If you are in a lane that ends ('lane drop'), you should:

When your lane is ending (a 'lane drop'), the responsible behavior is to: identify the lane drop early (signs typically warn 1/2 mile and again 1/4 mile ahead); signal early; check for a gap in the adjacent lane; merge smoothly while there is still plenty of road remaining. The 'zipper merge' technique, where vehicles alternate from both lanes at the merge point, is encouraged in some states because it uses all available road space. Last-second forced merges create conflict and are a leading cause of low-speed collisions in construction zones and lane reductions. Plan ahead, do not race other drivers to the merge point.