Origin
Altavista, VA
Late night in Altavista on Saturday
Local time
5:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Altavista, VA to Roanoke, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
44.8 mi
72 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
6 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Altavista, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Roanoke, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 48.4-mile journey from Altavista, VA, to Roanoke, VA, is easily manageable within a single day, taking approximately 1 hour and 11 minutes. You'll primarily navigate Franklin Avenue, 7th Street, and Bedford Avenue, with no highway driving involved, making it a local-focused trip. The estimated fuel cost for this drive is around $8. Given its short duration and turn-heavy nature, it's perfect for a spontaneous excursion or a relaxed addition to a longer trip within the Southeast region. You won't need to plan for an overnight stay, allowing for maximum flexibility.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 44.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the entirety of this 48.4-mile route. With 0% highway share, you'll be on surface streets like Franklin Avenue, 7th Street, and Bedford Avenue for the full 1 hour and 11 minutes. There isn't a 'longest stretch' here in the traditional sense, as the road is characterized by frequent changes in direction and local traffic. This means you'll be constantly engaging with the road and navigating through towns rather than cruising on open highways.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Stewartsville Road is the longest continuous segment at about 17.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Franklin Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.8 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Franklin Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (7th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (VA 43 / Bedford Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Franklin Avenue
Turn right onto Franklin Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
7th Street
Turn left onto 7th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
VA 43 / Bedford Avenue
Turn right onto VA 43 / Bedford Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
44.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
44.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Stewartsville Road | 17.3 mi | 25m |
| Shingle Block Road | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| Bishop Creek Road | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| Bishops Creek Road | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| Glenwood Drive | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| East Washington Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Bedford Highway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Bedford Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Stewartsville Road
— 17.3 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Altavista, VA and Roanoke, VA.
1
Start on US 29 BUS
30 ft
·
5 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto Franklin Avenue
364 ft
·
17 sec
·
Franklin Avenue
3
Turn left onto 7th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
7th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Turn right onto VA 43
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Bedford Avenue
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on VA 43
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Bedford Highway
6
Turn right onto SR 628
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Bishop Creek Road
7
Continue on SR 628
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Bishops Creek Road
8
Continue on SR 628
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Mentow Drive
9
Turn right onto VA 43
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Leesville Road
10
At end of road, turn left onto VA 24; VA 43
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Glenwood Drive
11
Turn left onto VA 24
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Shingle Block Road
12
Continue on VA 24
17 mi
·
25 min
·
Stewartsville Road
13
Continue on VA 24
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
East Washington Avenue
14
Turn left onto VA 24
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Bypass Road
15
Continue on VA 24
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Hardy Road
16
Continue on VA 24
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Virginia Avenue
17
Continue on VA 24
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Dale Avenue Southeast
18
Continue on VA 24
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Jamison Avenue Southeast
19
Continue on VA 24
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Elm Avenue Southeast
Use the straight lane.
20
Turn right onto VA 116
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jefferson Street
21
Turn left onto Kirk Avenue Southwest
379 ft
·
22 sec
·
Kirk Avenue Southwest
22
Turn left
115 ft
·
13 sec
23
Turn left
132 ft
·
9 sec
24
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.4 mi from Altavista, VA · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.4 miles from Altavista, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Roanoke, VA
The final approach into Roanoke, VA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.01 one way
$14.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.66 | $15.32 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.29 | $16.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.89 | $19.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.70 | $2.15 |
| Efficient EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.92 | $1.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.27 | $2.87 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Roanoke, VA
Late night in Roanoke on Saturday
Local time
5:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Bedford, VA
22 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
29 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 12m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Altavista, VA to Roanoke, VA covers 44.8 miles and takes about 1h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Stewartsville Road, Shingle Block Road, Bishop Creek Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.4 miles from Altavista, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.01 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.8 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Franklin Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (7th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (VA 43 / Bedford Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Altavista, VA to Roanoke, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Booker T Washington National Monument.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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