[Mpls] Pinched in the Zipper on Minnehaha

[Dan Prozinski]

Can someone explain the new addition to the intersection at 32nd and 
Minnehaha?  With some effort and expense, there was recently added a 
protuberance from the right hand curb of the north bound lane that 
restricts traffic from lining up to exit on lake street.  This reduces 
potential traffic flow through the intersection and seems to run 
counter to the notion of moving traffic along.  Why do we always have 
to add control elements to our traffic system?  What terrible traffic 
problem did this solve?  Like the "zipper merge" there is efficiency in 
simplicity.  Minnehaha Avenue is one long bottleneck that needs a more 
simplistic approach.

"zipper merge" (sounds like a painful wrestling move)
Dan Prozinski
Cedar-Riverside


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
>
>

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