-down menu.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 5

6.8.3 To Create a 2020 Linear Feature Extension
If you want to use an existing feature as a 2020 block boundary but it does not form a
closed a polygon, you may create a 2020 linear feature extension. A linear feature
extension is a short, non-visible line that:
•

Is no longer than 300 feet in length

•

Is a straight line from the end of road and intersects a non-road feature.
Highways and freeways are acceptable as long as they have no housing units.
You may create linear feature extensions to features with MTFCCs:

•

C3024 Levee

P0002 Shoreline

C3027 Dam

P0003 Intermittent Shoreline

Hxxxx (Hydrographic features)

Rxxxx (Railroads)

L4010 Pipelines

S1100 Primary Roads

L4020 Powerlines

L4150 Coastline

Does not intersect a cul-de sac shown as an open circle or “lollipop” in the
Census Bureau files.

Illustrations of acceptable 2020 Linear Feature Extensions are shown in Figure 17.
Figure 18 depicts examples of unacceptable linear feature extensions.

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Example 1

Example 2

Figure 17 Acceptable 2020 Linear Feature Extensions

Example 1

Example 2

Figure 18 Unacceptable 2020 Linear Feature Extensions

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Table 47 Create Linear Feature Extension
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Step 2

Click here for more information on 2020 Linear Feature Extension Criteria
Step 3

Digitize the feature extension by A) clicking the left mouse button at the end
point of the feature, then B) left clicking the mouse at the point along the
feature where the extension will intersect.

Click the OK button.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 4

Step 5

6.9

Block Area Grouping Delineation

Delineating block area groupings is an optional activity. During the 2020 Census
tabulation block delineation, the Census Bureau will automatically group islands to form
a single tabulation block if they have no road features and are within a 5-kilometer
radius.
You may also group specific islands to suggest a 2020 tabulation block, called a block
area grouping (BAG). BAGs are exempt from the 5-kilometer radius requirement. The
criteria for creating a Block Area Grouping are:
•

BAG must consist of two or more islands.

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•

BAG perimeter must be entirely over water.

•

BAGs cannot overlap.

•

BAGs cannot cross the boundary of other tabulation geographies, such as county
or incorporated place boundaries.

6.9.1 To Create a Block Area Grouping:
Table 48 Create a Block Area Grouping
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Zoom to your area of interest on the map.

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

The Add Block Area Grouping confirmation dialog box opens.
Click OK to save the BAG.
Click Cancel if you would like to discard the BAG or to draw a different BAG
boundary.

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6.10

Block Boundary Review (Required)

You must initiate the Block Boundary Review of your Hold and Do Not Hold block
boundary suggestions at least once before the GUPS will allow you to create a data
output file.
Note:

6.10.1

Additional functionality was added to the Block Boundary Review Tool too late
to be added to this guide in detail. The information below is still correct;
however the screens may look slightly different. To learn more about the added
functionality, please see the Quick Reference Guide included with your mailing
or available from the 2020 Programs page at the CRVRDO website at
http://www.census.gov/rdo

To Review Your Block Boundary Suggestions:
Table 49 Review Block Boundary Suggestions

Step

Action and Result

Step 1

Step 2

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Step

Action and Result

Step 3

Step 4

Click on a row to select the feature and zoom to it on the map.
This action activates 2 of the 3 flagging change buttons (Must Hold, Do Not
Hold, or Null). The button not activated is the one that has the same flag
assignment as the feature, in this case, Do Not Hold. (The Null flag is a gray
color, not “grayed out”).

In this example, we have decided to remove the Do Not Hold flag from East Ln.
While the feature is selected, click the Null flag button.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 5

Step 6

6.11

Review Change Polygons and Geography Review

The GUPS provides two sets of tools for reviewing your updated data layers. The first
tools are available under the Review Change Polygons button: Small Area Check and
Find Holes. You must initiate both of these tools at least once before the GUPS will allow
you to create a data output file.
The Small Area Check ensures that you do not submit area changes that are too small
for the Census Bureau to process.
The Find Holes check identifies any change polygons surrounded by an entity but not
included in the entity, creating a “hole”. These “holes” may be legitimate, but they may
also be the result of delineation errors. The tool also provides the ability to make
changes to legal boundary updates as you review your original updates.

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You must perform the Small Area Check and Find Holes Check available under
the Review Change Polygons button for each geography type for which you have
created change polygons. The GUPS will not allow you to create a data output
export file unless these checks have been initiated at least once by the user.

The second tool for reviewing all shapefile layers is available under the Geography
Review button. You can filter a layer based on field values in the attribute table.
However, be aware that you cannot make changes using the Geography Review tool.

Of these two tools, you can only make changes to your previous updates using the
Review Change Polygons tool, not the Geography Review tool. However, the
Geography Review tool can be very helpful, especially as an overall review of
geography inventories for new or deleted entities, or entities with boundary changes.

6.11.1

To Review Change Polygons

Table 50 Review Change Polygons
Step

Action and Result

Step 1

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Step

Action and Result

Step 2

The Small Area Check and Find Holes buttons become activated. All change
polygons for the geography type you selected appear in the Info list window.

To Conduct the Small Area Check (Required):

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Step

Action and Result

Step 3

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Step

Action and Result

Step 4
&
Step 5

Step 6
&
Step 7

Next, Conduct the Find Holes Check (Required):

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Step
Step 1

Action and Result
While still in the Review Change Polygons dialog box (or you can click on the
Review Change Polygons button on the BBSP toolbar again):

Step 2

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Step

Action and Result

Step 3

Step 4

6.11.2

Reviewing Legal Entity Boundary Changes, Including
Legal Documentation Changes

While still in the Review Change Polygons dialog box (or you can click on the Review
Change Polygons button on the BBSP toolbar again):

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Table 51 Review Legal Entity Boundary Changes, Including Legal Documentation
Changes
Step

Action and Result

Step 1
through
Step 3

Step 4

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Step

Action and Result

Step 5

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6.11.3

Conducting a Geography Review (Optional)
Table 52 Conduct Geography Review

Step
Step 1

Step 2

Action and Result
Click the Geography Review Tool button on the BBSP Toolbar.

The Geography Review Tool dialog box opens.

Select the shapefile layer from the drop-down list for the geography you want
to review. The attribute table will display.
The layers that include “_changes_” in the name are the files you most likely
want to review. These layers are the transaction data output files for the type of
geography included in the name, where you have made changes to the layer.
For example, the highlighted row in the figure above,
bbsp16_55025_changes_incplace, is the transaction file for incorporated
places. In BBSPV, the file would be named
bbspv17_55025_changes_incplace.

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Step

Action and Result

Use the scroll bar at the bottom of the page to scroll to the right to see
additional columns in the attribute table. To see all the columns, left click the
mouse on the edge of the dialog box and, while holding down the mouse, drag
to widen the window.
Click on a row in the table and then click the Zoom button to zoom the map
view to the boundary change polygon.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 3
&
Step 4

Step 5

In the following example, CHNG_TYPE was chosen from the Column Name
drop-down menu, and Boundary Correction from the selection drop-down
menu. We can see that there are 7 boundary corrections for the incorporated
place of Black Earth. There were 5 corrections that added area to Black Earth
(Relate Field= IN), while 2 corrections removed area from Black Earth (relate
Field =OUT).

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Step

6.12

Action and Result

Closed Polygon Check

Once you have completed your BBSP work, you must initiate the closed polygon check
to ensure that your Must Hold block boundary suggestions form closed polygons. You
must run this quality control measure at least once before the GUPS will create a BBSP
data output file. You may also initiate the closed polygon check at any point during your
BBSP work. We recommend you perform the closed polygon check early in the
delineation process to validate your initial work and minimize extensive re-work later. To
Conduct the Closed Polygon Check (Required):
Table 53 Conduct Closed Polygon Check
Step
Step 1

Action and Result
Click the Closed Polygon Check button on the BBSP Toolbar.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 2

Step 3

The search window populates with any features of polygons that failed the closed
polygon check.

Double click on a row to be zoomed to that feature on the map.
Step 4

Click the
BBSP Flag button on the BBSP toolbar to change the BBSP value on the
selected feature, or on a connecting feature so it closes the polygon.

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Step

Action and Result

Step 5

If you want to assign a must hold flag to the southern part of Hardrock Rd:
Step 6

Click the

Deselect Features button on the Standard Toolbar.

Step 7

Click the

BBSP Flag button on the BBSP toolbar.

Step 8

Click the southern segment of Hardrock Rd on the map. The Feature Flagging
Tool (Edge Hold/Do Not Hold) dialog box opens.

Step 9

6.13

Choose Hold from the action drop-down menu.

Work Delegated?

Only the designated State RDP Liaison may submit BBSP files to the Census Bureau. If
you are a county, agency, or contractor completing BBSP work on behalf of the State
Liaison, you must submit the updated county file(s) to the State RDP liaison for review
and approval.
GUPS creates two different types of data output files in .zip format, depending on
whether the RDP Liaison is creating the data output for submission to the Census
Bureau or the State Liaison’s designee is creating data output files for submission to the
RDP Liaison or for sharing with other participants. The data output .zip file naming
conventions are standardized differently for each type of data output file.
Files created by a state liaison’s designee for sharing with other participants or
submitting to the State RDP Liaison for review and approval are named
bbspv17_ssccc_DataDirectory.zip, where ssccc is the state and county FIPS code.
The file must be sent to the State RDP Liaison for review, approval, and submission to
the Census Bureau. This file is created by choosing the Share with Another
Participant radio button on the Select Output type dialog box (see Section 6.13.1).

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If the State RDP liaison plans to return a file to their designee for further work after
reviewing a file submitted by the designee, they should also create a file named
bbspv17_ssccc_DataDirectory.zip. This file is created by choosing the Share with
Another Participant radio button on the Select Output type dialog box (see Section
6.13.1).
Files created by the RDP Liaison for submission to the Census Bureau are named
bbspv17_ssccc_return.zip, where ssccc is the state and county FIPS code of the file.
The State RDP Liaison chooses the Export for Census radio button on the Select
Output Style type dialog box. (See Section 6.13.2)
GUPS automatically packages into the data output .zip file all the files required for
submission to the Census Bureau.
Note: A .zip data output file is created for the working county only, not any adjacent
counties that may have been selected and loaded at the beginning of a project.
All files submitted to the Census Bureau by the RDP Liaison are submitted by
individual county.
Follow the directions below for creating data output files and sending them to the
appropriate recipient.

6.13.1
Creating a ZIP File for the State Liaison or Other NonCensus Reviewer
Table 54 Creating a ZIP File to Share with Non-Census Reviewer
Step

Action and Result
Make sure to save your project by clicking the Save button before beginning
the export process.

Step 1

Step 2

Click the Export to Zip button on the BBSP Toolbar.

If you did not save your project before beginning the Export to Zip process, you
receive a reminder message to save your project. Click the Cancel button and
save your project by clicking on the Save button on the Standard toolbar. Click
the Export to Zip button again.

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Step
Step 3

Step 4

Action and Result
The Export to Zip dialog box opens. The status of each required quality control
review check is listed, including the date and time at which it was last
performed. Each check must be initiated at least once before you can export
the dataset. These checks are available on the BBSP Toolbar.

After all the Quality Control Reviews have been initiated at least once, the
status column for each reflects DONE. The message is now a reminder
message that you should perform the quality checks (again) if you have made
updates since the last time the checks were run.

Click the OK button.
Step 5

The Select Output Type dialog box opens. Click the Share with Another
Participant radio button and then the OK button.

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Step

Action and Result

Note: It may take several minutes for the GUPS to create the .zip file. Be
patient and wait for a Windows Explorer window that automatically opens after
the file is created.
Step 6

When the .zip file has been created, a Windows Explorer window with the
GUPS directories automatically opens. All .zip data output files for the BBSP
are stored in the directory:
C:\Users\\GUPSGIS\ gupsdata\BBSP\output\.
Note: Files created using the Share With Another Participant radio button
will have the naming convention bbspv17__DataDirectory.zip.

After the .zip file has been created, send the .zip file(s) to the State RDP Liaison for
review and approval. You and your State RDP Liaison must arrange for file exchange. If,
after reviewing the file, the State RDP Liaison determines that the project needs
changes, the state may return the file to you for additional work or the RDP Liaison may
make the changes. Only the State RDP Liaison can submit files to the Census Bureau.

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6.13.2

Creating a ZIP File for Submission to the Census Bureau
Table 55 Creating Files to Submit to the Census Bureau

Step

Action and Result
Make sure to save your project by clicking the Save button before beginning
the export process.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Click the Export to Zip button on the BBSP Toolbar.

The Export to Zip dialog box opens. The status of each required quality control
review check is listed, including the date and time at which it was last
performed. Each check must be initiated at least once before you can export
the dataset. These checks are available on the BBSP Toolbar.

After all the Quality Control Reviews have been initiated at least once, the
status column for each reflects DONE. The message is now a reminder

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Step

Action and Result
message that you should perform the quality checks (again) if you have made
updates since the last time the checks were run.

Click the OK button.
Step 5

The Select Output Type dialog box opens.

Click the Export for Census radio button and then the OK button.
Note: It may take several minutes for the GUPS to create the .zip file. Be
patient and wait for the Zip File Output dialog box to open after the .zip file has
been created.
Step 6

The Zip File Output dialog box opens. Your file directory in the message will
look similar to this, with the exception of the filename.
Note: Files created using the Export to Census radio button will have the
naming convention bbspv17__return.zip.

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Step

Action and Result

Click the Yes button to view the directory folder or the No button if you do not
want to view the directory.
Step 7

If you clicked the Yes button to view the folder, the Windows Explorer window
with the GUPS directories is opened. All .zip data output files for the BBSP are
stored in the directory:
C:\Users\\GUPSGIS\gupsdata\BBSP\output\.
Note: Files created using the Export to Census radio button will have the
naming convention bbspv17__return.zip.

Submit files to the Census Bureau using the instructions in Section 7, File
Submission through SWIM.
NOTE TO RDP STATE LIASONS THAT HAVE DELEGATED WORK TO DESIGNEES:
Arrange with your designees how you plan to share files. When your designee
completes work, they should send files to you for review, approval and
submission to the Census Bureau. If you think a project needs changes, it is at
your discretion whether to return the file to the designee or make the changes
yourself.
Do not save the bbspv17__DataDirectory.zip files you receive from
your designees in the \shape folder in the directory
C:\Users\\GUPSGIS\ gupsdata\BBSP\shape\. You must save .zip
files in a different directory on your computer for GUPS to recognize and import
the .zip files.

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Step
Step 8

Action and Result
If you choose to return the file to your designee for further work, follow the
steps outlined in Table 54 to create the appropriate data output file. You will
choose the Share with Another Participant radio button instead of the Export
for Census radio button.

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Section 7. File Submission through SWIM
The Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM) is a tool for U.S. Census Bureau partners to
send their geospatial data to a Census Bureau server. For security reasons, we cannot
accept files sent via email or through our former ftp site.
For the RDP, including the Phase 1 BBSP, the Census Bureau will only accept files
submitted by the State RDP Liaison. If a county, agency, or contractor is performing
work on behalf of the state liaison, the State Liaison must review, approve, and submit
the files.
To establish a SWIM account, the Census Bureau must first provide a user a registration
token, which is a unique, single-use 12-digit number associated to an individual. Every
user must have a unique token in order to register. Once the token has been used to
establish your account, it is no longer required to access your account.
To access the SWIM, enter the following URL in a new browser window:
https://respond.census.gov/swim/.
Follow the directions below for account access and file upload.

7.1

The Login page is the first page you see, as shown in Figure 22.

7.1.1

If you already have a SWIM Account:

1. Enter your Email address and Password

2. Click the Login button, which directs you to the Welcome page.

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Figure 19 SWIM Login Screen

7.1.2

If you do not yet have a SWIM Account:

1. Click the Register Account button, which directs you to the Account
Registration page, shown in Figure 3
2. Enter the 12 digit Registration Token number provided to you by the Census
Bureau. If you do not have a token, contact the CRVRDO at 301-763-4039 or
[email protected].
3. Complete all other fields. Click the Submit button.

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Figure 20 SWIM Account Registration Screen

7.2

Welcome Page

The Welcome Page is where you initiate the file upload process. Because the SWIM
tracks files submitted and the submission date, the page appearance will change after
you have successfully uploaded files. Figure 20 depicts the Welcome Page if you have
not yet uploaded any files. Figure 21 depicts the Welcome Page appearance after you
have uploaded files.

1. To submit a file, click the Start New Upload button.

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151

Figure 21 SWIM Welcome Page (no previous files uploaded)

Figure 22 SWIM Welcome Page (files previously uploaded)

7.3

Geographic Program Page

The Geographic Program Page, shown in Figure 6, allows you to select the partnership
program for which you are submitting data.
1. Click on the radio button next to Redistricting Data Program – BBSP-VTD
(RDP).
2. Click the Next button.

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Figure 23 SWIM Geographic Program Page

7.4

Select a State

After choosing the Redistricting Data Program – BBSP-VTD (RDP), you must specify the
state for which you are submitting data, as shown in Figure 7.

1. From the drop-down list, click on your state name.
2. Click on the Next button.

Figure 24 SWIM Select a State Page (for BBSP-VTD)

7.5

Select a .ZIP File to Upload

Figure 24 depicts the file upload page. Files must be in a .zip format and you can upload
only one .zip file at a time. For the Redistricting Data Program, the GUPS will
automatically create a separate .zip file for each county.

1. Click on the + Add File button.
2. Navigate to the directory on your computer to choose the .zip file to upload.

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3. Complete the Comments box, including pertinent information about data
projection or supporting documentation.
4. Click on the Next button.

Figure 25 SWIM Select a .ZIP File to Upload Page

7.6

Thank You Page

The “Thank You” page, as shown below, confirms the receipt of your file submission.
If you do not have any additional files to upload, click on Log Out. The Census Bureau
will acknowledge the receipt of the uploaded file.
If you have additional files to upload, click on Upload Form. This choice returns you to
the Welcome screen.

If you have more files to upload, click the Upload
Form link, which returns you to the Welcome
Screen to start a new upload.
bbsp16_55025_return.zip

If you’re done uploading files, click the
L

O t li k

Figure 26 SWIM Thank You Page

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Appendices

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APPENDIX A Updates Allowed by MTFCC
The following three tables list, by MTFCC, the geographic updates permitted for area
landmarks, linear features, and point landmarks.

A.1 Area Landmark Updates Permitted
Table A1: Area Landmark Updates Permitted
MTFCC

DESCRIPTION

C3023

Island

H2030

Lake/Pond

H2040

Reservoir

H2041

Treatment Pond

H2051

Bay/Estuary/Gulf/Sound

H2081

Glacier

K1231

Hospital

K1235

Juvenile Institution

K1236

Local Jail or Detention Center

K1237

Federal Penitentiary, State Prison, or Prison Farm

K2110

Military Installation

K2131

Hospital/Hospice/Urgent Care Facility

K2180

Park

K2181

National Park Service Land

K2182

National Forest or Other Federal Land

K2183

Tribal Park, Forest, or Recreation Area

K2184

State Park, Forest, or Recreation Area

K2185

Regional Park, Forest, or Recreation Area

K2186

County Park, Forest, or Recreation Area

K2187

County Subdivision Park, Forest, or Recreation Area

K2188

Incorporated Place Park, Forest, or Recreation Area

K2189

Private Park, Forest, or Recreation Area

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A-1

MTFCC

DESCRIPTION

K2190

Other Park, Forest, or Recreation Area (quasi-public,
independent park, commission, etc.)

K2424

Marina

K2457

Airport - Area Representation

K2540

University or College

K2561

Golf Course

K2582

Cemetery

A.2 Linear Feature Updates Permitted
Table A2: Linear Feature Updates Permitted

MTFCC

DESCRIPTION

C3024

Levee

C3027

Dam

H3010

Stream/River

H3013

Braided Stream

H3020

Canal, Ditch, or Aqueduct

K2432

Pier/Dock

K2459

Runway/Taxiway

L4010

Pipeline

L4020

Power Line

L4110

Fence Line

L4121

Ridge Line

L4125

Cliff/Escarpment

L4130

Point-to Point Line

L4140

Property/Parcel Line (includes PLSS)

L4165

Ferry Crossing

P0001

Nonvisible Legal/Statistical Boundary

P0002

Perennial Shoreline

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A-2

MTFCC

DESCRIPTION

P0003

Intermittent Shoreline

P0004

Other non-visible bounding edge (e.g., Census water
boundary, boundary of areal feature

R1011

Railroad Feature (Main, Spur, or Yard

R1051

Carline, Streetcar Tract Monorail, Other Mass

R1052

Cog Rail Line, Incline Rail Line, Tram

S1100

Primary Road

S1200

Secondary Road

S1400

Local Neighborhood Road, Rural Road, City Street

S1500

Vehicular Trail (4WD)

S1630

Ramp

S1640

Service Drive usually along a limited access highway

S1730

Alley

S1740

Private Road for service vehicles (logging, oil fields,
ranches, etc.)

S1820

Bike Path or Trail

A.3 Point Landmark Updates Permitted

Table A3: Point Landmark Updates Permitted

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A-3

MTFCC

DESCRIPTION
Mountain Peak or Summit

C3022

(Attribute modification and deletions not allowed
because sourced from GNIS)

C3061

Cul-de-sac

C3062

Traffic Circle
Airport of Airfield

K2451

(Attribute modification and deletions not allowed
because sourced from GNIS)

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A-4

APPENDIX B Street Type Abbreviations
The MAF/TIGER system uses the U.S. Postal Service standard abbreviations for street
name types. The table below lists the street name type and the standard abbreviation to
use when updating or adding street names to the MAF/TIGER system.

Table B1: Street Type Abbreviations

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

ALLEY

ALY

ANEX

ANX

ARCADE

ARC

AVENUE

AVE

BAYOU

BYU

BEACH

BCH

BEND

BND

BLUFF

BLF

BLUFFS

BLFS

BOTTOM

BTM

BOULEVARD

BLVD

BRANCH

BRIDGE

BRG

BROOK

BRK

BROOKS

BRKS

BURG

BURGS

BGS

BYPASS

BYP

CAMP

CANYON

CYN

CAPE

CPE

CAUSEWAY

CSWY

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B-1

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

CENTER

CTR

CENTERS

CTRS

CIRCLE

CIR

CIRCLES

CIRS

CLIFF

CLF

CLIFFS

CLFS

CLUB

CLB

COMMON

CMN

COMMONS

CMNS

CORNER

COR

CORNERS

CORS

COURSE

CRSE

COURT

COURTS

CTS

COVE

COVES

CVS

CREEK

CRK

CRESCENT

CRES

CREST

CRST

CROSSING

XING

CROSSROAD

XRD

CROSSROADS

XRDS

CURVE

CURV

DALE

DAM

DIVIDE

DRIVE

DRIVES

DRS

ESTATE

EST

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B-2

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

ESTATES

ESTS

EXPRESSWAY

EXPY

EXTENSION

EXT

EXTENSIONS

EXTS

FALL

FALLS

FLS

FERRY

FRY

FIELD

FLD

FIELDS

FLDS

FLAT

FLT

FLATS

FLTS

FORD

FRD

FORDS

FRDS

FOREST

FRST

FORGE

FRG

FORGES

FRGS

FORK

FRK

FORKS

FRKS

FORT

FREEWAY

FWY

GARDEN

GDN

GARDENS

GDNS

GATEWAY

GTWY

GLEN

GLN

GLENS

GLNS

GREEN

GRN

GREENS

GRNS

GROVE

GRV

GROVES

GRVS

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B-3

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

HARBOR

HBR

HARBORS

HBRS

HAVEN

HVN

HEIGHTS

HTS

HIGHWAY

HWY

HILL

HILLS

HLS

HOLLOW

HOLW

INLET

INLT

ISLAND

ISLANDS

ISS

ISLE

JUNCTION

JCT

JUNCTIONS

JCTS

KEY

KEYS

KYS

KNOLL

KNL

KNOLLS

KNLS

LAKE

LAKES

LKS

LAND

LANDING

LNDG

LANE

LIGHT

LGT

LIGHTS

LGTS

LOAF

LOCK

LCK

LOCKS

LCKS

LODGE

LDG

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B-4

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

LOOP

MALL

MANOR

MNR

MANORS

MNRS

MEADOW

MDW

MEADOWS

MDWS

MEWS

MILL

MILLS

MLS

MISSION

MSN

MOTORWAY

MTWY

MOUNT

MOUNTAIN

MTN

MOUNTAINS

MTNS

NECK

NCK

ORCHARD

ORCH

OVAL

OVERPASS

OPAS

PARK

PARKS

PARK

PARKWAY

PKWY

PARKWAYS

PKWY

PASS

PASSAGE

PSGE

PATH

PIKE

PINE

PNE

PINES

PNES

PLACE

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B-5

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

PLAIN

PLN

PLAINS

PLNS

PLAZA

PLZ

POINT

POINTS

PTS

PORT

PRT

PORTS

PRTS

PRAIRIE

RADIAL

RADL

RAMP

RANCH

RNCH

RAPID

RPD

RAPIDS

RPDS

REST

RST

RIDGE

RDG

RIDGES

RDGS

RIVER

RIV

ROAD

ROADS

RDS

ROUTE

RTE

ROW

RUE

RUN

SHOAL

SHL

SHOALS

SHLS

SHORE

SHR

SHORES

SHRS

SKYWAY

SKWY

SPRING

SPG

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B-6

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

SPRINGS

SPGS

SPUR

SPURS

SPUR

SQUARE

SQUARES

SQS

STATION

STA

STRAVENUE

STRA

STREAM

STRM

STREET

STREETS

STS

SUMMIT

SMT

TERRACE

TER

THROUGHWAY

TRWY

TRACE

TRCE

TRACK

TRAK

TRAFFICWAY

TRFY

TRAIL

TRL

TRAILER

TRLR

TUNNEL

TUNL

TURNPIKE

TPKE

UNDERPASS

UPAS

UNION

UNIONS

UNS

VALLEY

VLY

VALLEYS

VLYS

VIADUCT

VIA

VIEW

VIEWS

VWS

VILLAGE

VLG

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B-7

Street Name Type

Standard Abbreviation

VILLAGES

VLGS

VILLE

VISTA

VIS

WALK

WALKS

WALK

WALL

WAY

WAYS

WELL

WELLS

WLS

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B-8

APPENDIX C MTFCC Descriptions
The MAF/TIGER Feature Classification Code (MTFCC) is a 5-digit code assigned by the
Census Bureau to classify and describe geographic objects or features in Census
Bureau MAF/TIGER products. The table below describes each code. You can download
a more comprehensive version of the table at
http://www.census.gov/geo/reference/mtfcc.html.

Table C1: Complete List of MTFCC Descriptions

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

C3022

Mountain Peak or
Summit

C3023

Island

C3024

Levee

A prominent elevation rising above the surrounding level of the
Earth's surface.
An area of dry or relatively dry land surrounded by water or low
wetland [including archipelago, atoll, cay, hammock, hummock,
isla, isle, key, moku and rock].
An embankment flanking a stream or other flowing water feature to
prevent overflow.

C3026

Quarry (not
water-filled),
Open Pit Mine or
Mine

C3027

Dam

C3061

Cul-de-sac

C3062

Traffic Circle

C3066
C3067

Gate
Toll Booth

C3071

Lookout Tower

C3074

Lighthouse
Beacon

C3075

Tank/Tank Farm

C3076

Windmill Farm

An area from which commercial minerals are or were removed
from the Earth; not including an oilfield or gas field.
A barrier built across the course of a stream to impound water
and/or control water flow.
An expanded paved area at the end of a street used by vehicles
for turning around. For mapping purposes, the U.S. Census
Bureau maps it only as a point feature.
A circular intersection allowing for continuous movement of traffic
at the meeting of roadways.
A movable barrier across a road.
A structure or barrier where a fee is collected for using a road.
A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for
observation.
A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for
transmission of light and possibly sound generally to aid in
navigation.
One or more manmade structures, each higher than its diameter,
used for liquid (other than water) or gas storage or for distribution
activities.
One or more manmade structures used to generate power from
the wind.

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C-1

MTFCC

Feature Class

C3077

Solar Farm

C3078
C3079
C3080

Monument or
Memorial
Boundary
Monument Point
Survey Control
Point

Feature Class Description
One or more manmade structures used to generate power from
the sun.
A manmade structure to educate, commemorate, or memorialize
an event, person, or feature.
A material object placed on or near a boundary line to preserve
and identify the location of the boundary line on the ground.
A point on the ground whose position (horizontal or vertical) is
known and can be used as a base for additional survey work.
A point that identifies the location and name of an unbounded
locality (e.g., crossroad, community, populated place or locale).

C3081

Locality Point

C3085

Alaska Native
Village Official
Point

A point that serves as the core of an Alaska Native village and is
used in defining Alaska Native village statistical areas.

G2100

American Indian
Area

A legally defined state- or federally recognized reservation and/or
off-reservation trust land (excludes statistical American Indian
areas).

G2120

Hawaiian Home
Land

A legal area held in trust for the benefit of Native Hawaiians.

G2130

Alaska Native
Village Statistical
Area

G2140

Oklahoma Tribal
Statistical Area

G2150

State-designated
Tribal Statistical
Area

G2160

Tribal Designated
Statistical Area

G2170

American Indian
Joint Use Area

G2200

Alaska Native
Regional
Corporation

G2300

Tribal Subdivision

A statistical geographic entity that represents the residences,
permanent and/or seasonal, for Alaska Natives who are members
of or receiving governmental services from the defining legal
Alaska Native Village corporation.
A statistical entity identified and delineated by the Census Bureau
in consultation with federally recognized American Indian tribes
that have no current reservation, but had a former reservation in
Oklahoma.
A statistical geographic entity identified and delineated for the
Census Bureau by a state-appointed liaison for a state-recognized
American Indian tribe that does not currently have a reservation
and/or lands in trust.
A statistical geographic entity identified and delineated for the
Census Bureau by a federally recognized American Indian tribe
that does not currently have a reservation and/or off-reservation
trust land.
An area administered jointly and/or claimed by two or more
American Indian tribes.
Corporate entities established to conduct both business and
nonprofit affairs of Alaska Natives pursuant to the Alaska Native
Claims Settlement Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-203). There are
twelve geographically defined ANRCs and they are all within and
cover most of the State of Alaska (the Annette Island Reserve-an
American Indian reservation-is excluded from any ANRC). The
boundaries of ANRCs have been legally established.
Administrative subdivisions of federally recognized American
Indian reservations, off-reservation trust lands, or Oklahoma tribal
statistical areas (OTSAs). These entities are internal units of self-

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

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MTFCC

Feature Class

G2400

Tribal Census
Tract

G2410

Tribal Block
Group

G3100

Combined
Statistical Area

G3110

Metropolitan and
Micropolitan
Statistical Area

G3120

Metropolitan
Division

G3200

G3210

G3220

Combined New
England City and
Town Area
New England
City and Town
Metropolitan and
Micropolitan
Statistical Area
New England
City and Town
Division

G3500

Urban Area

G4000

State or
Equivalent
Feature

G4020

County or
Equivalent
Feature

G4040

County
Subdivision

Feature Class Description
government or administration that serve social, cultural, and/or
economic purposes for the American Indians on the reservations,
off-reservation trust lands, or OTSAs.
A relatively small and permanent statistical subdivision of a
federally recognized American Indian reservation and/or offreservation trust land, delineated by American Indian tribal
participants or the Census Bureau for the purpose of presenting
demographic data.
A cluster of census blocks within a single tribal census tract
delineated by American Indian tribal participants or the Census
Bureau for the purpose of presenting demographic data
A grouping of adjacent metropolitan and/or micropolitan statistical
areas that have a degree of economic and social integration, as
measured by commuting.
An area containing a substantial population nucleus together with
adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and
social integration with that core, as measured by commuting.
Defined using whole counties and equivalents.
A county or grouping of counties that is a subdivision of a
Metropolitan Statistical Area containing an urbanized area with a
population of 2.5 million or more.
A grouping of adjacent New England city and town areas that have
a degree of economic and social integration, as measured by
commuting.
An area containing a substantial population nucleus together with
adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and
social integration with that core, as measured by commuting.
Defined using Minor Civil Divisions (MCDs) in New England.
A grouping of cities and towns in New England that is a
subdivision of a New England City and Town Area containing an
urbanized area with a population of 2.5 million or more.
Densely settled territory that contains at least 2,500 people. The
subtypes of this feature are Urbanized Area (UA), which consists
of 50,000 + people and Urban Cluster, which ranges between
2,500 and 49,999 people.
The primary governmental divisions of the United States. The
District of Columbia is treated as a statistical equivalent of a state
for census purposes, as is Puerto Rico.
The primary division of a state or state equivalent area. The
primary divisions of 48 states are termed County, but other terms
are used such as Borough in Alaska, Parish in Louisiana, and
Municipio in Puerto Rico. This feature includes independent cities,
which are incorporated places that are not part of any county.
The primary divisions of counties and equivalent features for the
reporting of Census Bureau data. The subtypes of this feature are
Minor Civil Division, Census County Division/Census Subarea,

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

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MTFCC

Feature Class

G4050

Estate

G4060

Subbarrio
(Subminor Civil
Division)

G4110

Incorporated
Place

G4120

Consolidated City

G4210

Census
Designated Place

G4300

Economic
Census Place

G5020

Census Tract

G5030

Block Group

G5035

Block Area
Grouping

G5040

Tabulation Block

Feature Class Description
and Unorganized Territory. This feature includes independent
places, which are incorporated places that are not part of any
county subdivision.
Estates are subdivisions of the three major islands in the United
States Virgin Islands (USVI).
Legally defined divisions (subbarrios) of minor civil divisions
(barrios-pueblo and barrios) in Puerto Rico.
A legal entity incorporated under state law to provide generalpurpose governmental services to a concentration of population.
Incorporated places are generally designated as a city, borough,
municipality, town, village, or, in a few instances, have no legal
description.
An incorporated place that has merged governmentally with a
county or minor civil division, but one or more of the incorporated
places continues to function within the consolidation. It is a place
that contains additional separately incorporated places.
A statistical area defined for a named concentration of population
and the statistical counterpart of an incorporated place.
The lowest level of geographic area for presentation of some types
of Economic Census data. It includes incorporated places,
consolidated cities, census designated places (CDPs), minor civil
divisions (MCDs) in selected states, and balances of MCDs or
counties. An incorporated place, CDP, MCD, or balance of MCD
qualifies as an economic census place if it contains 5,000 or more
residents, or 5,000 or more jobs, according to the most current
data available.
Relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a County or
equivalent feature delineated by local participants as part of the
Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program.
A cluster of census blocks having the same first digit of their fourdigit identifying numbers within a Census Tract. For example,
block group 3 (BG 3) within a Census Tract includes all blocks
numbered from 3000 to 3999.
A user-defined group of islands forming a single census tabulation
block. A BAG must: (1) consist of two or more islands, (2) have a
perimeter entirely over water, (3) not overlap, and (4) not cross the
boundary of other tabulation geographies, such as county or
incorporated place boundaries.
The lowest-order census defined statistical area. It is an area,
such as a city block, bounded primarily by physical features but
sometimes by invisible city or property boundaries. A tabulation
block boundary does not cross the boundary of any other
geographic area for which the Census Bureau tabulates data. The
subtypes of this feature are Count Question Resolution (CQR),
current, and census.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

C-4

MTFCC

Feature Class

G5200

Congressional
District

G5210

State Legislative
District (Upper
Chamber

G5220

State Legislative
District (Lower
Chamber)

G5240

Voting District

G5400
G5410
G5420

G6120

Elementary
School District
Secondary
School District
Unified School
District
Public-Use
Microdata Area

G6300

Traffic Analysis
District

G6320

Traffic Analysis
Zone

G6330

Urban Growth
Area

G6350
G6400
H1100

Zip Code
Tabulation Area
(Five-Digit)
Commercial
Region
Connector

Feature Class Description
The 435 areas from which people are elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives. Additional equivalent features exist for state
equivalents with nonvoting delegates or no representative. The
subtypes of this feature are 106th, 107th, 108th, 109th, and 111th
Congressional Districts, plus subsequent Congresses.
Areas established by a state or equivalent government from which
members are elected to the upper or unicameral chamber of a
state governing body. The upper chamber is the senate in a
bicameral legislature, and the unicameral case is a single house
legislature (Nebraska).
Areas established by a state or equivalent government from which
members are elected to the lower chamber of a state governing
body. The lower chamber is the House of Representatives in a
bicameral legislature.
The generic name for the geographic features, such as precincts,
wards, and election districts, established by state, local, and tribal
governments for the purpose of conducting elections.
A geographic area within which officials provide public elementary
grade-level educational services for residents.
A geographic area within which officials provide public secondary
grade-level educational services for residents.
A geographic area within which officials provide public educational
services for all grade levels for residents.
A decennial census area with a population of at least 100,000 or
more persons for which the Census Bureau provides selected
extracts of household-level data that are screened to protect
confidentiality.
An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations
(MPOs) and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for
tabulating journey-to-work and place-of-work data. A Traffic
Analysis District (TAD) consists of one or more Traffic Analysis
Zones (TAZs).
An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations
(MPOs) and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for
tabulating journey-to-work and place-of-work data.
An area defined under state authority to manage urbanization that
the U.S. Census Bureau includes in the MAF/TIGER® Database
in agreement with the state.
An approximate statistical-area representation of a U.S. Postal
Service (USPS) 5-digit ZIP Code service area.
For the purpose of presenting economic statistical data,
municipios in Puerto Rico are grouped into commercial regions.
A known, but nonspecific, hydrographic connection between two
nonadjacent water features.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

C-5

MTFCC

Feature Class

H2025

Swamp/Marsh

H2030
H2040
H2041

Lake/Pond
Reservoir
Treatment Pond
Bay/Estuary/Gulf/
Sound

A standing body of water that is surrounded by land.
An artificially impounded body of water.
An artificial body of water built to treat fouled water.
A body of water partly surrounded by land [includes arm, bight,
cove and inlet].

Ocean/Sea
Gravel Pit/Quarry
filled with water

The great body of salt water that covers much of the earth.
A body of water in a place or area from which commercial minerals
were removed from the Earth.
A body of ice moving outward and down slope from an area of
accumulation; an area of relatively permanent snow or ice on the
top or side of a mountain or mountainous area [includes ice field
and ice patch].
A natural flowing waterway [includes anabranch, awawa, branch,
brook, creek, distributary, fork, kill, pup, rio, and run].
A natural flowing waterway with an intricate network of interlacing
channels.
An artificial waterway constructed to transport water, to irrigate or
drain land, to connect two or more bodies of water, or to serve as
a waterway for watercraft [includes lateral].
A point or area in which the population of military or merchant
marine vessels at sea are assigned, usually being at or near the
home port pier.

H2051
H2053
H2060

H2081

Glacier

H3010

Stream/River

H3013

Braided Stream

H3020

Canal, Ditch or
Aqueduct

K1225

Crew-of-Vessel
Location

K1231

Hospital/Hospice/
Urgent Care
Facility

K1235

Juvenile
Institution

K1236

Local Jail or
Detention Center

K1237

K1238

K1239

Federal
Penitentiary,
State Prison, or
Prison Farm
Other
Correctional
Institution
Convent,
Monastery,
Rectory, Other
Religious Group
Quarters

Feature Class Description
A poorly drained wetland, fresh or saltwater, wooded or grassy,
possibly covered with open water [includes bog, cienega, marais
and pocosin].

One or more structures where the sick or injured may receive
medical or surgical attention [including infirmary].
A facility (correctional or non-correctional) where groups of
juveniles reside; this includes training schools, detention centers,
residential treatment centers and orphanages.
One or more structures that serve as a place for the confinement
of adult persons in lawful detention, administered by a local
(county, municipal, etc.) government.
An institution that serves as a place for the confinement of adult
persons in lawful detention, administered by the federal
government or a state government.
One or more structures that serve as a place for the confinement
of adult persons in lawful detention, not elsewhere classified or
administered by a government of unknown jurisdiction.
One or more structures intended for use as a residence for those
having a religious vocation.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

C-6

MTFCC

Feature Class

K1246

Community
Center

K2110

Military
Installation

K2165
K2167

Government
Center
Convention
Center

K2180

Park

K2181

National Park
Service Land

K2182

National Forest
or Other Federal
Land

K2183

K2184

K2185

K2186

K2187

K2188

K2189

K2190

Tribal Park,
Forest, or
Recreation Area
State Park,
Forest, or
Recreation Area
Regional Park,
Forest, or
Recreation Area
County Park,
Forest, or
Recreation Area
County
Subdivision Park,
Forest, or
Recreation Area
Incorporated
Place Park,
Forest, or
Recreation Area
Private Park,
Forest, or
Recreation Area
Other Park,
Forest, or
Recreation Area
(quasi-public,
independent

Feature Class Description
Community Center.
An area owned and/or occupied by the Department of Defense for
use by a branch of the armed forces (such as the Army, Navy, Air
Force, Marines, or Coast Guard), or a state owned area for the
use of the National Guard.
A place used by members of government (either federal, state,
local, or tribal) for administration and public business.
An exhibition hall or conference center with enough open space to
host public and private business and social events.
Parkland defined and administered by federal, state, and local
governments.
Area—National parks, National Monuments, and so forth—under
the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.
Land under the management and jurisdiction of the federal
government, specifically including areas designated as National
Forest, and excluding areas under the jurisdiction of the National
Park Service.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a
cultural or natural resource and under the administration of an
American Indian tribe.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a
cultural or natural resource and under the administration of a state
government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a
cultural or natural resource and under the administration of a
regional government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a
cultural or natural resource and under the administration of a
county government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a
cultural or natural resource and under the administration of a
minor civil division (town/township) government.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a
cultural or natural resource and under the administration of a
municipal government.
A privately owned place or area set aside for recreation or
preservation of a cultural or natural resource.
A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a
cultural or natural resource and under the administration of some
other type of government or agency such as an independent park
authority or commission.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

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MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

park,
commission, etc.)
K2191

Post Office

K2193
K2194
K2195

Fire Department
Police Station
Library

K2196

City/Town Hall

K2400

Transportation
Terminal

K2432

Pier/Dock

K2451

Airport or Airfield

K2452

Train Station,
Trolley or Mass
Transit Rail
Station

K2453

Bus Terminal

K2454

Marine Terminal

K2455

K2456

K2457

K2458
K2459
K2460
K2540

Seaplane
Anchorage
Airport—
Intermodal
Transportation
Hub/Terminal
Airport—
Statistical
Representation
Park and Ride
Facility/Parking
Lot
Runway/Taxiway
Helicopter
Landing Pad
University or
College

An official facility of the U.S. Postal Service used for processing
and distributing mail and other postal material.
Fire Department.
Police Station.
Library.
City/Town Hall.
A facility where one or more modes of transportation can be
accessed by people or for the shipment of goods; examples of
such a facility include marine terminal, bus station, train station,
airport and truck warehouse.
A platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by
piles. This platform may provide access to ships and boats, or it
may be used for recreational purposes.
A manmade facility maintained for the use of aircraft [including
airstrip, landing field and landing strip].
A place where travelers can board and exit rail transit lines,
including associated ticketing, freight, and other commercial
offices.
A place where travelers can board and exit mass motor vehicle
transit, including associated ticketing, freight, and other
commercial offices.
A place where travelers can board and exit water transit or where
cargo is handled, including associated ticketing, freight, and other
commercial offices.
A place where an airplane equipped with floats for landing on or
taking off from a body of water can debark and load.
A major air transportation facility where travelers can board and
exit airplanes and connect with other (i.e. non-air) modes of
transportation.
The area of an airport adjusted to include whole 2000 census
blocks used for the delineation of urban areas
A place where motorists can park their cars and transfer to other
modes of transportation.
A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by airplanes for
taking off and landing at an airport.
A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by helicopters for
taking off and landing.
A building or group of buildings used as an institution for postsecondary study, teaching, and learning [including seminary].

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

C-8

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

K2543

School or
Academy

A building or group of buildings used as an institution for
preschool, elementary or secondary study, teaching, and learning
[including elementary school and high school].

K2561

Museum, Visitor
Center, Cultural
Center, or Tourist
Attraction
Golf Course

K2582

Cemetery

K2586

Zoo

K3544

Place of Worship

L4010

Pipeline

L4020

Powerline

L4031

Aerial
Tramway/Ski Lift

L4110

Fence Line

L4121

Ridge Line

L4125

Cliff/Escarpment

K2545

L4130
L4140

Point-to-Point
Line
Property/Parcel
Line (Including
PLSS)

L4150

Coastline

L4165

Ferry Crossing

P0001

Nonvisible Linear
Legal/Statistical
Boundary

An attraction of historical, cultural, educational or other interest
that provides information or displays artifacts.
A place designed for playing golf.
A place or area for burying the dead [including burying ground and
memorial garden].
A facility in which terrestrial and/or marine animals are confined
within enclosures and displayed to the public for educational,
preservation, and research purposes.
A sanctified place or structure where people gather for religious
worship; examples include church, synagogue, temple, and
mosque.
A long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, with
pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport fluid (e.g.,
crude oil, natural gas), especially over great distances.
One or more wires, often on elevated towers, used for conducting
high-voltage electric power.
A conveyance that transports passengers or freight in carriers
suspended from cables and supported by a series of towers.
A man-made barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc.,
usually made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent entrance,
to confine, or to mark a boundary.
The line of highest elevation along a ridge.
A very steep or vertical slope. [including bluff, crag, head,
headland, nose, palisades, precipice, promontory, rim and rimrock]
A line defined as beginning at one location point and ending at
another, both of which are in sight.
This feature class may denote a nonvisible boundary of either
public or private lands (e.g., a park boundary) or it may denote a
Public Land Survey System or equivalent survey line.
The line that separates either land or Inland water from Coastal,
Territorial or Great Lakes water. Where land directly borders
Coastal, Territorial or Great Lakes water, the shoreline represents
the Coastline. Where Inland water (such as a river) flows into
Coastal, Territorial or Great Lakes water, the closure line
separating the Inland water from the other class of water
represents the Coastline.
The route used to carry or convey people or cargo back and forth
over a waterbody in a boat.
A legal/statistical boundary line that does not correspond to a
shoreline or other visible feature on the ground.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

C-9

MTFCC
P0002
P0003

P0004

R1011

R1051

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

Perennial
Shoreline
Intermittent
Shoreline
Other non-visible
bounding Edge
(e.g., Census
water boundary,
boundary of an
areal feature)
Railroad Feature
(Main, Spur, or
Yard)
Carline, Streetcar
Track, Monorail,
Other Mass
Transit

The more-or-less permanent boundary between land and water for
a water feature that exists year-round.
The boundary between land and water (when water is present) for
a water feature that does not exist year-round.

R1052

Cog Rail Line,
Incline Rail Line,
Tram

S1100

Primary Road

S1200

Secondary Road

S1400

Local
Neighborhood
Road, Rural
Road, City Street

S1500

Vehicular Trail
(4WD)

S1630

Ramp

A bounding Edge that does not represent a legal/statistical
boundary, and does not correspond to a shoreline or other visible
feature on the ground. Many such Edges bound area landmarks,
while many others separate water features from each other (e.g.,
where a bay meets the ocean).
A line of fixed rails or tracks that carries mainstream railroad
traffic. Such a rail line can be a main line or spur line, or part of a
rail yard.
Mass transit rail lines (including lines for rapid transit, monorails,
streetcars, light rail, etc.) that are typically inaccessible to
mainstream railroad traffic and whose tracks are not part of a road
right-of-way.
A special purpose rail line for climbing steep grades that is
typically inaccessible to mainstream railroad traffic. Note that
aerial tramways and streetcars (which may also be called “trams”)
are accounted for by other MTFCCs and do not belong in R1052
Primary roads are generally divided, limited-access highways
within the interstate highway system or under state management,
and are distinguished by the presence of interchanges. These
highways are accessible by ramps and may include some toll
highways.
Secondary roads are main arteries, usually in the U.S. Highway,
State Highway or County Highway system. These roads have one
or more lanes of traffic in each direction, may or may not be
divided, and usually have at-grade intersections with many other
roads and driveways. They often have both a local name and a
route number.
Generally a paved non-arterial street, road, or byway that usually
has a single lane of traffic in each direction. Roads in this feature
class may be privately or publicly maintained. Scenic park roads
would be included in this feature class, as would (depending on
the region of the country) some unpaved roads.
An unpaved dirt trail where a four-wheel drive vehicle is required.
These vehicular trails are found almost exclusively in very rural
areas. Minor, unpaved roads usable by ordinary cars and trucks
belong in the S1400 category.
A road that allows controlled access from adjacent roads onto a
limited access highway, often in the form of a cloverleaf
interchange. These roads are unaddressable and do not carry a
name in MAF/TIGER.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

C-10

MTFCC

Feature Class

Feature Class Description

S1640

Service Drive
usually along a
limited access
highway
Walkway/Pedestr
ian Trail

A road, usually paralleling a limited access highway, that provides
access to structures along the highway. These roads can be
named and may intersect with other roads.

S1710
S1720

Stairway

S1730

Alley

S1740

Private Road for
service vehicles
(logging, oil
fields, ranches,
etc.)
Internal U.S.
Census Bureau
use

S1750

S1780
S1820

Parking Lot Road
Bike Path or Trail

S1830

Bridle Path

S2000

Road Median

A path that is used for walking, being either too narrow for or
legally restricted from vehicular traffic.
A pedestrian passageway from one level to another by a series of
steps.
A service road that does not generally have associated addressed
structures and is usually unnamed. It is located at the rear of
buildings and properties and is used for deliveries.
A road within private property that is privately maintained for
service, extractive, or other purposes. These roads are often
unnamed.

Internal U.S. Census Bureau use.

The main travel route for vehicles through a paved parking area.
A path that is used for manual or small, motorized bicycles, being
either too narrow for or legally restricted from vehicular traffic.
A path that is used for horses, being either too narrow for or legally
restricted from vehicular traffic.
The unpaved area or barrier between the carriageways of a
divided road.

Note: The information in this table was last updated in November 2016.

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

C-11

APPENDIX D SHAPEFILE DATA DICTIONARY
The Census Bureau’s partnership shapefiles consist of numerous layers and their
accompanying tables representing different geographies. Table D1 lists the shapefile
layer name and the geography each layer represents. Tables D2 through D34 list the
data table for each of the layers listed in Table D1, with the attribute fields, their length,
type, and description.

Table D1: Shapefile Layer Names/Tables
SHAPEFILE LAYER

GEOGRAPHIC
LEVEL

NAME

American Indian Areas (AIA) - Legal

County/State

Aial

American Indian / Alaska Native Areas (AIANA) - Statistical

County/State

Aias

American Indian Tribal Subdivisions (AITS) - Legal

County/State

Aitsl

American Indian Tribal Subdivisions (AITS) - Statistical

County/State

Aitss

Alaska Native Regional Corporations (ANRC)

County/State

Anrc

Area Landmark

County only

Arealm

Block Area Grouping

County/State

Bag

Census Block Groups

County only

Block Size Indicator

County only

Block

Metropolitan/ Micropolitan Statistical Area

County/State

Cbsa

County Subdivisions – Statistical

County/State

Ccd

Congressional Districts (CD)

County/State

Census Designated Places (CDP)

County/State

Cdp

Consolidated Cities

County only

Concity

Counties and Equivalent Areas

County/State

County

Census Tracts

County only

Curtracts

Edges (All Lines)

County only

Edges

School Districts (Elementary)

County/State

Elsd

County Subdivisions – Legal

County/State

Mcd

New England City and Town Area

County/State

Necta

Offsets

County only

Offset

Incorporated Places

County/State

Place

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-1

SHAPEFILE LAYER

GEOGRAPHIC
LEVEL

NAME

Point Landmarks

County only

Pointlm

Public Use Microdata Areas – Census 2010

County/State

Puma2010

School Districts (Secondary)

County/State

Scsd

State Legislative Districts (Lower/House)

County/State

Sldl

State Legislative Districts (Upper/Senate)

County/State

Sldu

States and Equivalent Areas

State only

State

Subbarrios

County only

Submcd

Census Blocks - Current

County only

Tabblock

Census Blocks – Census 2010

County only

Tabblock2010

Traffic Analysis Districts – Census 2010

County only

Tad2010

Traffic Analysis Zone

County only

Taz2010

Tribal Block Group

County/State

Tbg

Census Tracts – Census 2010

County/State

Tracts2010

Urban Area/ Urban Cluster – Census 2010

County/State

Uac

Urban Growth Areas (UGA)

County only

Uga

School Districts (Unified)

County/State

Unsd

Hydrography - Area

County only

Water

Address Ranges (Relationship Table)

County

Addr

Linear Feature Names (Relationship Table)

County

Allnames

Topological Faces - Area Landmark Relationship

County

Areafaces

Topological Faces (Listing of faces with all geocodes)

County

Faces

Topological Faces - Area Hydrography Relationship

County

Hydrofaces

Table D2: American Indian Areas - Legal
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP*

String

FIPS County Code

AIANNHCE

String

Census AIANNH Code

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-2

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

COMPTYP

String

Indicates if reservation (or equivalent) or off-reservation
trust land is present, or both

AIANNHFSR

String

Flag indicating level of recognition of an American
Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian tribe or group.

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

AIANNHNS

String

ANSI numeric identifier for AIANNH Areas

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS55 class code describing entity

PARTFLG*

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

DOCU

120

String

Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID for any boundary update

AREA

Numeric
(3 decimal
places)

Acreage of area update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-3

Table D3: American Indian /Alaska Native Areas - Statistical
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP*

String

FIPS County Code

AIANNHCE

String

Census AIANNH Code

COMPTYP

String

Indicates if reservation (or equivalent) or off-reservation
trust land is present, or both

AIANNHFSR

String

Flag indicating level of recognition of an American
Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian tribe or group.

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

AIANNHNS

String

ANSI numeric identifier for AIANNH Areas

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS55 class code describing entity

PARTFLG*

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

NAME

100

String

Name

Table D4: American Indian Tribal Subdivisions - Legal
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP*

String

FIPS County Code

AIANNHCE

String

Census AIANNH Code

TRIBSUBCE

String

Census Tribal subdivision

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

AIANNHNS

String

ANSI numeric identifier for AIANNH Areas

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-4

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS55 class code describing entity

PARTFLG*

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

DOCU

120

String

Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID for any boundary update

AREA

Numeric
(3
decimal
places)

Acreage of area update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

AIANNHFSR

String

Flag indicating level of recognition of an American
Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian tribe or group.

Table D5: American Indian Tribal Subdivisions - Statistical
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP*

String

FIPS County Code

AIANNHCE

String

Census AIANNH Code

TRIBSUBCE

String

Census Tribal subdivision

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

AIANNHNS

String

ANSI numeric identifier for AIANNH Areas

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS55 class code describing entity

PARTFLG*

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-5

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

DOCU

120

String

Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID for any boundary update

AREA

Numeric
(3
decimal
places)

Acreage of area update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

AIANNHFSR

String

Flag indicating level of recognition of an American
Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian tribe or group.

Table D6: Alaska Native Regional Corporations
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP*

String

FIPS County Code

ANRCFP

String

FIPS ANRC Code (State Based)

ANRCCE

String

Current Census ANRC Code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

AIANNHNS

String

ANSI numeric identifier for AIANNH Areas

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS55 class code describing entity

PARTFLG*

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

DOCU

120

String

Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID for any boundary update

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-6

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

AREA

Numeric (3
decimal
places)

Acreage of area update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

AIANHFSR

String

Flag indicating level of recognition of an American
Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian tribe or group.

Table D7: Block Size Indicator
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

String

FIPS County Code

TRACTCE

String

Census Tract Code

BLOCKCE

String

Tabulation Block Number

BLOCKID

String

FIPS State Code, FIPS County Code, Census Tract
Code, Tabulation Block Number, Census Block Suffix 1,
Census Block Suffix 2

AREALAND

Numeric (3
decimal
places)

Current Area Land in Square Meters

AREAWATER

Numeric (3
decimal
places)

Current Area Water in Square Meters

LWBLKTYP

String

Land/Water Block Type: B = Both Land and Water; L =
Land; W = Water

PERIMETER

String

Perimeter of Block in Square Meters

SHAPEIDX

String

(√ (4πA/P2), where A=Area of block & P = Perimeter of
block

BLKSZIND

String

Block Size Indicator

COUNTYFP

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-7

This Page Intentionally Left Blank

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-8

Table D8: Congressional Districts
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP*

String

FIPS County Code

CDFP

String

Congressional District Code

CDTYP

String

Congressional District Type

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective date or vintage

NEW_CODE

String

New Congressional District Code

RELTYPE1

String

Relationship Type 1

RELTYPE2

String

Relationship Type 2

RELTYPE3

String

Relationship Type 3

RELTYPE4

String

Relationship Type 4

RELTYPE5

String

Relationship Type 5

REL_ENT1

String

Relationship Entity 1

REL_ENT2

String

Relationship Entity 2

REL_ENT3

String

Relationship Entity 3

REL_ENT4

String

Relationship Entity 4

REL_ENT5

String

Relationship Entity 5

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

CDSESSN

String

Congressional District Session Code

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

Table D9: Hawaiian Homelands

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-9

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP*

String

FIPS County Code

AIANNHCE

String

Census AIANNH Code

COMPTYP

String

Indicates if reservation (or equivalent) or off-reservation
trust land is present, or both

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

AIANNHNS

String

ANSI numeric identifier for AIANNH Areas

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS55 class code describing entity

PARTFLG*

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

DOCU

120

String

Supporting documentation

FORM_ID

String

Record ID for any boundary update

AREA

Numeric (3
decimal
places)

Acreage of area update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

AIANNHFSR

String

Flag indicating level of recognition of an American
Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian tribe or group.

NAME

100

String

Name

Table D10: School Districts
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP*

String

FIPS County Code

SDLEA

String

Current Local Education Agency Code

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-10

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

NAME

100

String

Name of School District

LSAD

Integer

Legal/Statistical Area Description

HIGRADE

String

Highest grade for which the district is financially
responsible

LOGRADE

String

Lowest grade for which the district is financially
responsible

PARTFLG*

String

Part Flag Indicator

POLYID

String

Record ID for each update polygon for linking back to
the submission log

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

Table D11: State Legislative Districts (Upper/Senate)
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP*

String

FIPS County Code

SLDUST

String

SLD Upper Chamber Code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

PARTFLG*

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

NEW_NAME

100

String

New SLDU Name

NEW_CODE

String

New SLDU Code

RELTYPE1

String

Relationship Type 1

RELTYPE2

String

Relationship Type 2

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-11

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

RELTYPE3

String

Relationship Type 3

RELTYPE4

String

Relationship Type 4

RELTYPE5

String

Relationship Type 5

REL_ENT1

String

Relationship Entity 1

REL_ENT2

String

Relationship Entity 2

REL_ENT3

String

Relationship Entity 3

REL_ENT4

String

Relationship Entity 4

REL_ENT5

String

Relationship Entity 5

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

LSY

String

Legislative Session Year

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

Table D12: State Legislative Districts (Lower/Senate)
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP*

String

FIPS County Code

SLDLST

String

SLD Lower Chamber Code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

PARTFLG*

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

NEW_NAME

100

String

New SLDL Name

NEW_CODE

String

New SLDL Code

RELTYPE1

String

Relationship Type 1

RELTYPE2

String

Relationship Type 2

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-12

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

RELTYPE3

String

Relationship Type 3

RELTYPE4

String

Relationship Type 4

RELTYPE5

String

Relationship Type 5

REL_ENT1

String

Relationship Entity 1

REL_ENT2

String

Relationship Entity 2

REL_ENT3

String

Relationship Entity 3

REL_ENT4

String

Relationship Entity 4

REL_ENT5

String

Relationship Entity 5

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

LSY

String

Legislative Session Year

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

Table D13: Urban Growth Areas
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

UGACE

String

Urban Growth Area Code

UGATYP

String

Urban Growth Area Type

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

PARTFLG

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

AREA

Double

Acreage of Update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-13

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

NAME

100

String

Name

Table D14: Census Block Groups
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

String

FIPS County Code

TRACTCE

String

Census Tract Code

BLKGRPCE

String

Block Group Code

BLKGRPID

String

FIPS State Code, FIPS County Code, Census Tract
Code, Block Group Code

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

BGTYP

String

Block Group Characteristic Flag

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

COUNTYFP

Table D15: Census Blocks - Current
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

String

FIPS County Code

STATEFP10

String

FIPS 2010 State Code

COUNTYFP10

String

FIPS 2010 County Code

TRACTCE10

String

Census Tract Code

BLOCKCE

String

Tabulation Block Number

COUNTYFP

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-14

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

SUFFIX1CE

String

Census Block Suffix 1

SUFFIX2CE

String

Census Block Suffix 2

BLOCKID

String

FIPS State Code, FIPS County Code, Census Tract
Code, Tabulation Block Number, Census Block Suffix 1,
Census Block Suffix 2

Table D16: Census Blocks - Census 2010
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP10

String

FIPS 2010 State Code

COUNTYFP10

String

FIPS 2010 County Code

TRACTCE10

String

Census Tract Code

BLOCKCE

String

Tabulation Block Number

BLOCKID10

String

FIPS State Code, FIPS County Code, Census Tract
Code, Tabulation Block Number

PARTFLG

String

Part Flag Indicator

HOUSING10

Integer

2010 Housing

POP10

Integer

Census 2010 population count

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-15

Table D17: Census Tracts
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

String

FIPS County Code

TRACTCE

String

Census Tract Code

NAME

100

String

Name

TRACTID

String

FIPS State Code, FIPS County Code, Census Tract
Code

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

TRACTTYP

String

Tract Characteristic Flag

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

TRACTLABEL

String

Tract number used for LUCA geocoding

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

COUNTYFP

Table D18: Census Designated Places
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP*

String

FIPS County Code

PLACEFP

String

FIPS 55 Place Code

PLACENS

String

ANSI feature code for the place

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 Class Code describing an entity

PARTFLG

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-16

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-17

Table D19: Consolidated City
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

String

FIPS County Code

CONCITYFP

String

FIPS 55 Place Code

CONCITYCE

String

Census Consolidated City Code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

PLACENS

String

ANSI feature code for the place

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 Class Code describing an entity

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

DOCU

120

String

Supporting Documentation

FORM_ID

String

(GUPS and Web BAS only)

AREA

Double

Acreage of Update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

COUNTYFP

Table D20: County and Equivalent Areas
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

COUNTYNS

String

ANSI Feature Code for the County or Equivalent
Feature

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD code

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description code

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 Class Code describing an entity

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-18

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of area update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

DOCU

120

String

Supporting Documentation

FORM_ID

String

(GUPS and Web BAS only)

AREA

Double

Acreage of Area Update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

Table D21: County Subdivisions - Legal (MCD)
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

COUSUBFP

String

FIPS County Subdivision Code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

COUSUBNS

String

ANSI feature code for the county subdivision

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 Class Code describing an entity

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

DOCU

120

String

Supporting Documentation

FORM_ID

String

(GUPS and Web BAS only)

AREA

Double

Acreage of Update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-19

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

Table D22: County Subdivisions - Statistical (CCD)
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

COUSUBFP

String

FIPS County Subdivision Code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

COUSUBNS

String

ANSI feature code for the county subdivision

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 Class Code describing an entity

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-20

Table D23: Incorporated Place
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP*

String

FIPS County Code

PLACEFP

String

FIPS 55 Place Code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

PLACENS

String

ANSI feature code for the place

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

CLASSFP

String

FIPS 55 Class Code describing an entity

PARTFLG

String

Part Flag Indicator

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

DOCU

120

String

Supporting Documentation

FORM_ID

String

(GUPS and Web BAS only)

AREA

Double

Acreage of Update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

Table D24: States and Equivalent Areas
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

String

USPS State Abbreviation

NAME

Integer

Name

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

STATENS

120

String

ANSI feature code for the state

STATEUSPS

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-21

Table D25: Subarrios
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

COUSUBFP

String

FIPS County Subdivision Code

SUBMCDFP

String

FIPS Sub-minor Civil Division Code

NAMELSAD

100

String

Name with translated LSAD

SUBMCDNS

String

ANSI feature code for the sub-minor civil division

LSAD

String

Legal/Statistical Area Description

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

AREA

Double

Acreage of Update

RELATE

120

String

Relationship Description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

FORM_ID

String

(GUPS and Web BAS only)

NAME

100

String

Name

VINTAGE

String

Vintage updated with returned data

FUNCSTAT

String

Functional Status

Table D26: Edges (All Lines)
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

State FIPS Code

COUNTYFP

String

County FIPS Code

TLID

Integer

Permanent Edge ID

TFIDL

Integer

Permanent Face ID (Left)

TFIDR

Integer

Permanent Face ID (Right)

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-22

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

FIDELITY

String

Indication to a respondent when their entity boundary
has changed through spatial enhancement

FULLNAME

120

String

Prefix qualifier code, prefix direction code, prefix type
code, base name, suffix type code, suffix qualifier code

SMID

String

Spatial Tmeta ID

BBSPFLG

String

2010 block boundary suggestion

CBBFLG

String

Planned 2020 block boundary

BBSP_2020

String

BBSP Participant suggested 2020 Census block
boundary

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of linear update

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

LTOADD

String

Left To Address

RTOADD

String

Right To Address

LFROMADD

String

Left From Address

RFROMADD

String

Right From Address

ZIPL

String

Left Zip Code

ZIPR

String

Right Zip Code

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-23

Table D27: Area Landmark
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

FULLNAME

120

String

Prefix direction code, prefix type code, base name,
suffix type code, suffix direction code

AREAID

Integer

Landmark identification number

ANSICODE

String

ANSI code for area landmarks

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Landmark update

EFF_DATE

String

Effective Date or Vintage

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

BAG

String

Block Area Grouping

Table D28: Hydrography Area
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

String

FIPS County Code

ANSICODE

String

ANSI code for hydrography area

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

FULLNAME

120

String

Prefix direction code, prefix type code, base name,
suffix type, suffix type code, suffix direction code

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

HYDROID

String

Hydrography Identification Number

RELATE

120

String

Relationship description

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

COUNTYFP

Table D29: Point Landmarks

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-24

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

String

FIPS County Code

POINTID

Integer

Point Landmark Identification Number

ANSICODE

Char

Official Code for Federal Agency use

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

FULLNAME

120

String

Prefix type code, base name, suffix type code

CHNG_TYPE

String

Type of Area Update

JUSTIFY

150

Char

Justification

COUNTYFP

Table D30: Topological Faces - Geogrpahic Entity Relationships
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

TFID

Integer

Permanent Face ID

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

TRIBSUBCE

String

Census Tribal Subdivision

TTRACTCE

String

Tribal Census Tract Code

TBLKGRPCE

String

Tribal Census Block Group Code

AIANNHCE

String

Census AIANNH Code

COMPTYP

String

Indicates if reservation (or equivalent) or off-reservation
trust land is present, or both

ANRCCE

String

FIPS ANRC Code

SLDUST

String

SLD Upper Chamber Code

SLDLST

String

SLD Lower Chamber Code

ELSD

String

Current ELSD Local Education Agency (LEA) Code

SCSD

String

Current SCSD Local Education Agency (LEA) Code

UNSD

String

Current UNSD Local Education Agency (LEA) Code

CDFP

String

Congressional District Code

TRACTCE

String

Census Tract Code

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-25

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

UACE

String

Census Urban Area Code

BLKGRPCE

String

Census Block Group Code

BLOCKCE

String

Tabulation Block Number

SUFFIX1CE

String

Census Block Suffix 1

SUFFIX2CE

String

Census Block Suffix 2

TAZCE

String

Traffic Analysis Zone Code

SUBMCDFP

String

FIPS 55 Sub-minor Civil Division Code

UGACE

String

Urban Growth Area Code

VTDST10

String

2010 Voting District Code

STATEFP10

String

FIPS 2010 State Code

COUNTYFP10

String

FIPS 2010 County Code

TRACTCE10

String

Census 2010 Tract Code

PLACEFP

String

FIPS 55 Place Code

COUSUBFP

String

FIPS 55 County Subdivision Code

CONCITYFP

String

FIPS 55 Place Code

LWFLG

String

Land/Water Flag

Table D31: Topological Faces - Area Landmark Relationships
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

TFID

Integer

Permanent Face ID

AREAID

Integer

Object ID

Table D32 Topological Faces - Hydrography Area Relationships
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

TFID

Integer

Permanent Face ID

HYDROID

Integer

Object ID

Table D33: Address Ranges

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-26

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

TLID

Integer

TIGER Line ID

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

FROMHN

String

From House Number

TOHN

String

To House Number

SIDE

String

Side Indicator Flag

ZIP

String

5-digit ZIP Code

PLUS4

String

ZIP+4 Code

LFROMADD

String

Left From Address

LTOADD

String

Left To Address

RFROMADD

String

Right From Address

RTOADD

String

Right To Address

ZIPL

String

Left 5-digit ZIP Code

ZIPR

String

Right 5-digit ZIP Code

ZIP4L

String

Left ZIP+4 Code

ZIP4R

String

Right ZIP+4 Code

Table D34: Linear Feature Names
ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

OID

Integer

Object ID

STATEFP

String

FIPS State Code

COUNTYFP

String

FIPS County Code

NAME

100

String

Name

PREDIR

String

Prefix Direction code component of feature name

PRETYP

String

Prefix Type code component of feature name

PREQUAL

String

Prefix Qualifier code component of feature name

SUFDIR

String

Suffix Direction code component of feature name

SUFTYP

String

Suffix Type code component of feature name

SUFQUAL

String

Suffix Qualifier code component of feature name

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

D-27

ATTRIBUTE
FIELD

LENGTH

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

MTFCC

String

MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code

PAFLAG

String

Primary/Alternate flag

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

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APPENDIX E Acronyms
The table below lists the acronyms used throughout the Block Boundary Suggestion
Project GUPS User’s Guide and the explanation of these abbreviations.

Table E1: Acronyms
ACRONYM

EXPLANATION

BAS

Boundary and Annexation Survey

BAG

Block Area Grouping

BBSP

Block Boundary Suggestion Project

CBBFLG

Census Block Boundary Flag

CRVRDO

Census Redistricting & Voting Rights Data Office

FIPS

Federal Information Processing Standard

GNIS

Geographic Names Information System

GUPS

Geographic Update Partnership Software

MAF/TIGER
MCD
MTFCC
OGC
QC

Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic and
Encoding Reference (System)
Minor Civil Division
MAF TIGER Feature Classification Code
Open Geospatial Consortium
Quality Control

QGIS

Q (formerly Quantum) Geographic Information System

SWIM

Secure Web Incoming Module

URL

Uniform Resource Locator

VTD

Voting District Project

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

E-1

APPENDIX F BBSP Participation Support
Direct all questions, regarding the Block Boundary Suggestion Project, both procedural
and GUPS technical questions, to:
Census Redistricting & Voting Rights Data Office (301) 763-4039
Direct technical questions regarding the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM) to:
[email protected].

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

F-1

APPENDIX G County Completion Tracking Sheet
BBSP Participants can print this sheet to track completed work and submissions to the
state (for designees), or to the Census Bureau (for RDP Liaisons).

GEOGRAPHIC DATA

BBSP UPDATE

SUBMISSION TRACKING

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

General Geog
Review
Validation

Block Boundary
Review

BAGs

BBSP

Block Size

2010 Feature

Pt Landmark

Legal Boundary
Review

County Name

Review

FIPS

Review
Area Landmark

County

Linear Feature

Date
Sent
to State

Date Sent To
Census
(RDP Liaison)

(Designee)

G-1

GEOGRAPHIC DATA

BBSP UPDATE

SUBMISSION TRACKING

Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User Guide

General Geog
Review
Validation

Block Boundary
Review

BAGs

BBSP

Block Size

2010 Feature

Pt Landmark

Legal Boundary
Review

Review

FIPS

County Name

Review
Area Landmark

County

Linear Feature

Date
Sent
to State

Date Sent To
Census
(RDP Liaison)

(Designee)

G-2

File Type	application/pdf
File Title	Block Boundary Suggestion Project GUPS User’s Guide
Author	U.S.Census Bureau
File Modified	2017-03-09
File Created	2016-12-22