Pricetag rises on Oberstar transportation proposal

Representative James Oberstar, D-Minn., said his transportation infrastructure proposal will make up about 10 percent of any economic recovery package lawmakers approve.

The House Transportation Committee chairman wants to invest $85 billion in highway and bridge construction, transit, passenger and light rail, and other public works projects.

Oberstar said the plan is to put people to work within 120 days of passing the bill.

"If we do it the way I'm laying it out then I think there will be accountability, there will be believability, by the public, and we'll have results. If we do that by mid-February we can have a million jobs, on site, at the beginning of June," Oberstar said.

Oberstar said that would represent one-third the number of jobs President-elect Barack Obama is hoping to create with the stimulus initiative.

Oberstar said grant recipients would need to report progress on their projects to the federal government every 30 days.

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