Discontinuation Lanes, New Signs in Construction zones



We are entering the Spring and Summer construction season. This year when you drive through a construction zone, you may see some signs that are a little different. You are all familiar with the discontinuation lane, this is where the signs tell you "Lane closed ahead, merge left". They are often found in construction zones.

Drivers in Minnesota and other Midwestern States tend to be early mergers. When we see the sign, "RIGHT LANE CLOSED AHEAD", we merge immediately. A few years ago, on I35 near Hinkley there was a lane closure. Due to heavy traffic backup on weekends, the first merge left signs were at Sandstone, 7 miles north of the construction zone. When I would drive south on I35, on a weekday, the vast majority of Minnesota drivers would immediately change to the left lane at the first sign. There wasn't a backup for 7 miles, but very few drivers would be in the right lane. It was completely empty all the way to Hinkley We merge early.

We also get very annoyed with drivers who do not merge early. We detest those drivers who take advantage of the closure to pass all of the traffic and force their way into the open lane of traffic at the last possible moment. We love it when a semi, moves over and blocks the discontinuation lane so that these drivers can't pass all of us 'good drivers'. Some of us will straddle the lane ourselves to keep these drivers from 'cheating'. On occasion road rage incidents occur when a driver tries to 'take advantage' of the lane closure to pass US!

This is why the new signs in construction that state, "USE BOTH LANES, MERGE AT MERGE POINT" are so troubling to many of us, it isn't in our driving culture. This is not how we are used to driving. The last sign is even more distressful to many of us, "TAKE TURNS".

In 2007, MNDOT tried this signing system in Duluth on I35. They placed the signs out starting before Mesaba Avenue. I had to drive south on I35 everyday, I would enter the traffic lane, pass all the people that had already merged left, get to the merge point and take my turn.

Everyone was still merging early, no one was using the discontinuation lane, despite signs telling them it was OK. I would get lots of dirty looks and an occasional finger signal, sometimes people wouldn't let me merge at the merge point. These signs go against the grain of Midwestern drivers.

Today, I am going to give you all permission to follow the signs and use the discontinuation lane to the merge point. It is OK to do. DOT wants you to do it. The discontinuation lane adds more capacity to the roadway. If you can put 100 cars and trucks in the discontinuation lane, that is 100 vehicles that are not clogging city streets or blocking the entrances and exits of the freeway. In the case of Duluth, it is better that the vehicles are sitting on the interstate than blocking up Superior Street. This system reduces congestion and speeds up traffic because it adds more lane space in the construction zone.

If it isn't signed to use both lanes than you should continue merge early as you have always done. You want to avoid conflict with other drivers and we merge early. If it is signed, to "USE BOTH LANES" go ahead and be bold, use both lanes and merge at merge point. You have permission!