The White House was pressured this week by President Donald Trump to map out a plan for $1 trillion in infrastructure spending, one of Trump's key promises during his presidential campaign, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The Journal said the plan would push states to streamline local permitting, favor renovation of existing roads and highways and prioritize projects that can begin construction as soon as possible.
Trump has said he would push for an infrastructure program to rebuild roads, bridges, airports and other public works projects, but he has not presented a specific plan.
Trump suggested, in a private meeting with aides and executives that the Journal was invited to observe, a 90-day deadline for states to start projects, the Journal said. Trump asked Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt to provide a recommendation.
"We're not going to give the money to states unless they can prove that they can be ready, willing and able to start the project," Trump said.
On Thursday, the American Society of Civil Engineers released its 2017 infrastructure report card, giving the nation's overall infrastructure a grade of D+.
Speaking to a group of governors at the White House last month, Trump pledged for a "big" infrastructure spending.
"We spend $6 trillion in the Middle East and we have potholes all over our highways and our roads," he said, "so we're going to take care of that. Infrastructure — we're going to start spending on infrastructure big. Not like we have a choice. It's not like, oh gee, let's hold it off."
Trump's plan, however, could run into some roadblocks with fellow Republicans.
Read the full story from The Wall Street Journal here.
—Reuters contributed to this report.