The government promised $27.5 billion in stimulus funds to help fix the nation's crumbling roads and bridges as part of a broader effort to save jobs. The effort is working...sort of.

Nearly three-quarters of the funding has gone to short-term, road paving projects rather than longer-term work like repairing bridges and building new highways. Furthermore, jobs that paving projects create or save last for a shorter duration than other types of road construction.

It's not that the plan is entirely missing the mark, but there is a balancing act going on between fast-acting and long-lasting stimulus.

"The whole reason why we needed to pass stimulus right away was because the economy needed it right away," said Dan Clifton, head of policy research at Strategas Research Partners. "But while just spending money will result in GDP growth, the problem is we're not creating full-time, permanent, productive jobs."