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The Texas Department of Transportation presented safety improvement plans on Texas 46 to Bandera commissioners on Thursday after the county declared the road inadequate due to deadly wrecks.
Many of those fatalities were caused in head-on collisions, said locals.
Precinct 1 County Commissioner Tony Konvicka said that while he is glad to see TxDOT communicating better and willing to work with the county, he was not impressed by the presentation.
Konvick said the plans focus on short-term fixes at seven intersections and one curve, when instead there should be plans to make 46 safer over the entire 11 miles between Highway 16 to I-10 in Boerne.
He said even the short-term fixes would take four years to complete, which leaves too much time for even more deadly crashes to occur.
"I feel we need to get this process moving forward quicker, and instead of putting a band-aid on a short-term solution, let's figure out what the long-term solution is and get it started today," Konvicka said.
He said he wants TxDOT to return to Bandera for a town hall meeting on the road, so they can hear directly from residents about their concerns on the road, such as blind spots, sharp curves, and narrow shoulders that leave "nowhere to go" to avoid a crash.
TxDOT has told Texas Public Radio its research shows a lot of the wrecks on the winding, hilly, and scenic road are due to speeding or driver inattention and distraction.
Konvicka said while those factors could be to blame for some crashes, the road built in 1950 is outdated and unsafe for the traffic and speeds it sees today.
"Webster's Curve has had multiple accidents, and I tell you, I don't believe that all those trucks pulling all those trailers and commercial vehicles were distracted," he said.
Around four miles of the stretch of road in question are in Konvicka's precinct and the rest are in that of Kendall County Precinct 1, led by Commissioner Jennifer McCall. He said the two have been in discussions over their safety concerns for the road.
TxDOT plans a presentation on road improvements to Kendall County Commissioners at their meeting on May 27th. Commissioners there too deemed the road unsafe.
TxDOT sent a statement to Texas Public Radio on its plans for 46.
"Safety is the top priority at TxDOT. In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in traffic along SH 46 from SH 16 to I-10. TxDOT has developed and implemented a phased strategy to improve safety and address growing traffic demands along the corridor," the statement began.
"Between 2021 and 2025, there were 244 reported crashes along this portion of SH 46, including six fatal crashes. A review of the crash data shows the most common contributing factors were unsafe speed, failure to control speed, and driver inattention," the statement continued.
TxDOT critics said if crash records are reviewed for the past decade, the number of crashes and deaths are much higher.
TxDOT added it has already invested approximately $2 million in near-term safety improvements, including enhanced pavement markings, additional warning signs, rumble strips, friction treatments, pavement repairs, and improved sight distance. It said preliminary 2025 data showed a 7% reduction in crashes, compared to the previous year.
TxDOT reported it has secured $7 million in Highway Safety Improvement Program funding to design intersection upgrades at several high crash locations in Kendall and Bandera counties.
Konvicka said the state needs to chip in more funding for improvements to 46 and not rely only on federal funds.
Those projects include road-widening and adding dedicated left-turn lanes, currently in design and are expected to start in late 2027.
TxDOT is also conducting a feasibility study to evaluate long-term improvements for SH 46, including a potential four-lane divided roadway with wider shoulders, medians or center turn lanes, added passing areas, and curve realignments.
The state agency said those improvements could significantly reduce crashes but would require additional funding and right-of-way acquisition.
