Suheil Totah will have more than one goal when he heads to Washington, D.C., next month for President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration. In addition to witnessing history, he hopes to score $300 million from the new administration.

Totah, vice president of Thomas Enterprises, said he and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson will meet with federal officials to ask for a piece of the economic stimulus package Obama is expected to sign soon after taking office. Totah said he'll request enough money to finish building the streets, sewers and utilities needed for Thomas Enterprises to redevelop the bleak railyard into an extension of downtown with thousands of housing units, shops, museums and entertainment.

Totah isn't the only one in the Sacramento region with his eye on the cash. Even though the federal stimulus legislation is not yet written, public officials and private interest groups all over the region are looking to it as a way to fund road improvements, levee fixes, sidewalks, transit projects and deferred maintenance at schools.

"There's going to be a full-court press to make sure Sacramento gets its share of federal dollars," Johnson said in an e-mail. "We are going to shake every tree in Washington, with the help of Congresswoman (Doris) Matsui and (Dan) Lungren, to snare funds for levee improvements, the railyard and a laundry list of items that fit President-elect Obama's criteria for rebuilding our economy and our city."

The Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce is putting together a comprehensive list of projects region-wide that can get to construction quickly.

"We're trying to take a broad look at all the potential projects to bring money back to the Sacramento region," said chamber President and CEO Matt Mahood. "It's quite an undertaking. … We have a list that's probably 2 inches high."

The chamber is working with the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, which created a list of transportation projects for the six-county region. It includes bike paths, freeway interchanges, road widenings and $46 million to pay for moving the train tracks in the downtown railyard.

Another big ticket item: $60 million for the second phase of the Highway 65 bypass skirting downtown Lincoln.

Mike McKeever, executive director of SACOG, said his organization, the conduit for transportation funding in the region, is focused on projects that can break ground in 90 days to a year.

"If the purpose is economic stimulus, they want money that can go to ground fast," he said.

On Friday, McClatchy Newspapers reported that Obama and Democratic congressional leaders have agreed on a stimulus package of $500 billion that they want to move even before he takes office. More than a third of the money will be targeted toward "shovel ready" infrastructure projects, the report said.

Some environmental groups are worried that the rush to get the money out the door might compromise an opportunity to emphasize pedestrian and transit projects.

"We can really provide green neighborhoods and communities if we spend this money well," said Terry Preston of WalkSacramento. "We don't need more freeway overpasses or anything like that. Our emphasis is on what we can do that's new."

If the administration does take a green view of its stimulus spending, the 240-acre railyard stands to benefit, Totah said.

The project will be anchored by a new transit hub that will connect Amtrak, light rail and buses. It represents a potential infusion of 10,000 or more housing units near transit and downtown.

Totah acknowledged that his request is big, but said it's not too much to ask for Sacramento's marquee urban redevelopment project.

"Hopefully, ours will be prioritized, given the green side to it," Totah said.

"It is a lot of money, but we're talking about a $500 billion (package) nationally. In the scheme of things, it's small."

Even without the federal money, construction in the railyard is slated to begin in February, as crews begin grading to accommodate new roads and tunnels that will connect the old industrial site to the rest of downtown.

Money for construction is coming largely from $85 million in state bond funds awarded to Thomas Enterprises and the city of Sacramento for roads and tunnels in the project. Totah said the money already awarded would put 3,000 people to work in 2009.

Whether individual lobbying visits to Washington will give Totah an advantage remains to be seen. Alexis Marks, spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, said it looks like the money will probably be funneled to the states, which will be responsible for distributing it.

Still, personal lobbying can't hurt, she said.

Matsui's office is working to set up the meetings between Totah, Johnson and members of the Obama administration. Marks said Matsui also has lobbied congressional leaders to fund the track relocation required for the railyard development, and for language that would make it less expensive for Sacramento International Airport to issue bonds for expansion.

"We want to make sure we're doing everything we can," Marks said.

Call The Bee's Mary Lynne Vellinga, (916) 321-1094.