Origin
Bloomington, WI
Night in Bloomington on Wednesday
Local time
9:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bloomington, WI to Preston, WI
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
44m
Distance
29.4 mi
47 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
The drive from Bloomington, WI to Preston, WI covers 29.4 miles and takes about 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Great River Road, State Highway 35, US Highway 18 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.7 miles on Great River Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.60 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.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.
Midpoint
14.7 miles from Bloomington, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 21m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from Bloomington, WI to Preston, WI covers 29.4 miles and takes about 44m, 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 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Great River Road is the longest continuous segment at about 16.7 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 around 0.1 miles in near WI 35 / State Highway 35.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 44m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (WI 35 / State Highway 35): Navigation decision point; at 23.5 miles (US 18 / 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 29.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
4 of 4 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
WI 35 / State Highway 35
At end of road, turn right onto WI 35 / State Highway 35
Navigation decision point
3
23.5 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
US 18 / 12th Street
Turn left onto US 18 / 12th Street
Navigation decision point
3
29.2 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
29.3 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
Cross Street
Turn left onto Cross Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Great River Road | 16.7 mi | 22m |
| State Highway 35 | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| US Highway 18 | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Lincoln Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 12th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 4th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Mill Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Great River Road
— 16.7 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, WI and Preston, WI.
1
Start on Mill Street
0.1 mi
·
37 sec
·
Mill Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto WI 35
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
State Highway 35
3
Turn right onto US 18; WI 133
17 mi
·
22 min
·
Great River Road
4
Continue on US 18
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
4th Street
5
Turn right onto US 18; US 61
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lincoln Avenue
6
Turn left onto US 18
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
12th Street
7
Continue on US 18
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
US Highway 18
8
Turn left
189 ft
·
8 sec
9
Continue on 1st Street
460 ft
·
25 sec
·
1st Street
10
Turn left onto Cross Street
116 ft
·
5 sec
·
Cross Street
11
Arrive at destination
Cross Street
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 14.7 miles from Bloomington, WI, or about 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 16.7 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 29 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 14.7 miles or 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Preston, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Have your navigation ready before leaving Bloomington, WI.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bloomington, WI
This is one driving day of about 29.4 miles and 44m.
At 29.4 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Great River Road for about 16.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 14.7 mi from Bloomington, WI · 21m into the drive
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 14.7 miles from Bloomington, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Preston, WI
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Preston, WI if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.60 one way
$9.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.05 | $10.09 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.66 | $11.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.49 | $12.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$30–$55
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $1.41 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.57 | $1.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.12 | $1.88 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Preston, WI
Night in Preston on Wednesday
Local time
9:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
35°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
19 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
44m 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 Bloomington, WI to Preston, WI covers 29.4 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Great River Road, State Highway 35, US Highway 18. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.7 miles from Bloomington, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.60 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 44m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (WI 35 / State Highway 35): Navigation decision point; at 23.5 miles (US 18 / 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 29.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
The route from Bloomington, WI to Preston, WI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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