Six Dead in Four Crashes: Thursday Becomes One of the Austin Area’s Deadliest Days on the Road
Two TxDOT contractors were among three killed in a pre-dawn work-zone crash on SH 71. Hours later, three more people died in separate collisions in western Travis County and in East and South Austin.
TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS — Thursday was a grim day on roads around Austin. Four separate crashes, spread from the Bastrop County line to the Hill Country to South Austin, killed six people.
The deadliest came first, in the dark before sunrise.
5:30 a.m.: Three killed in an SH 71 work zone
Three people died in a crash early Thursday on State Highway 71 near Tucker Hill Lane, close to the Travis County–Bastrop County line. Two of those killed were contractors working on a Texas Department of Transportation project. The third was the driver of the vehicle that struck them.
The Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to CBS Austin that the dead were the two contractors and a 26-year-old woman who was driving a Nissan sedan. TxDOT announced the closure of all westbound lanes at 5:37 a.m.
Investigators said the vehicle was traveling westbound when it crossed into the restricted construction area and struck both workers. The Texas Department of Public Safety is leading the investigation. Authorities have not said what led to the crash, and they have not released the victims’ names.
Jordan Foster Construction, the contractor overseeing a $58.5 million project at the intersection, confirmed that the two workers who died were its employees. According to the Austin American-Statesman, the company has been building an overpass, one-way frontage roads, and pedestrian and cyclist improvements at SH 71 and Tucker Hill Lane since October 2025. The overpass will replace the existing traffic-light intersection.
TxDOT said in a statement that it was deeply saddened by the loss of three lives. The agency also reminded drivers to use caution in construction zones, obey signs, avoid distractions, and never drive impaired.
The crash adds to concerns about SH 71 east of Austin.
The corridor carries more than 50,000 vehicles a day east of SH 130, according to Hoodline’s reporting on TxDOT figures, and has seen other fatal crashes this year, including a pedestrian death on the SH 71 westbound ramp to US 183 in August.
8:30 a.m.: One dead on South Pace Bend Road
Just a few hours later, and about 40 miles west, a two-vehicle crash on South Pace Bend Road near Spicewood killed one person.
Austin-Travis County EMS said the crash was reported at about 8:30 a.m. in the 1300 block of South Pace Bend Road, not far from the Briarcliff Marina. DPS said a commercial motor vehicle and a pickup truck were involved. Medics pronounced the pickup driver dead at the scene. The other driver was taken to St. David’s South Austin Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening.
DPS has not released the pickup driver’s identity or said what caused the collision.
7:00 p.m.: Cyclist killed in East Austin
Austin police are investigating a fatal crash involving a vehicle and a bicyclist near Loyola Lane and Decker Lane just before 7:00 p.m.
10:30 p.m.: Motorcyclist dies on Menchaca Road
The day’s final fatality came late Thursday night in South Austin. A motorcyclist died after colliding with an SUV at a shopping center at 11200 Menchaca Road, near Ravenscroft Drive.
Austin police said the SUV was pulling out of a business when the motorcycle struck it. Bystanders performed CPR until emergency crews arrived, but the motorcyclist died at the scene. The SUV driver stayed and cooperated with investigators. Police have not released the motorcyclist’s identity or said what led to the crash.
A deadly pattern
Each crash is still under investigation, and nothing publicly released so far links them. They happened in different places, involved different kinds of vehicles, and had different circumstances.
Together, though, they show how routine road deaths have become across Central Texas.
The loss of two roadway workers adds another dimension. Work zones are a hazard for the people building and repairing roads as well as for drivers.
Officials continue to ask drivers to slow down, stay alert in construction zones, and never drive impaired or distracted.
Sources:
- CBS Austin, “3 dead, including 2 contractors, after crash on SH 71 near Travis-Bastrop county line” (Oct. 29, 2026): https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/crash-closes-westbound-sh-71-near-travis-bastrop-county-line
- Austin American-Statesman, “3 killed in Texas 71 crash, including 2 TxDOT contractors” (Oct. 29, 2026): https://www.statesman.com/news/article/highway-71-crash-3-killed-txdot-contractors-22500998.php
- KXAN, “3 people killed in SH 71 construction zone crash, including 2 contractors” (Oct. 29, 2026): https://www.kxan.com/traffic/sh-71-westbound-closed-after-crash/
- Fox 7 Austin via Yahoo News, “Deadly crash in Bastrop leaves 3 dead, including 2 construction workers” (Oct. 30, 2026): https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/deadly-crash-bastrop-leaves-3-021832874.html
- Elgin Courier, “Two TxDOT contractors among three killed in Texas 71 crash” (Oct. 29, 2026): https://www.elgincourier.com/article/5002,two-txdot-contractors-among-three-killed-in-texas-71-crash
- Hoodline, “Fatal Crash Reported on Austin Stretch of SH 71” (Oct. 15, 2026): https://hoodline.com/2026/10/fatal-crash-reported-on-austin-stretch-of-sh-71/
- CBS Austin, “1 dead, 1 injured in 2-vehicle crash in western Travis County” (Oct. 29, 2026): https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/1-dead-1-injured-in-2-vehicle-crash-in-western-travis-county
- KVUE via Yahoo News, “1 dead, 1 injured after collision Thursday on South Pace Bend Road in Spicewood” (Oct. 29, 2026): https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/1-dead-1-injured-collision-165506804.html
- KXAN, “Pickup truck driver killed in crash with commercial vehicle in Travis County” (Oct. 29, 2026): https://www.kxan.com/news/local/pickup-truck-driver-killed-in-crash-with-commercial-vehicle-in-travis-county/
- Hoodline, “One Dead, One Hurt After Two-Vehicle Crash Shuts Down Pace Bend Road” (Oct. 2026): https://hoodline.com/2026/10/one-dead-one-hurt-after-two-vehicle-crash-shuts-down-pace-bend-road/
- CBS Austin, “Motorcyclist killed in crash with SUV in South Austin” (Oct. 30, 2026): https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/motorcyclist-killed-in-crash-with-suv-in-south-austin
- CBS Austin, “What can be done to prevent auto-pedestrian fatalities in Texas?” (TxDOT 2025 statewide fatality figure): https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/what-can-be-done-to-prevent-auto-ped-fatalities-in-texas
Travis County Early Voting Climbs Again on Day 11, With One Day Left
Nearly 398,000 ballots are already in, about 42% of registered voters, as the county heads into Friday’s final stretch
Travis County voters turned out in force Thursday, the second-to-last day of early voting. Daily turnout rose for the fourth straight day, and the running total is now well past the county’s previous midterm marks.
According to unofficial figures from the Travis County Clerk’s Elections Division, 36,551 people voted in person at early voting sites on Day 11. Adding 583 limited ballots and 697 mail ballots received, the county counted 37,831 ballots for the day, up from 35,355 on Wednesday.
398,190 ballots so far
Through 11 days, the county has recorded 398,190 ballots: 379,696 cast in person, 16,181 returned by mail and 2,313 limited ballots. That equals 41.98% of the 948,575 registered voters the county is using for its calculations.
The in-person total alone is already above the 350,218 in-person early votes cast in the 2018 midterm, the county’s previous benchmark. Registration has grown since then, so the raw numbers are not a like-for-like comparison. Even so, the pace has been unusually strong since opening day, when 40,777 people voted in person, the best first day for a midterm in 20 years and about 61% above 2022.
Thursday was the sixth-busiest of the 11 days for in-person voting.
The first five days were all bigger, and the weekend was the slowest stretch: 24,575 in-person votes on Saturday and 18,612 on Sunday. Since then, daily in-person turnout has moved from 33,278 on Monday, Oct. 26 to 33,770, then 34,057, then Thursday’s 36,551.
Where the lines were longest
The busiest polling place Thursday was the Ben Hur Shrine Center in North Austin, with 1,537 in-person votes. It has led the county for most of early voting and sits on top of the 11-day standings with 16,116.
The rest of Thursday’s top five:
| Rank | Location | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ben Hur Shrine Center | 1,537 |
| 2 | Bee Cave City Hall | 1,329 |
| 3 | Austin Energy Headquarters | 1,298 |
| 4 | Typhoon Texas Waterpark (Pflugerville) | 1,244 |
| 5 | PfISD Rock Gym (Pflugerville) | 1,208 |
Austin Oaks Church (1,206), Bedichek Middle School (1,167) and the UT Texas Union (1,159) were close behind.
Over the full 11 days, Ben Hur is followed by Bee Cave City Hall (15,427), the PfISD Rock Gym (13,866), Austin Energy Headquarters (13,606) and Typhoon Texas Waterpark (13,399).
Late-hours sites saw the biggest gains
Seven sites stayed open until 10 p.m. Thursday and will do so again today, and several of them posted some of the largest day-over-day increases:
- Randalls Brodie rose from 855 votes Wednesday to 1,074, a jump of 219.
- PfISD Rock Gym went from 1,049 to 1,208.
- Travis County Clerk went from 759 to 892.
- UT Texas Union went from 1,054 to 1,159.
Some smaller sites also climbed sharply. The Community Center at Del Valle rose from 473 to 617, and the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex rose from 527 to 676.
The quietest sites Thursday were the Lago Vista Public Library (433), Riata Trace (473), the Community Center at Oak Hill (474), the Cepeda Branch Library (477) and the Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility (495). The Civil and Family Courts Facility also has the smallest 11-day total, at 4,030.
What to know for Friday
Today is the last day of early voting.
Sites are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., except the seven late-hours locations, which stay open until 10 p.m. The Travis County Correctional Complex, which has not recorded votes so far, opens as an early voting site only on Friday.
Voters can use any early voting site in the county. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and the county is operating 201 Election Day locations. Voters should check the county elections website for site lists and hours before heading out.
All figures are unofficial and come from the Travis County Clerk’s Elections Division daily early voting report through Oct. 29. Totals may change as the county finalizes its counts.
Williamson County Early Voting Tops 209,000 as Final Day Arrives
More than 44% of registered voters have already cast ballots, with the Jester Annex in Round Rock leading all sites
WILLIAMSON COUNTY — With one day of early voting left, more than 209,000 Williamson County voters have already weighed in on the Nov. 3 joint general and special election, according to unofficial figures from Wilco Elections through Thursday, Oct. 29.
That total equals 44.38% of the county’s 471,602 registered voters, and it includes in-person early voting, limited ballots, provisional ballots and mail ballots received so far. Friday, Oct. 30, is the last day of early voting; its column in the county’s report still shows zeros because those numbers have not yet been posted.
Thursday’s turnout
Yesterday, the county recorded 17,139 voters, or 3.63% of registered voters. Of those, 16,715 voted in person early, 158 cast limited ballots, 83 cast provisional ballots and 183 mail ballots were received.
Thursday’s turnout rose from Wednesday’s 15,880 and was nearly level with Monday, Oct. 26, which drew 17,184 voters, the highest single-day total of the final week.
Eleven days by the numbers
| Category | 11-day total |
|---|---|
| Early in-person voters | 200,365 |
| Limited ballots | 831 |
| Provisional ballots | 669 |
| Mail ballots received | 7,424 |
| Total voters | 209,289 |
Turnout was heaviest at the start. The first day, Monday, Oct. 19, drew 29,006 voters (6.15% of registered voters), the biggest day of the period. Numbers then settled into the low-to-mid 20,000s for the rest of the first week before dropping to 13,301 on Saturday and 8,569 on Sunday, the slowest day. The second week held steady between roughly 15,900 and 17,200 voters per day.
Where voters showed up on Thursday
The Wilco Jester Annex was the busiest location on Oct. 29 with 1,770 in-person voters, about 10.6% of all in-person early votes that day. It also leads every site in cumulative turnout with 20,511.
The five busiest locations on Oct. 29:
- Wilco Jester Annex: 1,770
- Hutto City Hall: 1,223
- Leander Senior Activity Center: 1,213
- Brushy Creek Community Center: 1,203
- Cedar Park Recreation Center: 1,132
The five least busy:
- Florence City Hall: 105
- East View High School: 144
- Wilco Round Rock Annex: 177
- Leander ISD Support Services: 276
- Cool Water MUD: 303
The gap is wide: the Jester Annex drew roughly 17 times as many voters Thursday as Florence City Hall.
Cumulative leaders
Over the 11 days, the highest-volume locations were the Jester Annex (20,511), Brushy Creek Community Center (13,931), Cedar Park Recreation Center (13,658), Hutto City Hall (13,488) and Leander Senior Activity Center (12,870).
The lowest cumulative totals were at Florence City Hall (1,228), East View High School (1,855), Wilco Round Rock Annex (2,160), Leander ISD Support Services (3,347) and Cool Water MUD (3,572).
Some sites’ traffic shifted noticeably over time. The Oaks at Sun City drew 1,670 voters on opening day but 467 on Oct. 29, while the site still finished with 11,112 total, among the county’s higher totals.
What’s next
Early voting ends today. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Voters should check Wilco Elections for current polling locations and hours before heading out.
All figures are unofficial and come from the Wilco Elections “Unofficial Early Voting In-Person and By Mail Totals” report for the Nov. 3, 2026 Joint General & Special Election, covering Oct. 19–29. Mail ballots are not broken out by location, and the Oct. 30 column had not been reported at the time of the data.
Texas has seen bonkers turnout – especially in the big blue cities, but also in the more unpredictable suburbs – thus far through early voting in this crucial 2026 midterm election.
Austin ISD is moving forward with plans for three closed campuses—Bedichek Middle School, Sunset Valley Elementary, and Dawson Elementary—after the school board authorized Superintendent Matias Segura to explore potential sales or leases on Thursday.
The properties have already drawn interest from prospective buyers and tenants. AISD closed 11 schools ahead of the 2026–27 academic year to address a budget shortfall.
Board Public Hearing & Regular Voting Meeting: October 29, 2026
HAYS COUNTY CISD
The annual Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix returned to Austin last weekend, but social media videos showing widespread police escorts sparked local concern.
Although neither the Austin Police Department nor the Travis County Sheriff’s Office provided race escorts to the Circuit of the Americas, event organizers hired officers from outside agencies to help speed up travel for select attendees. In response to the community reaction, APD stated it is contacting regional law enforcement partners to address the issue. (KUT 90.5)
Via Austin Police:
Halloween is one of the busiest nights of the year in our neighborhoods; let’s keep the streets safe for our little monsters!
Up to 100,000 people are expected downtown for Halloween night.
Attention to all drivers:
Drive slowly through neighborhoods and stay extra alert.
Put away all distractions – keep your eyes on the road!
Enter and exit driveways with extreme caution.
If you’ve had a drink, call a rideshare or a friend.
And to all the Trick-or-Treaters:
Stay in well-lit areas and trick-or-treat in groups.
Walk on sidewalks whenever possible.
Always use crosswalks and look both ways before stepping off the curb.
If you see any suspicious activity or emergencies, call 9-1-1!
PODCAST
Several Austin business owners said repeated break-ins and vandalism have left them feeling unsafe, and they’re calling for more communication from Austin police.
ICE activity was reported Thursday in several areas of the city.
Decker Lane:
Agents stopped an Uber driver in Pflugerville while he was taking a passenger to their destination and detained him using an electric discharge gun.
FM 969 and 130:
Greg Manor Road, near Cameron Road
Leander Police are investigating after sharp metal devices known as caltrops were used to puncture the tires of nearly a dozen vehicles parked at the Prep N Play Academy, located at 1901 S. Hwy 183 in Leander.
A comedy show at Buzz Mill in southeast Austin turned violent when police say a man stabbed two employees.
Shane James capital murder trial opens with dueling accounts of his mental state
Testimony in the capital murder trial of Shane James, who is accused of killing six people and injuring three others during a series of shootings in December 2023, began Thursday.
THIS WEEKEND IN THE ATX
Austin Parks & Recreation says that the western portion of the Great Lawn at Zilker Park will reopen tomorrow, with parking available via the Stratford Drive parking lot.
WEATHER
THURSDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
Showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible today with the best chances for west of Hondo. Locally heavy rain is possible over the Edwards Plateau and Rio Grande region. High temperatures will range from the mid 60s to the mid 70s.
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
President Trump is changing his final campaign strategy as Republicans try to close an early-voting gap and hold off Democratic gains in competitive races across the country.
Alaska’s tight Senate race is facing new scrutiny after allegations that Democrats helped recruit a spoiler candidate with the same name as the Republican incumbent, while Mary Peltola denies knowing about the effort.
Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who was briefed on possible new U.S. strikes on Iran, is warning that the plan could trigger a major escalation as American forces continue building up in the region.
Trump cancels two rallies in the final stretch before the midterm elections
Ken Paxton cancels final El Paso campaign stop before Election Day
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton has canceled his final campaign stop in El Paso, his campaign confirmed.
Paxton was scheduled to appear Sunday, Nov. 1, at El Paso’s Orca Event Center, which seats about 130 people. Campaign spokesperson Madison Cercy said scheduling changes and logistics led to the cancellation.
With early voting underway and election day just around the corner, James Henson & Joshua Blank discuss the latest polls, the early voting numbers (and their limitations), and the final spending before the 2026 Election comes to its inevitable end.
After Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a sweeping ban on a selection of THC products that Dan Patrick championed, the lieutenant governor made clear he wasn’t backing down, even if it cost him his job.
“I’m not going to legalize marijuana in Texas. And if people want to vote me out of office for that, so be it.”
MORE PODCASTS
This week on The Texan’s “Weekly Roundup,” the team discusses the biggest topics going into the 2026 midterm election on Tuesday, November 3, from the top-of-the-ticket U.S. Senate race between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, to the fate of the other statewide races for Texas’ executive branch offices, to how specific regions of the state like Harris County, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and South Texas will go, and more.
The Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office made two significant arrests today involving a registered sex offender and multiple outstanding felony warrants related to children.
Kerr County authorities arrested nine people on drug-related warrants.
Archer Aviation announced plans for an Austin air taxi network that would connect Austin-Bergstrom International Airport with Circuit of the Americas and Austin Executive Airport. The company says its all-electric Midnight aircraft is designed to help travelers bypass traffic on short trips across the city.
Noah Kahan‘s “The Last of the Bugs” world tour is coming to Austin’s Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on May 15, 2027, marking the first major ticketed concert at the stadium in more than 30 years. (Austin American-Statesman via MSN)
SPORTS
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Texas Longhorns’ third-quarter woes remain a hot topic as they prepare to face Mississippi State. Can Steve Sarkisian’s squad finally solve their SEC struggles and deliver a complete game?
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL:
Austin-area high school football scores from Thursday night
Killeen Shoemaker 38, Connally 14
Bowie 55, Akins 7
Anderson 63, Cedar Creek 0
Buda Johnson 42, Austin High 6
LBJ 78, Northeast Early College 19
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
Cedar Ridge at Westlake – 7:00 PM
Lake Travis at Round Rock – 7:00 PM
Rouse at Vandegrift – 7:00 PM
Cedar Park at Vista Ridge – 7:00 PM
McNeil at Westwood – 7:00 PM
East View at Leander – 7:00 PM
Manor at Lockhart – 7:00 PM
Eastside Early College vs. Austin Achieve – 7:30 PM
Elgin at Bastrop – 7:30 PM
NHL: Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook scored two goals each as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Dallas Stars 5-2 on Thursday night. (Associated Press via MSN)
The Stars return to the ice tomorrow night hosting Columbus.
NBA: Interstate 45 bragging rights and early Cup positioning are on the line tonight as the Dallas Mavericks host the undefeated Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center.
Houston comes into Big D riding a hot 5-0 start to the season, looking to repeat their convincing double-digit victory over the Mavs from earlier this month. Meanwhile, Dallas (3-2) aims to protect home court, bounce back on defense, and hand their state rivals their first loss of the young campaign. Tipoff is set for 7:00 PM CT.
The San Antonio Spurs have tonight off. They host Minnesota tomorrow night.
Last year a Fort Worth accountant and his mother hid a medallion worth $70,000 somewhere in the state after winning the Wheel of Fortune TV game show. They published a mysterious coffee-table book containing clues to its location.
The buzz surrounding this great Texas treasure hunt has created countess treasure hunters. They exit the interstate and venture into fading small towns, engaging with their state’s heritage in new ways. Maybe that was the treasure all along.
