Zipper Merge

Most Minnesota motorists start to merge in construction zones as soon as they see warning signs and learn which lane ahead is closed. This driving behavior, called "early merge" can lead to dangerous lane switching, inconsistent driving speeds that cause crashes, long back-ups that block interchanges, and road rage.

Research shows, however, that these dangers decrease and traffic moves more smoothly when motorists use both lanes until reaching the defined merge area and then alternate in "zipper" fashion into the open lane.
(http://www.dot.state.mn.us/zippermerge/)

• Category

  News & Politics

[Matt Cluever]

I think it's funny that people all pile up in one lane a mile before they need to. It opens up my lane to LEGALLY drive all the way up to the merge. Please keep this marvel of efficiency a secret so I keep my fast lane. Anyone who thinks it's a good idea to crawl along while people fly by in the other lane is an idiot.

[Drew Christensen]

In my opinion and my experience, all this does is reduce the distance of the backup, not your wait time. It looks like a shorter congestion, but you're still shoving the same amount of vehicles through the same bottleneck, so it's no faster. It's pretty.

[Oddie Eddie]

wrong. you must allow that person to merge.

[Oddie Eddie]

Drew, you are entitled to your opinion. However is it dead wrong.  The benefits of zipper merge are... 1) Reduces differences in speeds between two lanes, 2) Reduces the overall length of traffic backup by as much as 40 percent, 3) Reduces congestion on freeway interchanges and 4) Creates a sense of fairness and equity that all lanes are moving at the same rate. This is based on data, not opinion

[Jon Carpenter]

Drew, you not doing the simple math? By allowing the blocked traffic to be reduced (the distance away from the merge) the regular speed of cars coming up to the backup can be maintained closer to the bottleneck.Then once you have merged safe speeds can be resumed in the construction zones thereby reducing the time it takes to merge. Yes, you are right, when there is construction it sucks because we are not able to go as fast as normal...THAT is still a definite sucky fact.

[jpablotr]

people in MN will allow you to do it!

[jkeithv65]

Wrong. Most states make it a law that vehicles in the primary lane allow vehicles forced to enter that lane to merge (whether because of construction or just because it is an on-ramp onto the freeway). That is what makes the zipper merge work.

[nate-m nate-m]

They may be being a dick. But just because you want to merge doesn't mean that somebody is obligated to let you over.

If all a person does is allow people to merge in front of them then they are being a jerk to everybody behind them. The person allowing the merge and can be slowing everybody behind themselves for the sake of feeling like they are a 'nice' guy.

You have to decide whether or not it's your turn to move forward or if it's the other guy's when deciding to allow merges.

[nate-m nate-m]

Your opinion and experience on the facts are incorrect.

By not using the 'zipper merge' you are essentially extending the zone of 'one lane only' from several hundred meters to several miles. Why bother having more then one lane at all? It's really the people that try to block traffic and merge early are ones being inconsiderate assholes, not the people that speed up to the front and merge at the last minute!

[Jackie Landin]

This type of merging is new to me. Just moved to Minnesota in March. What do you do if someone doesn't let you merge when you're clearly supposed to be allowed to merge?

[Snovishvishbvat]

I am not Nicki, you are wrong.

[Cnorris97]

ah my old nemiss, you are wrong