“Totally inadequate”: That’s how Bandera County leaders describe Highway 46 as crashes and deaths mount, and a petition grows for TxDOT to act.
BANDERA COUNTY, Texas — A heavily traveled stretch of State Highway 46 is facing mounting pressure for safety improvements after years of crashes, deaths and rapid growth along the corridor connecting Bandera and Boerne.
Bandera County leaders have formally declared the roadway “totally inadequate,” citing what they say is a failure to keep up with increasing traffic and safety demands. The resolution comes as a petition for improvements continues to gain signatures and neighboring Kendall County joins the push for action.
The 12-mile stretch of Highway 46 West is a two-lane road with no center median, limited shoulder space and multiple blind curves—conditions officials say contribute to a growing number of serious crashes.
According to data from the Texas Department of Transportation, more than 550 crashes have been reported along this corridor since 2016, resulting in 13 deaths and at least 44 serious injuries. Eight of the 13 fatalities came from head-on collisions.
Officials say the trend is accelerating, with 10 of the 13 deaths occurring within the last five years.
Bandera County Precinct 1 Commissioner Troy Konvicka said the road has not kept pace with the region’s growth.
“It has grown over the last 10 years tremendously in traffic and population,” Konvicka said. “It is a two-lane road with no center median, very limited shoulder place and a lot of blind curves.
Konvicka said the lack of a center median and limited shoulder space leaves drivers with few options when facing oncoming traffic or emergencies.
“There’s nowhere to go once you come around the curve and there’s a vehicle there,” he said.
He also noted that stalled vehicles or breakdowns can create additional danger.
“You have somebody who has a flat, car problems—there is no safe place to pull over and get off the roadway,” Konvicka said.
The highway serves as a major connector between State Highway 16 and Interstate 10, with traffic volumes ranging from 6,000 to as many as 20,000 vehicles per day, depending on the location.
As the region grows, officials say more commuters are relying on the roadway to travel between Bandera County, Boerne and San Antonio.
Konvicka also pointed to safety improvements made to other sections of Highway 46 — particularly east of Boerne — where lanes have been widened and turn lanes added.
“On the other side of Boerne… they’ve done a tremendous amount of work,” he said. “We seem to be, for lack of a better term, the stepchildren.”
In response, Bandera and Kendall county leaders are now working together to push TxDOT for more comprehensive improvements, including a formal safety audit, expanded roadway design and a written timeline for upgrades.
“We’ve requested an actual formal reply with a proposal—what to do to fix it and a timeline to do it,” Konvicka said.
Some of the most dangerous conditions have been documented at specific locations along the highway. TxDOT data shows four people were killed in three separate crashes at the same GPS location in Kendall County.
Residents and drivers say the dangers are not just from traffic, but also from wildlife, large trucks and limited enforcement options due to the lack of safe pull-off areas.
For Karen and Jeff Antill, who sell handmade barnwood planters and trash cans each weekend along Highway 46 and Highway 16, the issue is deeply personal.
“My niece Lisa… she was one of the deaths,” Karen Antill said. “Now her mom, their grandma, watches the kids.”
They said they have also known others affected by crashes along the same roadway.
“[Jeff] had a friend that died also with his wife. It was very sad,” Karen added.
Recent tragedies have intensified calls for action, including a crash that killed three members of the same family and the death of a 21-year-old Bandera man in March 2026 that helped spark the current petition for change.
The petition has since gathered hundreds of signatures in a matter of weeks.
Jennifer Serold, lead public information officer for TxDOT, said safety remains the agency’s top priority and noted that traffic has increased significantly along the corridor in recent years.
The agency said it has invested about $2 million in near-term improvements, including enhanced pavement markings, warning signs, rumble strips and roadway treatments.
Officials also pointed to a 7% reduction in crashes in preliminary 2025 data and said $7 million in federal funding has been secured for intersection upgrades expected to begin in 2027.
In the long term, TxDOT is studying the feasibility of expanding Highway 46 into a four-lane divided roadway, though those improvements would require additional funding and land acquisition.
Still, local leaders say more immediate and comprehensive action is needed.
“This road is not adequate to sustain the amount of traffic and the growth that has happened over the last 10 years,” Konvicka said.
County leaders are expected to chat with TxDOT officials Friday and hold a meeting on May 4 as discussions continue over what changes could come next to Highway 46.