Ohio Department of Transportation says Zipper merge works; drivers annoyed

(WKBN) – If you’ve ever been driving through construction where one lane is ending and drivers must merge, then you are aware of the annoyance many drivers feel about vehicles that run up the lane that is closing instead of merging sooner. But, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation, that might be the right thing to do.

The spring construction season is beginning, and ODOT wants drivers to know what to do when lanes merge. ODOT says the zipper merge at these points benefits all drivers.

Zipper merges can ease congestion and shorten backups by 40%, delaying congestion by 14 minutes and cutting the line of cars by over 1/3 of a mile, the agency said.

ODOT says you don’t have to merge ahead of time, as many drivers think.

“It is not necessary to merge a mile before the lane ends. But don’t just take our word for it. The Federal Highway Administration states: ‘Drivers often attempt to merge into the appropriate lane as soon as possible, which can lead to potentially unsafe driving behavior such as slowing too quickly, excessive braking, or dangerous lane changes,'” the agency wrote in response to a question about the zipper merge on a social media post.

ODOT said the best way to get everyone to bet on board with the zipper method is education, and they’ve been using signs telling drivers what to do since 2021.

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