JACKSON, Wyo. — Can we all get on the same page and not in the same lane?
The zipper merge is designed to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion. According to traffic engineers, it is the most efficient way for traffic to funnel from two lanes into one lane. When drivers use both lanes until the merge point and then take turns merging, it utilizes the full capacity of the roadway. At the merge point, an alternating “you go, I go” method (think “zipper”) will get everyone more expediently into a single lane.
Drivers can be afraid to try it because they don’t want to appear rude to other drivers.
What usually happens is that most motorists begin getting over into a single lane as soon as they see a sign instructing them to do so. This practice wastes good lane space and causes unnecessary delays, stringing vehicles out for far longer than neccesary.
So, feel free to remain in the lane that is closing until the lane is actually disappearing.
The zipper merge relies on a key ingredient: reciprocating grace and cooperation. Too often, a driver behind the wheel of a car will see another driver merging in from the other lane as some kind of road hog looking to pull a fast one. Be gracious, that’s exactly how the zipper merge was meant to work.
So, to review, when driving into two lanes that are merging, pick the shorter lane (ideally, they would be about equal in length) and remain in the lane until the point of merge, then alternate.
Good luck out there!
