Origin
Bowie, MD
Evening in Bowie on Thursday
Local time
8:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bowie, MD to Riverside, MD
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
52.7 mi
85 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bowie, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, MD
Sjuan Dogjani
Trip Overview
The drive from Bowie, MD to Riverside, MD covers 52.7 miles and takes about 1h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, I 97, Express Toll Lanes for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11 miles on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.74 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 52.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 11m drive with frequent turns across 52.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 11 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 11.4 miles in near I 97.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.7 miles you will encounter 15 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: at 11.4 miles (I 97): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.2 miles (I 895 / Express Toll Lanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.8 miles (I 95 / John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
11.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 97
Merge onto I 97
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
31.2 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
I 895 / Express Toll Lanes
Keep slight left at fork onto I 895 / Express Toll Lanes
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
5
39.8 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
I 95 / John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 95 / John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
50.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward MD 543: Belcamp
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 80
Toward MD 543: Belcamp
5
52.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
Collier Lane
Turn right onto Collier Lane
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway | 11 mi | 12m |
| I 97 | 10.4 mi | 12m |
| Express Toll Lanes | 8.5 mi | 9m |
| Robert Crain Highway | 7.1 mi | 11m |
| Harbor Tunnel Thruway | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| North East Crain Highway | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Harbor Tunnel Throughway | 2 mi | 2m |
| Baltimore Harbor Tunnel | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
— 11 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bowie, MD and Riverside, MD.
1
Start on this road
110 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
259 ft
·
20 sec
3
Turn left onto Evergreen Parkway
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Evergreen Parkway
4
Turn right onto MD 197
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Collington Road
5
Turn left onto US 301
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North East Crain Highway
6
Continue on MD 3; MD 450
7.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Robert Crain Highway
7
Merge onto I 97
10 mi
·
12 min
·
I 97
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto Harbor Tunnel Throughway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Throughway
9
Continue on I 895
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 895
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
11
Continue on I 895
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 895
8.5 mi
·
9 min
·
Express Toll Lanes
Use the slight left lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
297 ft
·
3 sec
14
Merge onto I 95
11 mi
·
12 min
·
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 80
Toward MD 543: Belcamp
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn right onto MD 543
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Riverside Parkway
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto Church Creek Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Church Creek Road
18
Turn right onto Allison Court
290 ft
·
14 sec
·
Allison Court
19
Turn right onto Collier Lane
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Collier Lane
20
Continue on Collier Lane
102 ft
·
4 sec
·
Collier Lane
21
Arrive at destination
Collier Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.4 mi from Bowie, MD · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.4 miles from Bowie, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Riverside, MD
The final approach into Riverside, MD 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
$8.74 one way
$17.47 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.57 | $19.14 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.22 | $20.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.64 | $23.27 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.41
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
(5.9 mi)
$0.41
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$0
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.53 | $2.53 |
| Efficient EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.61 | $2.11 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.1 | 0 | $7.38 | $3.37 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Riverside, MD
Evening in Riverside on Thursday
Local time
8:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
21 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 11m 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 Bowie, MD to Riverside, MD covers 52.7 miles and takes about 1h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, I 97, Express Toll Lanes. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.4 miles from Bowie, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.74 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 52.7 miles you will encounter 15 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: at 11.4 miles (I 97): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.2 miles (I 895 / Express Toll Lanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.8 miles (I 95 / John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Bowie, MD to Riverside, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
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