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The nonprofit Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) is the latest entity to call directly upon TxDOT to fast-track improvements of Texas 46, in Bandera and Kendall Counties.
MSF is sponsored by BMW, BRP, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Polaris, Suzuki, Triumph and Yamaha. Since 1973, it said it has set internationally recognized standards that promoted the safety of motorcyclists.
The foundation sent a letter to Marc Williams, the executive director of TxDOT, supporting the agency's proposed safety improvements and asking that they "be implemented as quickly as possible."
"MSF understands that State Highway 46 West between SH 16 in Bandera County and IH-10 in Boerne, Texas is a heavily traveled corridor for motorcyclists and other road users. The safety concerns on this route are well documented: TxDOT1 reported 244 crashes on this portion of SH 46 from 2021 through 2025, including six fatal crashes. For motorcyclists in particular, roadway design, visibility, and unpredictable behavior by car drivers have a direct impact on crash avoidance and injury severity," the letter to Willams read.
"MSF supports the Texas Department of Transportation’s proposed safety improvements for the corridor, which include a four-foot centerline buffer, jersey barriers at Webster’s Corner, and centerline rumble strips. These measures are consistent with roadway safety strategies and provide additional protection at high-risk locations," the letter added.
The foundation's letter follows resolutions in recent months passed by Bandera and Kendall County commissioners and the board of trustees at the Boerne Independent School District urging TxDOT to act on the improvements before January, according to organizers of a safety campaign that started in Bandera County and spread easterly into Kendall County.
State legislators have also engaged with TxDOT on bumping up the timeline for the improvements.
The largely two-lane road with narrow shoulders, sharp curves, and blind spots is under attack by residents who drive it, especially from Boerne to Bandera.
During a 10-year period, ending in March 2029, the safety campaign organizers said there have been 13 deaths from more than 550 crashes on 46. That includes 10 in Kendall and three in Bandera. There were 44 others injured during that period.
TxDOT said it has invested $2 million in planned near-term safety improvements, with an additional $7 million allocated for future projects. The agency is also studying a potential expansion of the highway to four lanes.
The agency said crash data indicate that the most common contributing factors in roadway collisions are unsafe driving speeds, failure to control speed, and driver inattention.
