We’ve learned the Diverging Diamond at Stadium & I-70. In a month, we’ll get to experience the Dogbone roundabout.  Now, get ready for the Zipper Merge.

With so many work zones cropping up on I-70, you wait to merge closer to the actual construction area, not when the construction signs first appear. The video is a fun way to explain what is suppose to happen. And MoDOT’s press release explains it further:

“When two lanes merge into one in near a work zone, most motorists start to merge as soon as they see warning signs and learn which lane is closed. In heavy congestion, MoDOT urges drivers to use both lanes up until the merge point, merging in a zipper-like fashion. Research shows driver frustration decreases, traffic moves more smoothly and congestion reduces by up to 40 percent when the zipper merge technique is used.”