Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm recently delivered a $1 million check to Saginaw County for improvements along East Genesee in the city of Saginaw. And $1 million in hand for downtown is certainly newsworthy.

But the U.S. House of Representatives about the same time approved another key component of downtown Saginaw's future, a $2.3 million appropriation for a new exit ramp onto Washington from northbound Interstate 675.

The $14 million ramp would improve access to downtown Saginaw, TheDow Event Center and Temple Theatre. The $2.3 million would fund engineering and planning for the exit ramp. The bill now goes to the U.S. Senate, where its chances of approval are better than they were last year.

U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee, Democrat of Flint, deserves credit for securing the federal funding. It was a $300,000 increase over what Kildee sought for the exit ramp in the last Congress. That legislation died in a House-Senate conference committee after President Bush threatened a veto.

The House bill also includes

$1.5 million for streetscaping improvements on Washington between Janes and City Hall. The improvements would extend streetscaping completed downtown south past Saint Mary's hospital and would also relocate a railroad crossing to create space for Saint Mary's expansion.

With a $1 million for East Genesee, $1.5 million for more Washington streetscaping and the startup money for a new ramp to downtown, there's reason for optimism.

The new ramp is important to the ongoing efforts to lure more investors downtown. Convenient access to downtown Saginaw from I-675 is crucial to the center city's future as an entertainment destination, and in boosting the city's standing as a regional health care center.

Now the Saginaw exit ramp appropriation is in the hands of U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, both Democrats, as the Senate takes up the highway spending bill. Both of Michigan's U.S. senators have pledged support for the project.

While leaders are confident that Washington will come through this time around, the road is filled with potholes. Saginaw's leaders must not let up in the fight to improve access to the center city.