Ray LaHoodTransportation Secretary Ray LaHood has called on the top transportation officials from all 50 states to gather in Washington next week. The agenda: to prepare for spending billions in transportation funding that’s expected to be included in the stimulus package currently being debated in the Senate.

“It’s no secret that the economy is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis, and the president has called for unprecedented action,” LaHood told reporters on a conference call Thursday afternoon. “The goal is to jump-start the economy by getting money out the door for projects that are ready to go.”

LaHood will likely be a key player in implementing the stimulus spending. Under the legislation passed by the House last week, roughly $40 billion is included for transportation projects, with Minnesota slated to get roughly $600 million of that money. In addition, as a former Republican legislator, LaHood could prove influential in twisting GOP arms on Capitol Hill, where the proposal has encountered stiff resistance.

LaHood vowed that 75 percent of the funds included in the bill will be  spent within 18 months and that details for each individual project will be highlighted on a government Web site.

“We have not had one state tell us that they don’t have some projects that can be funded,” he said. “We know there’s a pent-up demand out there.”