BOSTON -- A spokesman for Gov. Deval Patrick said that although Massachusetts lags behind nearly every other state in the country in deploying stimulus money for transportation projects, state officials are focusing on the quality rather than the quantity of federally-funded projects.

A congressional report ranked Massachusetts 49th in the country in committing federal stimulus dollars for transportation projects. Of the $437.9 million that the state received in highway funds, only $99 million -- about 23 percent -- had been funneled into new construction work by Aug. 31.

The Boston Globe reported that Patrick received a letter from the House transportation committee chairman this week questioning the state’s methodical approach to issuing the stimulus funds.

“I strongly urge you to refocus your efforts ... and use the available funds to create and sustain family-wage jobs,’’ wrote Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minnesota). “These jobs are critical to Massachusetts and the nation’s long-term economic growth."

Kyle Sullivan, a spokesman for Patrick, defended the administration’s approach to stimulus spending on Saturday. Sullivan said that Massachusetts is ranked fifth overall in committing stimulus money, including investments in health care and education, and he said the administration is carefully choosing projects that will spur further economic growth and job creation.

“On transportation, (Massachusetts) has set itself apart because we haven’t just pushed paving jobs through to construction but are choosing projects that will have short and long-term economic impacts…,” said Sullivan in a statement.

Only two proposals have been approved for stimulus funding since the state received the nearly half-billion dollars from the government seven months ago: construction of an access road in Somerville that officials hope will lead to commercial development and a $70 million interchange in Fall River to support a business park.

The state has also flexed about $12.8 million for a regional transit center in western Massachusetts and another $4 million for a multi-use bike trail in Northampton, Sullivan said.

The Globe reported that New Hampshire and Maine are ranked third and fourth in the nation for how quickly they've rolled out highway funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, spending 78 percent and 67 percent of their allotment, respectively.

"We think it's critical that in addition to amount spent, we must take into account the type of projects we're building," wrote Sullivan. "Ultimately, the success of stimulus spending will be judged on the effectiveness of that spending on both short-term construction projects as well as the leveraging of stimulus funds as a platform for economic development."

He said that the state has 44 projects in the pipeline that will represent an investment of $271 million in the near future.