drive
We all win when drivers use the zipper merge
bY MIStY harrIS
We’ve all been there : A sign warns
of a lane closure ahead. You have two
options: Immediately merge into the
bottleneck and secure your spot in line,
or drive to the end of the closing lane
before making your move—in front of
drivers who waited their turn.
Both driver types—the “line-uppers”
and the “cheaters”—tend to be equally
convinced their way is best. The former
because their behaviour seems polite
and less stressful; the latter because
their strategy leverages empty road real
estate and saves time. But who’s right?
Congestion
Buster
How to execute a
safe and successful
zipper merge
16
Spring 2018
Traffic congestion is a major source
of stress for Canadians. CAA’s 2017
study, Grinding to a Halt, Evaluating
Canada’s Worst Bottlenecks, concludes
that traffic bottlenecks affect Canadians
in every major urban market. “They
increase driving times by as much as
50 percent,” says Jeff Walker, chief
strategy officer for CAA National.
The research shows that Toronto,
Montreal, Vancouver and Quebec
City rank highest in bottlenecks. The
study notes other cities like Regina,
Winnipeg, Ottawa and Halifax also
• Drive consistently. Don’t
rush ahead, only to slam on
your brakes later. • If there is no bottleneck
and an early merge makes
sense, feel free to do so.
• When ready to move over,
signal your intent and merge
in an alternating fashion. • The zipper merge works
best in traditional congestion
situations like construction
CAA SaSkatchewan
zones. If a lane closure is
due to a crash or break-
down, reduce your speed
and move over as soon as
possible to avoid endan-
gering emergency workers
and/or tow truck operators.
The “Cheat” is On
experience serious traffic delays.
“Reducing bottlenecks will improve the
quality of life for millions of Canadians,
save millions of dollars in fuel costs and
reduce greenhouse gases,” Walker says.
One solution is the zipper merge. It
allows drivers to fully use both lanes until
the point of closure (or defined merge
area), then alternate zipper-like into the
open lane. The technique maximizes
available road space, fostering fairness
and courtesy when everyone abides
by it. Research shows it can reduce
congestion by as much as 40 percent.
“Typically, we like to line up and
wait. Nobody likes seeing other
cars race past them,” says Christine
Niemczyk, director of corporate
affairs and public relations with
CAA Saskatchewan. “Zipper merging,
when performed properly, can help
alleviate congestion and improve
traffic flow.”
CAA’s endorsement in the media
of this technique sparked a national
conversation about merging. And
Canadian motorists have shown a real
passion for discussing best practices.
A small change in thinking can make
a huge difference.
But changing behaviour is just one
potential solution to congestion. It’s
not likely that one action can solve the
problem. That’s why CAA is conducting
more research to examine other fixes
and evaluate when each one works best.
The study, due out soon, looks at
simple solutions (posting tow trucks at
known rush-hour chokepoints, retiming
stoplights regularly), as well as more
elaborate and expensive measures
(building more urban transit and
bike paths).
Zipper merging—in combination
with other road solutions—will help
keep everyone moving.