Zipper Merge Is Perfectly Legal – Ignore Those Dirty Looks

You should be executing the zipper merge when traveling on Minnesota roads.

I used to hate doing it because of all of the dirty looks I'd get. I stopped caring about those 'looks' after reading about how effective and safe this style of merging is.

MNDOT says, "Most Minnesota motorists start to merge in construction zones as soon as they see warning signs and learn which lane ahead is closed. This driving behavior, called "early merge" can lead to dangerous lane switching, inconsistent driving speeds that cause crashes, long back-ups that block interchanges, and road rage."

Traffic research proves that the zipper merge method decreases danger and allows traffic to flow more smoothly. The video below demonstrates how to do it:

Sgt. Troy Christianson of the Minnesota State Patrol says, "The “zipper merge” also helps prevent road rage from drivers who intentionally go slow in the lane that is closing, and blocking other drivers from passing or getting through.  That is against the law.  Lane blocking or impeding traffic fines are approximately $139.00 and the offense goes on your driving record. We are watching out for lane blockers in all situations."