BUSINESSES ADJUST TO CITY'S NEW ZIP CODE

Businesses are making some quick adjustments to the U.S. Postal Service's new zip code for Cape Girardeau.

The business mail of Cape Girardeau is helping make the new zip code work, said Michael Keefe, manager of the Cape Girardeau Post Office.

Some 80 percent of the city's mail is business mail, and most companies have adopted the new zip code to receive mail discounts.

The new zip code -- 63703 -- went into effect July 1.

"So far, so good," Keefe said. "When we went into the new zip code, we considered it a two-year process."

The new zip code was adopted because of the growth of the city and immediate area, Keefe said.

"We were running out of the four-digit add-on for our current zip code," he said.

Independence Street is the dividing line between the existing 63701 zip code and the new 63703 code.

Keefe doesn't have a count of individuals who have adopted the new zip code, but a lot of people are making the change. The Christmas mail could be a big benefit to the new code.

"We'll be urging everyone to use their new zip code when sending out cards," he said.

Starting at the Mississippi River, the new zip code area is south of Independence to Mount Auburn Road, south on Mount Auburn to Route K and across Interstate 55.

People living on both sides of Independence are in the new zip code area.

The new numbers will give the city three zip codes -- existing codes 63701 north of Independence and 63702 for post office boxes, and the new 63703 for south of Independence.

Adding a zip code is a long process, Keefe said.

Although it may take two years for everyone to change their zip codes, Keefe said the changeover shouldn't adversely affect mail delivery.

"Our zip code sorting machines are adjusted to handle the codes both ways," he said.