Richard Capka, administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, said Thursday that the agency would quickly advise transportation agencies around the country of steps they should take if a systematic problem with gusset plates was found, though he said no such advisory was yet in the works.

NPR: Officials Warn of Possible Flaw in Nation's Bridges

The complaints are regarded as indicators of a larger problem because many passengers may not realize they can file complaints with the Transportation Department, which regulates airlines.

NPR: Full Flights, Small Seats Make Passengers Grumpy

Another problem is that only a fraction of the children, whose parents can afford transportation, make it to hospitals and malnutrition centers.

BBC: Aid groups warn of Yemen 'catastrophe'

"There's never been any proof that self-certification ever resulted in a problem in an aircraft, " said John Goglia, a former member of the National Transportation Safety Board, the nation's top aviation investigation agency.

CNN: Can the 'game-changer' still live up to its name?

Mr. HINCHMAN: We've chosen the stricter California program because it's the only policy option available to us that we can use to reduce pollution emissions from the transportation sector, which is the most polluting and fastest-growing problem in terms of air quality in the Northeast.

NPR: States Push Automakers on Fuel Efficiency

Matson's story is a reminder of a growing problem in many of the nation's busy, sprawling urban landscapes: More people are using bikes for transportation amid a culture and infrastructure designed for automobiles.

CNN: Bicycle injuries: Is the right-of-way fight getting ugly?

Combine that with an unemployment rate in construction of over 20% and you have an economic problem that overshadows manufacturing, transportation, and all the rest.

FORBES: Restarting The U.S. Economy