I commute daily through Cranberry Township. Over the past couple of years, I have watched my commute time gradually increase, and I know I am far from the only one.

I often find myself spending more time sitting still on the road rather than driving.

Whether I am on Route 19, Cranberry Square Drive or Freedom of Rochester roads, it has become so predictable: long lines of cars, slow movements and boredom that stretches a 15-minute drive into 40.

The presence of continuous sidewalks and protected bike lanes along roads would provide safer alternatives to driving. Currently, much of this infrastructure either doesn't exist or abruptly disappears. If people had reliable, connected options, then more of us would choose to take a walk or ride a bike for short trips.

Another major improvement would be adding public transportation options. Cranberry Township is a growing town that still has no largely accessible local bus routes. Creating bus stops and routes could significantly cut commute times. A reliable system would take students, workers and families off crowded roads in the first place.

I'm not asking for drastic changes overnight. I'm asking for a real effort to look toward the future.

As a college student who cares about this community, I hope township leaders and residents will take the issue seriously and push for improvements. Traffic shouldn't define our lives.

We could make Cranberry more accessible and safer for all with infrastructure improvements.

Pav Patel, Penn State Beaver Student