Zipper Merge

To optimize travel through the I-94 West lane reduction, a zipper merge will be in place. Check out this video to see it in action.

[williamfriar]

The zipper merge is an idea that was created by road construction crews with the intent of slowing traffic to a crawl. It works. Nothing slows traffic down more than having to come to a complete stop so a motorist who intentionally entered a closing lane can get back out of that lane and into the proper lane once that motorist comes up to the orange barrels at the choke point.

[BenjaminRoethig]

Unless there is a stop signal or a cop, this won't work.

[aemtu]

Zipper lanes move multiple times a day based on traffic.

[JTinGR]

Zipper merging is great in theory, but human nature defeats its purpose.  That human nature being the overreaction of drivers when two adjacent cars need to occupy the same space ahead.  Instead of proceeding with a smooth merge, a lot of people tend to slow down too much, often times even coming to a stop, thus creating a chain reaction and eventual parking lot on the highway behind them.  Until people can learn to maintain their speed, and transition smoothly from two lanes to one, the zipper merge will never be a successful answer to traffic backups.