Zip it, zip it good. Mayor Paul TenHaken is begging you to zipper merge. No, seriously, he made a t-shirt about it. There are several major road projects happening this summer, which means a lot of merging. Zipper merging can decrease backups by 40%, TenHaken said, and while it may feel like you're cutting in line or being rude – it actually helps everyone get where they're going faster because it's using more available road space.
"We aren't the best drivers in Sioux Falls, I will just say it," TenHaken said. "People see, it's a race, and they almost try to not let people in. Let people in. When they see a lane closed ahead ... slow down, and let people in. That's what a zipper merge is."
No parade, just 4th of July vibes. The city has unveiled its planned events for the Fourth of July, and while there won't be a parade (not enough folks signed up), there will be a community lunch, another downtown Open Streets event, live music and a cornhole tournament. Learn more here.
New art, who dis? The Washington Pavilion this week unveiled a massive new public art display called Cyclicality. It's an immersive art sculpture featuring 11 Dichroic infinity mirrored prisms, ranging from 13 to 21 feet tall. The towers reflect sunlight during the day and light up into color-shifting light when the sun goes down. Here's a photo from the unveiling (but you've really gotta go drive by in person for the full effect):