The six-year transportation construction plan being pushed by House Republicans in Congress makes sense from two perspectives.

First, the plan would create jobs; second, it would be a big investment toward fixing a major problem, the nation’s crumbling infrastructure.

Of course, there’s the issue of the plan’s projected $285 billion cost — a solution certainly within Congress’ ability to solve.

But like practically all of the major issues that come before the national Legislature, the plan is destined for intense debate and political jockeying.

Perhaps the one big factor working in the plan’s favor is next year’s elections and Congress’ desire to shed its current “dysfunctional” label.

And, most certainly, dysfunctional has been an apropos description for Congress as a whole in recent years. “Prisoners of partisanship” also is another appropriate label.

However, the proposed transportation measure has a chance to improve voters’ perception of their federal lawmakers, if Congress can cast off the partisanship that routinely keeps it from accomplishing anything quickly and efficiently.

Not only would the GOP bill spend about $285 billion over six years, but it would trigger greater investment in roads, bridges and transit systems through federal loans and loan guarantees.

The nation’s need of a major infrastructure repair and rebuilding initiative is clear to anyone who has traveled the United States. Unfortunately, not only roads and bridges are in need of significant investment, but also water and sanitary sewer systems, which the GOP plan doesn’t address.

Regarding help for financially ailing mass transit systems, which would be part of the GOP measure, there must be safeguards to ensure that the money would not merely be a source of funds allowing current inefficiencies and, in some cases, outlandish union work rules to remain in place, draining the systems’ resources.

This is an opportunity for something good; it must not be squandered.

What’s unclear is from where Republicans intend to pull the estimated $100 billion needed to close the shortfall between gas tax and other transportation tax revenues and what they want to spend.

Developments on the transportation front in Congress are important to states such as Pennsylvania that are increasingly hard-pressed to find money to fix their roads and bridges because of other spending needs.

It would be uplifting if the nation’s finances were in good enough shape to permit infrastructure-repair demonstration projects in smaller cities such as Butler, but don’t look for any such measures anytime soon.

“This (transportation program) is what we hope will be the core of not just a Republican, but a congressional jobs effort,” said Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Democrats should not stymie it, just for the sake of keeping Republicans from gaining bragging rights on the proposal. In fact, Democrats might find ways to improve it, without damaging the basic structure that Republicans have put forth.

The nation needs jobs, and the nation needs to repair its aging infrastructure.

The GOP plan is a steppingstone on both fronts.