Just zip it! Study suggests way to cut down on congestion

NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – How many times have you been driving along and notice a lane closure up ahead on the highway forcing you to merge into another lane? You immediately move over but as you sit in the bottleneck, you see another car sneak right up to the front of the merging lane which probably drives you crazy but a new study says drivers who cheat like that are in the right.

It’s known as the ‘zipper merge’ and if you’ve ever driven through the Massey Tunnel or over the Lions Gate bridge, chances are you’ve probably done it but maybe didn’t know there was a name for it. The Alberta Motor Association is claiming the driving tactic can actually help reduce congestion by as much as 40 per cent but only if everyone were to simply follow the zipper.

“Merging methods are highly debated among Alberta motorists,” says Jeff Kasbrick, vice-president of government and stakeholder relations at the AMA. “But if you ask transportation specialists, they’ll tell you the best approach is the one that benefits everyone: a zipper merge.”

In other words, it’s OK to cheat. “When traffic isn’t backed up and an early merge makes sense, drivers should do so,” says Kasbrick. “But in times of heavy congestion, using both lanes – followed by an orderly zipper merge — improves safety and efficiency.”

A recent study released by the CAA claims that bottlenecked traffic when the road ultimately narrows is the single biggest contributor to road delays and even more so than weather events, crashes and even construction. “Nearly two-thirds of Canadians believe traffic is getting worse in their city,” argues Kasbrick.

Earlier this week the CAA released its list of top 20 worst bottlenecks in the country and four Vancouver routes made the cut.

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