Talk:Texas State Highway 46

Proposed: Safety section for SH 46 West corridor

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Hello. I would like to propose adding a Safety section to this article covering the SH 46 West corridor between SH 16 and I-10 in Bandera and Kendall counties. I have a conflict of interest as I am involved in the community campaign on this issue, so I am proposing the text here rather than editing directly.

The proposed section is supported entirely by verifiable sources — TxDOT's own Traffic Safety Division data, multiple news articles from established outlets, and two signed county government resolutions, all of which are publicly available.

Proposed section heading: == Safety ==

Proposed text:

The western portion of SH 46 between SH 16 and Interstate 10, a 12-mile (19 km) two-lane undivided highway passing through Bandera and Kendall counties, has been the subject of significant community and governmental safety concern due to its crash history.

According to data provided by the Texas Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Division under a Public Information Act request, the corridor recorded 550 crashes between 2016 and March 2026, resulting in 13 fatalities and 44 serious injuries. Of the 13 deaths, 8 occurred in opposite-direction crashes. TxDOT Deputy District Engineer Clayton Ripps, P.E., told Kendall County Commissioners in December 2024 that the crash rate on this corridor is twice the national average for highways with similar traffic volumes.

In October 2024, three members of the same family were killed when a driver illegally passed multiple vehicles at high speed on a blind curve and struck their vehicle head-on. The driver was sentenced to 18 years in prison in April 2026.

In response to continued fatalities, TxDOT announced in April 2026 that it had secured $7 million in federal Highway Safety Improvement Program funding for intersection design upgrades at high-crash locations in Bandera and Kendall counties, and confirmed that a feasibility study was underway to evaluate long-term improvements including a potential four-lane divided highway with medians, wider shoulders, added passing opportunities, and curve realignments.

In April 2026, both county governments sharing the corridor formally demanded TxDOT respond with a committed safety plan. Bandera County Commissioners Court unanimously passed Resolution No. 26-0409-08 on April 9, 2026, declaring SH 46 West "totally inadequate to handle the volume of traffic." Kendall County Commissioners Court unanimously passed Resolution No. R-20260428-3 on April 28, 2026, requesting TxDOT to provide a safety assessment, a prioritized action plan, and coordination meetings through January 2027.

References:

1. Texas Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Division, CR-3 crash database, SH 46 West between SH 16 and I-10, provided via Public Information Act request, April 2026
2. Texas Public Radio, "TxDOT releases more details on safety work on Texas 46 after criticism," April 14, 2026: https://www.tpr.org/news/2026-04-14/txdot-releases-more-details-on-safety-work-on-texas-46-after-criticism
3. KENS 5, "Stretch of Hill Country highway declared 'totally inadequate' after 13 deaths in past decade," April 16, 2026: https://www.kens5.com/video/traffic/stretch-of-hill-country-highway-declared-totally-inadequate-after-13-deaths-in-past-decade/273-61382780-d503-4be1-9b93-359e6a59cf58
4. Boerne Star, "Residents urge action on dangerous stretch of SH 46," April 22, 2026
5. Bandera County Resolution No. 26-0409-08, April 9, 2026 — public record
6. Kendall County Resolution No. R-20260428-3, April 28, 2026 — public record

I believe this is factual, neutral, and meets Wikipedia's standards. Happy to discuss or revise.

Txbd46 (talk) 20:30, 28 April 2026 (UTC)

 Not done. Wikipedia is written by human beings. –Deacon Vorbis (carbon • videos) 23:04, 28 April 2026 (UTC)