{
  "id": 283722,
  "title": "Country drivers dig deep for man tackling 'catastrophic' pothole crisis",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/country-drivers-dig-deep-for-man-tackling-catastrophic-pothole-crisis",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-07T22:41:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-08/residents-donate-paint-to-make-potholes-more-visible/106987290"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Country drivers are pooling their resources to tackle the escalating \"catastrophic\" pothole crisis, as repairs lag behind the sheer volume of damage. Over 252,000 potholes were fixed by the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning during the 2025/26 financial year, with an average of more than 10 per kilometre of road managed by the state. Steve Panozzo, a local resident, has been painting potholes fluorescent for years to make them more visible to motorists. He describes himself as \"a bloke who is utterly fed up\" with the deteriorating condition of regional roads. Mr Panozzo's efforts have been supported by generous donations, raising over $2,700 from about 70 donors. Despite the government's pledge of over $1 billion for road maintenance this year and the opposition's commitment of $5 billion if elected, residents like Bandaina's Cindy Penny and Albury's Andrea Lever remain deeply concerned. Ms Penny worries that the funds may be insufficient, while Ms Lever, a real estate agent, has spent over $7,000 and endured weeks without her car due to potholes, including one marked by Mr Panozzo but unavoidable due to oncoming traffic. The situation has reached a boiling point, with voters heading to the polls in November, fearing potential fatalities on their doorstep.",
  "summary": "Victorian residents donate money to a man's mission to make crumbling country roads safer as they wait for government action.",
  "key_points": [
    "Country drivers pool resources to address pothole crisis",
    "Steve Panozzo paints potholes to increase visibility",
    "Donations exceed $2,700 to support road maintenance"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Residents' grassroots efforts and concerns about government funding sufficiency highlight a sense of urgency and frustration with the state's handling of the pothole crisis ahead of the November polls.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}