Three meetings meant as the starting point for major changes to Interstate 45 north of Houston start Tuesday, offering the first chance for people to say what sort of options are needed in Spring, The Woodlands and Conroe.

Texas Department of Transportation officials are in the early stages of improvement plans along I-45 from the Sam Houston Tollway near Bush Intercontinental Airport to Loop 336 South in Conroe. The 24-mile-long segment ranges from an average of 314,000 vehicles per day north of the tollway to about 160,000 at Loop 336, according to 2016 TxDOT surveys.

Officials want to know from residents what sort of upgrades or improvements are sought, even if construction will be years, possibly more than a decade, into the future.

Meetings start at Spring High School on Tuesday night, followed by Greenspoint Place Conference Center on Thursday and Oak Ridge High School Ninth Grade Campus in Conroe on March 8.

“The idea is the long-range view of what needs to be done to address current and future demand in that corridor,” said Raquelle Lewis, spokeswoman for TxDOT in Houston.

With more financial certainty as Texas has invested billions annually into highway projects following voter-approved spending plans in 2014 and 2015, Lewis said Houston-area TxDOT officials are plotting “the next round” of major corridor improvements.

To that end, within the first three months of 2018, officials are launching meetings gauging early preferences for corridors along Interstate 10 east of downtown, I-45 north of the Sam Houston and Interstate 69 from Spur 527 to the Sam Houston Tollway southwest of Sharpstown.

More Information Upcoming meetings All meetings are from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with no presentation planned, just a review of conditions and comments. Tuesday- Spring High School, 19428 I-45 Thursday - Greenspoint Place Conference Center, 12190 Greenspoint Drive Thursday - Oak Ridge High School Ninth Grade Campus, 27310 Oak Ridge School Road Source: Texas Department of Transportation