that runs from Zapata on the boundary with Mexico to U.S. Highway 281 24 miles (39 km) south of Wichita Falls.

The routes enters San Antonio from the southeast, and goes around the west side of the city concurrent with Interstate 410.

The route veers to the northwest as it passes through Bandera, Kerrville, and Fredericksburg, and then reaches the Texas Hill Country.

It continues to the northwest, wrapping around the northern and eastern sides of Possum Kingdom Lake.

In North Texas, the highway reaches its northern terminus between Antelope and Windthorst, almost 542 miles from its starting point.

The section of SH 16 from Loop 1604 to Eckhert Road (former FM 1517) was proposed for decommissioning in 2014 as part of TxDOT's San Antonio turnback proposal, which would have turned back over 129 miles of roads to the city of San Antonio.

[9] The section of SH 16 between Loop 1604 and Triana Parkway in Helotes is in the process of being upgraded into a superstreet.

[10] The main focus of the project includes reconstructing the intersections at Loop 1604 and FM 1560 / Circle A Trail.