If you’ve ever needed to embrace the zipper merge, now’s the time to drive Fort Collins’ busiest road into town off Interstate 25.
Unless you prefer to wait even longer in Harmony Road traffic, which will continue under construction with reduced lanes over the next month.
Crews are currently milling (removing some of the existing asphalt pavement to prepare for repaving) lanes, resulting in lane reductions from about Corbett Drive east to near Interstate 25. Signs are in place to alert drivers of reductions of tracks.
Work will continue to progress along Harmony Road, so zipper merging is essential to keep traffic moving.
The Zipper merger is not “cutting the line” and has been proven to improve traffic flow when drivers do it correctly.
Here are the benefits of zipper fusion and how to perform it correctly, according to several highway safety organizations.
What is a zipper merge?
Whenever there is a lane reduction ahead, drivers in the ending lane must fill that lane until the merge is necessary. This way, cars occupy all lanes until closure, rather than being piled up in a long queue in one lane, which reduces traffic flow.
Does zipper fusion really improve traffic flow?
The Colorado Department of Transportation encourages the practice when done safely. CDOT claims it reduces delays by up to 40% in highly congested areas. Sometimes the department posts signs to remind drivers to use it.
It has also been proven to reduce accidents in construction zones.
Here are some tips on how to make zipper fusion efficient
-
Vehicles must occupy all lanes of traffic for as long as possible.
-
At the merge point, those in the passing lane have priority and are not required by law to allow the merge, but are encouraged to do so.
-
Use your blinkers to indicate that you want to merge.
-
Make eye contact with the driver of the track vehicle to be sure he is willing to allow you to merge.
-
Be courteous and give a nod of thanks when allowed to merge.
Colorado reporter Rebecca Powell contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared in the Fort Collins Coloradoan: Embrace the zipper fusion to face the construction of Harmony Road
