The Zelienople traffic study currently under way is a positive exercise on behalf of the borough's future.

But, unfortunately, the best solution to the traffic congestion that routinely dogs the community is the most expensive. Therefore, it would be unwise for the community, from the get-go, to try to hold out for that solution.

While the state Department of Transportation continues to make significant strides in improving existing roadways, funds for new construction are becoming more difficult to acquire. Thus, for a community of Zelienople's size, it is advisable to pursue meaningful improvements within the parameters of what already exists.

Fortunately for Zelienople, there are a number of worthy possibilities for making travel in the borough easier - possibilities that could keep a bypass from being regarded as indispensable for a decade or two, if not longer.

That doesn't mean that the borough should stop looking at long-term needs, but it should keep most of the focus on more-feasible, short-term opportunities.

Progressive communities don't ignore tomorrow while they are making decisions about today.

The Zelienople-Harmony Chamber of Commerce and the Zelienople Area Traffic Study obviously have been committed to looking at the full scope of the Zelienople traffic picture. That is why they have been able to compile a list of about 20 possible approaches to traffic improvement.

It's likely that not all of the identified options will be embraced by the community. As evidenced by debate in recent years in Butler, a suggestion to eliminate on-street parking can trigger intense opposition.

Likewise, realigning traffic patterns also can be a source of friction.

But it's still early for the borough in regard to potential traffic improvements, so no one should get upset at this stage regarding possibilities that have been put forth.

The list of options will be reviewed again by the study's Community Advisory Committee before being presented for public comment. It is at that point that the public should engage in responsible discussion about what the study has found and suggested. That also will be the time for the public to make additional suggestions.

Growth in and around Zelienople is destined to continue. PennDOT made the right decision in deciding to fund the study.

A bypass connected to Interstate 79 could make Zelienople and its surrounding areas more attractive to potential businesses, and community leaders should not give up on that possibility.

However, those leaders must be content with the fiscal realities of that option and settle first for improvements that are within short-term reach.