Missouri, Kansas Join Other States Pushing ‘Zipper Merge’

Transportation departments in Missouri and Kansas have joined Minnesota and Washington in urging drivers to use the “zipper merge” method when approaching lane closures.   Zipper merging is to use all available lanes until the last minute and then alternate entry into the open lane.   This method helps reduce accidents by keeping both lanes moving at the same speed.  To educate drivers on how the zipper merge works and encourage them to use it, Missouri has used a public relations campaign and Kansas has tried electronic signs and also measured the pace of traffic flow with Doppler radar.