The drive from Bettendorf, IA to Marion, IA covers 87.4 miles and takes about 1h 49m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, Lincoln Highway, Garfield Avenue for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 37.4 miles on I 80.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.66 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.7 miles from Bettendorf, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 49m. Total distance: 87.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Bettendorf, IA to Marion, IA covers 87.4 miles and takes about 1h 49m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 37.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 12th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 49m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (Middle Road): Navigation decision point; at 43.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|12th Street
Turn right onto 12th Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in|Middle Road
Turn right onto Middle Road
Navigation decision point
4
43.4 mi into trip|~50m in
Take the exit toward West Liberty
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward West Liberty
5
76.9 mi into trip|~1h 34m in
Take the exit toward US 151 North, IA 13 North: Marion
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 151 North, IA 13 North: Marion
5
87.2 mi into trip|~1h 49m in|8th Avenue
Turn left onto 8th Avenue
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Bettendorf, IA to Marion, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Liberty along the way.
Liberty
43.4 mi in|~50m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
37.4 mi
40m
Lincoln Highway
15.1 mi
18m
Garfield Avenue
10.9 mi
14m
US 151
7.5 mi
9m
I 74
4.4 mi
5m
Fox Avenue
3 mi
4m
Harding Avenue
1.6 mi
2m
10th Avenue
1.3 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 37.4 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bettendorf, IA and Marion, IA.
1
Start on this road
74 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto 12th Street
0.1 mi·33 sec·12th Street
3
Continue on Kimberly Road
1.0 mi·2 min·Kimberly Road
4
Turn right onto Middle Road
0.4 mi·1 min·Middle Road
5
Turn left
0.2 mi·24 sec
6
Merge onto I 74; US 6
4.4 mi·5 min·I 74; US 6
7
Merge onto I 80
37 mi·40 min·I 80
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·27 sec
Toward West Liberty
9
Turn right onto CR X40
4.5 mi·6 min·Garfield Avenue
10
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Valley Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Cedar Valley Road
11
Turn left onto Harding Avenue
1.6 mi·2 min·Harding Avenue
12
Turn straight onto Green Road
1.1 mi·1 min·Green Road
13
Continue on Garfield Avenue
6.5 mi·8 min·Garfield Avenue
14
Continue on 160th Street
0.5 mi·37 sec·160th Street
15
Continue on CR X40
3.0 mi·4 min·Fox Avenue
16
Turn left onto US 30
15 mi·18 min·Lincoln Highway
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi·43 sec
Toward US 151 North, IA 13 North: Marion
18
Continue on US 151; IA 13
7.5 mi·9 min·US 151; IA 13
19
Turn left onto US 151 Business
1.3 mi·2 min·10th Avenue
20
Continue on US 151 Business
0.5 mi·1 min·7th Avenue
21
Enter roundabout onto 7th Avenue
15 ft·0 sec·7th Avenue
22
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·7th Avenue
23
Turn right onto 14th Street
315 ft·21 sec·14th Street
24
Turn left onto 8th Avenue
0.2 mi·30 sec·8th Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
8th Avenue
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 43.7 miles from Bettendorf, IA, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 19 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.7 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Marion, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bettendorf, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bettendorf, IA
This is one driving day of about 87.4 miles and 1h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Bettendorf, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 37.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43.7 mi from Bettendorf, IA
· 51m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.66 one way
$27.33 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg31 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$15.00
$30.01
premium
$4.89
$16.82
$33.64
diesel
$5.61
$19.30
$38.59
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
3 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Blink Charging Station
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Blink
1 DCFC
Pilot Flying J Charging Station
Walcott, Iowa
Other
1 DCFC
Shell Recharge Charging Station
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Shell Recharge
1 DCFC
Blink: 1
Other: 1
Shell Recharge: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26.2
0
$9.18
$4.20
Efficient EV
21.9
0
$7.65
$3.50
EV Truck/SUV
35
0
$12.24
$5.59
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Bettendorf, IA
Night
in Bettendorf on Friday
Local time
9:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Marion, IA
Night
in Marion on Friday
Local time
9:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 49m 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 Bettendorf, IA to Marion, IA covers 87.4 miles and takes about 1h 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, Lincoln Highway, Garfield Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43.7 miles from Bettendorf, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.66 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 is a straightforward 1h 49m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (Middle Road): Navigation decision point; at 43.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
On the drive from Bettendorf, IA to Marion, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Liberty along the way.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
