The I-35W traffic backup debate in Minneapolis
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Twin Cities drivers have scorching hot opinions about proper freeway merging etiquette.
Catch up quick: Last week, in asking readers for their driving hacks, I explained that when traffic backs up in the two right lanes of northbound I-35W in South Minneapolis, I stay in the left lanes until closer to the I-94 split, when traffic starts to ease up.
- Then I weave in.
Why it matters: The reactions I received show we're not just divided on politics, but also on the rules of the road.
What they're saying: Readers called me "rude," "un-Minnesotan" and a "total jacka**" because I am "cutting in line" and "cheating."
- People like me are to blame for traffic backing up, one person said.
The other side: Several readers praised me for doing what they say is a zipper merge, which the Minnesota Department of Transportation says decreases traffic congestion.
- "The scenario you highlight is of the same mentality and indicative of Minnesota drivers' 'nice' (read: maddening) tendency to get over early and stay there, and then getting angry at anyone who doesn't follow along," wrote Joe L.
Reality check: I reached out to MnDOT and asked if this is a zipper merge situation or if I am just being a jerk.
- Spokesperson Anne Meyer confirmed that a zipper merge is recommended when two separate lanes of traffic come together. This is not the case here, she confirmed.
However, she said, my maneuver "is not illegal to do — as long as you are not stopping traffic behind you to make this merge or creating an unsafe situation for the lane you are merging into."
- "What is right and wrong may depend on multiple factors: speed, amount of traffic, other drivers, etc."
Minnesota Reformer editor Patrick Coolican took my side. He argued that when people move over so early, it creates a dangerous situation: traffic stopped in two lanes while drivers from open lanes try to move in.
- "There's actually two lanes there for 94, one east and one west, so there's way more time to get over than people seem to realize."
Between the lines: One way to avoid all of this, some readers pointed out, is to just bike to more places, if you can.
- "You never need to deal with traffic that way and instead enjoy a fun and healthy trip," Zack M. said.