"Do the zipper merge" (Minneapolis, St. Cloud: cars, summers, work)

[dravogadro]

Doesn't 494 to 35W N have that retaining wall that squeezes traffic between the off-ramp and the on-ramp to get onto 35W ?

[RC01]

Originally Posted by dravogadro

Doesn't 494 to 35W N have that retaining wall that squeezes traffic between the off-ramp and the on-ramp to get onto 35W ?

I hate that!

[Thegonagle]

Originally Posted by Lyndale22

When I moved to the cities, the cloverleaf from the SB 35W to the EB 694 had NO merge area, the ramp just "dumped" you into the traffic lane with a concrete bridge wall where your shoulder space should've been. It's been updated now.

If I recall correctly, that was originally built with a merge area. The right lane of EB 694 was an exit only lane that took you north bound only on 35W. After the 35W bridge collapse, they kind of half-ass painted an extra lane on EB 694 between 94 and 35W SB. It was meant as a temporary "fix" for the increase in traffic using the southbound 35W exit while the bridge was out, but instead of putting it back the way it was, they eventually fixed it up as it is today.

Actually, the cloverleaf from hwy 7 to the SB 100 is still that way today.

Another interchange that was kind of half-ass rebuilt to "temporary" standards in 2007 (hence, the ugly traffic lights hanging from wires, and the lack of concrete curbs or other finishing touches). It really helped traffic flow, but they're still hemmed in until they can replace the WPA-era bridges in the area. Total reconstruction is supposed to begin in a couple of years.

Another "REALLY!?" within the twin cities freeway system is the ramps to go from the SB 169 to the WB 212 by way of the crosstown; essentially, you have to move from merging in on the right to taking a left exit ramp within (I'm estimating) 1/4 mile.

That's been like that since before I started driving in the early 90's. In the old days, 212 didn't go very far (well, it actually became Hwy 5 if you didn't exit at Valley View), Chanhassan and Chaska were little towns surrounded by rural areas, and that exit didn't carry half the traffic is does today. It wasn't the worst back then, but they need to do something now that 212 is a major freeway.

[Kayekaye]

Native MN I've driven from West Virginia to LA and one thing I found so different was that the left lanes are usually empty. I was not in that habit as in the metro area here it's just another lane, never empty. I didn't get any tickets but it was so hard to get back in the right line all the time. I could handle the trips fairly well but LA was just crazy fast traffic.

All the highway construction in the metro area has left us driving side streets all the way from Dellwood to downtown Minneapolis and it's working out just fine. May never go back to the highways LOL

I know growing up here I felt the same way about zipper merging, the polite zeal of getting in line and waiting my turn, being mad at any interloper and playing lane sheriff. But after my nation wide trek my attitudes changed immensely. Just tried to zipper merge yesterday and boy did it not go well. Another long long lane of pre-merged cars way before the sign and I didn't even have a clue it was merge up ahead and around a curve. I didn't have any mishap, just the PO'ed cars that I zippered by and one finally let me in. Sheesh. I don't think it will ever happen here. They need to put Zipper Merge! signs instead of just Merge.

[Thegonagle]

I just reread my post, and noticed I mixed up southbound and northbound 35W. From EB 694, the right lane was originally an exit only to SOUTH BOUND 35W. After the bridge failure, they repainted the lanes (eliminating the shoulder and adding a yield sign) so that the right lane could exit either direction on 35W.

oops.

[dravogadro]

Originally Posted by Kayekaye

Native MN I've driven from West Virginia to LA and one thing I found so different was that the left lanes are usually empty. I was not in that habit as in the metro area here it's just another lane, never empty. I didn't get any tickets but it was so hard to get back in the right line all the time.

Okay, I'm glad I'm not the only one that sees this. The other part of this is when passing all the traffic in the wide open lane, I am paranoid and keep checking my speedometer....nope not speeding just doing the speed limit.

[golfgal]

I've noticed in my travels that outstate, the left lane is pretty clear except for passing. You get that one car that messes everything up but for the most part, you can get around slower moving vehicles as needed. As you get closer to the metro, say 20 miles out and closer, that left lane just becomes a driving lane and it becomes more difficult to get around that driver that goes 10 MPH under the speed limit in the left lane. I've found pretty much the same pattern in every "metro" I've driven through. Driving on various expressways, the left lane is for passing only.

One exception, I-90 across the southern part of MN. The right lane is a washboard so most cars drive in the left lane and pass on the right

[1stpontiac]

I will say that when I first saw the post (I think it was in this thread) about slow left-lane drivers on a Sunday, I thought it was kind of silly, because I had never noticed the problem. But a couple days later I had to drive all the way down 169 from Champlin to 494 at about 8pm on a Tuesday night and I kept getting caught behind vehicles (usually pickups, actually) just cruising along at 50 mph in the left. And I couldn't get around them either, because as soon as I'd pull in the right lane, someone would be coming on from the entrance ramp and I'd either have to merge back left, or else I'd get stuck behind them, too.

And I think 169 was the original road that was mentioned, so maybe its particularly bad on that road, for some reason.

[Kayekaye]

We go to Duluth, Alexandria, and Brainerd quite often and use the left lane more often than not along with everyone else. I rarely see the left lane left empty for long going upnorth unless there is very little traffic. Not like I saw travelling cross the nation.

[MSMCGirl]

Originally Posted by Min-Chi-Cbus

I've never heard this rule about moving to the end of the dashed line. In fact, if you did that every time and you did NOT have an opening, you'd be pretty screwed and/or be a much higher risk for causing an accident. The way I approach that situation is speed up along the ramp and highway with the area I have given to me and once I approach freeway speed I take an open spot as soon as it becomes available (whether it's right when I get on or all the way to the end of the dashed line). To me this makes the most logical and safe sense.

You are proving my point that people (particularly in MN!) don't know WHAT the zipper merge is. Moving to the end of the dashed line...where it actually says "MERGE" is when you "zipper merge". And no, it's NOT dangerous when people know HOW to do it and they all cooperate (instead of being passive aggressive and not letting people who know how to correctly merge in). Perhaps you should watch this video.


How to Merge : Early vs. Zipper - YouTube