SILVERTON, Ore. -- Gov. Ted Kulongoski says he will propose a transportation package in January that could create thousands of family-wage construction jobs.

Kulongoski made the promise in a Monday speech to economic development directors from around Oregon.

The governor said that in hard economic times it's especially important for the Legislature to seek ways to invest in the state's economic future.

Kulongoski didn't go into details. But he said the transportation package he will propose will be larger in scale than one approved by the 2003 Legislature, which created up to 5,000 construction jobs.