Safer roads, reliable deliveries and cheaper shipping...that's the hope for the stretch of I-94 running through Jackson, and the U.S. Secretary of Transportation believes it'll help businesses thrive.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters announced a series of new measures designed to help Michigan tap into some $400 billion in private infrastructure funds. Peters toured the Jackson-based Alro steel plant Monday morning to see how plans to repair and widen I-94 would help the company, noting that waiting to fix the problem helps no one.

"The longer its delayed, the more it costs. So getting it done sooner than later is going to be important," said Secretary Peters. "It's so important to make sure money is available when this project is ready to go and ready to be built."

Officials estimate a $400 million price tag to fix the I-94 corridor in Jackson, a price tag some businesses say is worth the huge chunk of change.

"The traffic on 94 and 127 is something we all have to fight," said Randy Glick, Vice President of Operations at Alro Steel. "Just the timing of our trucks having to go and getting product to our customers is tough."

That tricky timing is just one of the reasons why companies like Alro are behind an effort to get Michigan money it needs to improve its transportation network.

"This state is struggling because of loss of of business and industry," said U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg. "In order to build up the opportunity for business to come back here, they need to see infrastructure."

Congressman Walberg believes a new infrastructure will end the year-to-year maintenance construction, ultimately saving the state money.

"We have to be using our money toward priorities, and one of those priorities has to be our infrastructure," said Congressman Walberg.

Governor Granholm is listening. She appointed a transportation funding task force to explore options like a public private partnership. But it doesn't necessarily spell relief for tax payers.

"We've always said we're not going to put tolls on existing roads," said Bill Shreck, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Transportation. "Any public private partnership involves some mechanism the user has to pay for."

Nonetheless, congressman Walberg is optimistic, believing a creative solution can be found to fund transportation projects in dire need.

"There's a whole network, and I think that shows why we have to work together and focus on developing a system in place that moves our goods and services as efficiently as possible," said Congressman Walberg.

Governor Granholm's transportation funding task force will release its recommendations in October.