US president-elect Barack Obama is about to go on a construction spending spree, building new schools, bridges, roads and pipelines.

Unveiling his economic team, Obama announced he is spending his way out of the recession with a building bonaza worth up to £463bn.

The spendaholic president-elect hopes to create 2.5m jobs by 2011 with a public works programme that could rival the programme that dragged the US out of the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Although details have been scant so far, insiders say work could start within months.

CNN reports that some 3,000 projects costing £11.6bn could be under contract in less than 90 days. Many of these would be addressing a backlog of projects, such as bridge strengthening and road repaving.

Experts are also calling for the construction of new transport corridors that bundle together highways, high-speed rail, pipelines and utility lines.

Last month this blog ran a post on America's crumbling infrastructure and the 10 projects the US desperately needs.