The City of Windsor is encouraging drivers to embrace the zipper merge once again this construction season, saying it will cut the time traffic is waiting to drive through a construction zone.
What is zipper merging?
That's where drivers use both lanes until the merger point and then take turns moving into a single lane through the construction zone. Used correctly, it moves traffic through the construction zone steadily instead of backing up in long single-lane queues.
When drivers merge early, the city said it leaves valuable road space unused, creating longer delays and frustrating drivers.
"The zipper merge works because it uses all available road space and encourages drivers to merge in an orderly and predictable way," said Executive Director of Operations and Deputy City Engineer, Stacey McGuire. "It's not about cutting in, it's about keeping traffic moving efficiently."
