Innovative, Unique, or Strange Lane Markings

[kphoger]

Another thing with this situation is what happens after the right lane ends: https://goo.gl/maps/RTXYNKwdEdngZGe36.

I've never understood why some jurisdictions use a dotted lane line up to the point where the lane completely disappears.

I dislike it as well, but it is an option specifically described in the MUTCD (Figure 3B-9) for use at on-ramps.

I do like when they are used at merges, as it reduces the legal ambiguity of who has right-of-way ...

Not necessarily.  For example, Illinois state law puts equal responsibility on both drivers at a merge:

Vehicles

625 ILCS 5 – Illinois Vehicle Code

Article IX – Right-of-Way

Sec. 11-905 – Merging traffic – Notwithstanding the right-of-way provision in Section 11-901 of this Act, at an intersection where traffic lanes are provided for merging traffic the driver of each vehicle on the converging roadways is required to adjust his vehicular speed and lateral position so as to avoid a collision with another vehicle.

I pointed this fact out to |Crash_It| a couple of years ago.