Gov. Ted Strickland said he supports a plan by President-elect Barack Obama to give states billions of dollars to build infrastructure.

Obama announced Saturday his administration will spend more money on roads, bridges and public buildings since the federal government and states built the national interstate highway system more than 50 years ago.

The plan also calls for making public buildings more energy efficent, repairing schools, digitizing medical records and expand broadband Internet access. 

Obama will give grants to states and tell them to either use the money or lose it. Strickland said he's behind the plan, which doesn't have a dollar figure attached to it yet. 

"I strongly support President-elect Obama's call for the largest investment in America's infrastructure in more than 50 years," he said in a statement. "This major new investment in roads and bridges; modern, "green" schools; broadband and other essential projects will help renew our cities, create millions of jobs and provide desperately needed stimulus to our struggling economy.

"And his 'use it or lose' approach is essential to making sure that any federal investment has the largest job-creation impact possible. 

"President-elect Obama is providing exactly the kind of visionary leadership that our nation needs at this moment in history, and the state of Ohio stands ready and eager to begin acting on his bold agenda."