The red brake lights of merging vehicles are seen on Route 228 near the interestion with Mars-Valencia Road. Police and officials are encouraging drivers to use both lanes until the merge point.

ADAMS TWP — To ensure better traffic flow, local officials are encouraging motorists to use the “zipper” method of merging at two problem areas on Route 228.

At a news conference held at the township municipal building, police officers and officials from the state Department of Transportation on Thursday talked about the right and wrong ways to approach these merge points.

The merge points are for eastbound traffic on Route 228 just past the intersection with Franklin Road in Cranberry Township and for traffic in both directions on Route 228 at the intersection with Mars-Valencia Road in Adams Township.

Many motorists in anticipation of the travel lane reduction will merge early and leave one lane empty. However, officials said, to allow the most efficient flow of traffic, drivers are advised to use the zipper merge, where drivers use both lanes of traffic up to the merge point and then take turns proceeding in the single lane.

“We want people to use both lanes up to the merge point. This allows traffic to keep moving and it allows us to reduce the backlog and reduce the aggressive driving,” said Sgt. Bill Ahlgren of Cranberry Township police.

Ahlgren said traffic often backs up at the Franklin Road intersection because most drivers prefer to get into the left lane early. Police have seen minor accidents there because of traffic and because of aggressive driving maneuvers.

Some drivers tend to act aggressively toward other drivers who use the right lane to “skip ahead” in traffic, but those drivers are not breaking any laws.

Adams Township Police Chief Shawn Anglum said his department has seen similar problems at the Mars-Valencia Road intersection.

“Sometimes the people in the left lane are not allowing the motorists in the right lane to move over and we see people get forced onto the berm, we've seen road rage and crashes,” he said.

Police have even seen cars straddling the middle lane until the merge point so that cars cannot pass them, he said.

Officers said that there isn't a specific citation for not using both lanes until the merge point, but drivers could potentially be cited for careless driving or improper lane change.

PennDOT assistant traffic manager Melissa McFeaters said the merge points are designed intentionally to alleviate congestion in busy areas.

Though there are projects planned to expand some portions of Route 228 in the county to four lanes of travel, the merge points will still exist at various sections on the road.

“This will continue to happen until we see build out of Route 228,” she said.