The warm weather is here and so is construction season.
A number of projects have been slowing down traffic in the Quad Cities lately.

One of those projects is the I-74 bridge.
The lane closures have created some major back-up.
One man says things would be a little easier if people just used the “zipper” method.
That’s why he’s created a zipper merge bumper sticker.

If you’ve driven anywhere in the Quad CIties, you’ve likely hit some type of road construction.
One local man feels your frustration.
That’s why John Morrow has created a bumper sticker, encouraging drivers to use the zipper method.
He says he wants to show drivers the best way to merge, leading by example.

It’s called the zipper merge method.
Drivers are encouraged to use both lanes, all the way up to the point a lane closes, then take turns merging, creating a “zipper” effect.

Illinois Department of Transportation officials says this allows for a steady flow of traffic, preventing a one-lane backup that stretches on for miles.

John Morrow is the founder of Morrow’s Academy of Martial Arts in Moline.
He’s created this bumper sticker to remind other drivers of the DOT’s suggestion.

“When you don’t zipper merge there’s one long line it backs the traffic way up it’s very frustrating for drivers,” said John Morrow, creator of “zipper” bumper sticker.

Morrow says he thinks drivers don’t realize they’re backing up traffic by merging early.
He thinks Quad Citians are just trying to be polite.
His goal with the bumper stickers?
If other drivers see you with one, they’ll know you’re trying to help things move a little quicker, and not just cutting the line.

“With a bumper sticker at least it almost gives you a little license lets people know that you’re just trying to do it right,” said Morrow.

Morrow wants to lead by example and hopes a simple sticker will remind drivers to “zipper”.
But, construction on the 74-bridge isn’t just causing traffic changes.
It’s also impacting business around the area.

“When they’re sitting in traffic or whatever they’ve come in and shopped for a little while maybe wait until the prime time to cross the bridge is over,” said Amy Meyer K&K Hardware manager.

But just across the street, employees at the Italian restaurant Trattoria Tiramisu says the construction is driving customers away.

“For a friday night, we should have the restaurant full by now and we still have a lot of empty tables and and empty booths. The bar is completely empty at this point,” said Jodi Watts, bartender and server at Trattoria Tiramisu.

Some in the area says this is just the beginning of what’s to come.
As the years-long project to replace the bridge, cruises on.

“We’ve been at this location now for over 10 years and we’re fortunate to have done that but to know that we still have a long road ahead of us to stay in this location it’s, it’s a long road,” said Watts.

This phase of the I-74 construction is expected to wrap up in August.

To get your “zipper” bumper sticker you can reach John Morrow at the Morrow’s Academy of Martial Arts in Moline (1321 5th Avenue Moline, IL)
 

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