Rick should be nominated for "Man-of-the-Year" award for pointing this out. I'd say that most of all the traffic jams on metro highways is due to drivers not knowing about the "zipper merge." If you would try to educate people around here to start thinking about this and using the technique, they would probably shrug their shoulders and politely ignore you. Good luck to MnDOT for trying.
David Wilson Loring Park On Tue, 30 Nov 2004, Rick Mons wrote: > No, this isn't any risqu� post -- it's my Seasonal Gift to drivers > everywhere -- including Minneapolis, of course! > > Use the "zipper merge" when traffic comes down from two (or three) lanes to > one (or two) lanes. What that means is that drivers use all the lanes until > just before the lanes shrink ... and then take turns at that "merging > point." That's different than the "Minnesota Way" which is for some drivers > to enter (or stay in) the "surviving lane" way before the merging point and > thus inciting "Road Rage" as other drivers drive in the less-used lane to > the merging point. > > The Zipper Merge is now the official approved Minnesota methodology per > MN-DOT. While the news release primarily addresses work zone lane closures, > the release also states " Mn/DOT also (hopes) motorists will use the zipper > approach whether message signs are posted or not in any drop lane situations > when traffic is congested." > > > For the full release, see: > http://www.dot.state.mn.us/newsrels/04/08/31merge.html > > And, to see how the zipper method works better, see the video demonstration > on this page: > http://www.dot.state.mn.us/information/dynamicmerge/factsheet.html > > > Rick Mons > Tanglewood neighborhood of Shoreview > > > > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL > PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
