Origin
Bloomington, MN
Morning in Bloomington on Saturday
Local time
9:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bloomington, MN to Inver Grove Heights, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
16.2 mi
26 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bloomington, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Inver Grove Heights, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Bloomington, MN to Inver Grove Heights, MN is 16.2 miles and takes about 22 minutes via I 494, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip stays within Minnesota, connecting two points in the Midwest. You'll mostly be on major highways, making it a straightforward drive perfect for a short hop. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick errand or to connect two nearby locations without a significant time commitment.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 16.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 80% of the journey on major roadways like I 494 and US 52. You'll experience a fairly consistent pace, especially during the longest stretch of 10.9 miles on I 494. Expect a practical, efficient journey rather than a winding or scenic adventure. The route is designed for direct travel, so the road character remains largely the same, prioritizing speed and accessibility between Bloomington and Inver Grove Heights.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 494 is the longest continuous segment at about 10.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 494 and US 52. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 16.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 35W North
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward I 35W North
8
1.1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 8B-C
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
7
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
8
12.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward US 52: Rochester, Saint Paul
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 66
Toward US 52: Rochester, Saint Paul
7
13.2 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 52 South: Rochester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 52 South: Rochester
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bloomington, MN and Inver Grove Heights, MN, road signs point toward Saint Paul and Cr 26: 70Th Street East.
Saint Paul
12.5 mi in
|
~16m
Cr 26: 70Th Street East
15 mi in
|
~20m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 10.9 mi | 13m |
| US 52 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| 70th Street East | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| I 35W | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West 90th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 10.9 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, MN and Inver Grove Heights, MN.
1
Start on West 90th Street
163 ft
·
10 sec
·
West 90th Street
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 35W North
3
Merge onto I 35W
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 8B-C
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
6
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
11 mi
·
13 min
·
I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 66
Toward US 52: Rochester, Saint Paul
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 52 South: Rochester
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto US 52
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
US 52
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward CR 26: 70th Street East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn left onto CH 26
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
70th Street East
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
CH 26
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.41 one way
$4.82 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.60 | $5.20 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.89 | $5.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.58 | $7.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.70 | $0.78 |
| Efficient EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.42 | $0.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.27 | $1.04 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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
Inver Grove Heights, MN
Morning in Inver Grove Heights on Saturday
Local time
9:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Clear
SSE 10 to 15 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 2:05PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Winter Weather Advisory
Winter Weather Advisory issued April 16 at 2:04PM CDT until April 17 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
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
10 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
22m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Bloomington, MN to Inver Grove Heights, MN covers 16.2 miles and takes about 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 494, US 52, 70th Street East. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.1 miles from Bloomington, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.41 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 short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 16.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Bloomington, MN and Inver Grove Heights, MN, road signs point toward Saint Paul and Cr 26: 70Th Street East.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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