WASHINGTON — Honolulu and Maui mayors want almost $744 million in road, sewer, transit and other projects as part of any national economic recovery plan to help rebuild the Islands' worn out public works and keep Islanders employed as tourism slumps.

The local project requests from Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann and Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares were among those in an updated list the U.S. Conference of Mayors released yesterday as part of its push to have money directed to roads, sewers and other public works included in an economic stimulus plan. They estimated the projects would create almost 6,200 jobs.

"As mayors, we feel like we're in the best position to create jobs, especially if it pertains to infrastructure," said Hannemann. "That's what we do — everything from the permitting and planning to the bid submittals to actually doing the design and construction."

The national list has 11,391 projects spread out among 427 cities. Work on the projects, which would cost about $73 billion, could start soon if Congress and President-elect Barack Obama approve the money.

Obama has made spending on public works projects a key element of his plan to revive the moribund economy. In a Saturday national radio address, Obama said he wants to "create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s."

Hannemann and other mayors said the projects would generate more than 800,000 jobs over the next two years and could start within weeks.

Hannemann said the mayors were not asking the federal government for a handout.

"We've raised fees. We've raised taxes to demonstrate our willingness to pay our fair share," he said. "Most of these projects ... are projects that already have partial funding. Now it just needs that extra push from the federal government."

The previous request from Honolulu sought 28 projects costing $456 million and creating about 2,900 jobs.

The updated list added about $55 million for 20 new projects, primarily for water system improvements, and street and sidewalk repair. In addition, two other projects were expanded.

If all the new projects were included, about 622 additional jobs would be created.

In one expanded project, Honolulu is seeking money to buy 100 new hybrid buses and 50 paratransit vehicles instead of 80 buses and 25 vehicles in the earlier request. That pushed the cost to $85 million from $60 million.

The second expansion called for $9 million to improve the Kalihi-Palama bus facility instead of $5 million. The project now calls for replacing a wash rack and oil-water separator, paving the bus parking area and building more bays for articulated buses.

Maui requested 58 projects costing about $204 million and creating about 2,660 jobs.

Energy projects account for $78.7 million of the total, including $29.4 million for a new Maui electric vehicle charging and energy storage infrastructure, $18 million for solar energy and storage systems for community centers and police stations, and $5 million for an advanced renewable energy training center.

Another $12 million would be funneled into road projects, including $8 million for countywide resurfacing and $1.75 for Wailea Road reconstruction.

Maui also asked for about $90 million for water system projects throughout the island. Officials want to spend $8 million to rehabilitate or replace existing pump stations, $3.1 million to build a recycled water tank and distribution system, and $1.5 million for the Waikamoi flume.