WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama continued Monday his push for new investment in infrastructure, saying his plan to upgrade the nation's roads, railways and runways would immediately put people to work.

"By making these investments across the country, we won't just make our economy run better over the long haul, we'll create good, middle-class jobs right now," he said at a press briefing, just days after news that the U.S. unemployment rate held steady at a steep 9.6% in September.

Citing problems with collapsing bridges and failing levees, the president described the nation's public infrastructure as "woefully inefficient" and "outdated." With so much rebuilding needed, it "makes absolutely no sense" that almost one in five construction workers is still unemployed, he said.

The president made his comments after holding a meeting at the White House that included Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood as well as former Transportation secretaries Norman Mineta and Samuel Skinner. Also, Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania and Gov. Jack Markell of Delaware were in attendance along with mayors Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles and Mick Cornett of Oklahoma City.

The group discussed the condition of infrastructure in their states and cities and obstacles to making improvements.