A barrier transfer machine, also known as zipper machine or road zipper, is a type of heavy vehicle that is used to transfer concrete lane dividers, such as Jersey barriers, in order to relieve traffic congestion during rush hours. Many other cities use them temporarily during construction work. The lanes created by the machine are sometimes referred to as "zipper lanes".
Hinge pin used as the linkage of moveable barriers
This large machine was used on the Auckland Harbour Bridge to shift the center lane back and forth to accommodate rush hour traffic.
Road Zipper machine at the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California.
A Jersey barrier, Jersey wall, or Jersey bump is a modular concrete or plastic barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing vehicle crossovers resulting in a likely head-on collision. Jersey barriers are also used to reroute traffic and protect pedestrians and workers during highway construction. They are named after the U.S. state of New Jersey which first started using the barriers as separators between lanes of a highway in the 1950s.
Jersey barriers on the road
Soldiers taking cover from enemy fire behind Jersey barriers in Baghdad, Iraq, 2007
Plastic Jersey barriers (Hong Kong, 2008)