Origin
Brentwood, MO
Afternoon in Brentwood on Saturday
Local time
1:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brentwood, MO to Jefferson City, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 28m
Distance
125.3 mi
202 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$20
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 19m
★
6 AM
2h 29m
8 AM
2h 49m
10 AM
2h 36m
12 PM
2h 34m
3 PM
2h 37m
5 PM
2h 48m
8 PM
2h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brentwood, MO
Valeria Boltneva
Jefferson City, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Brentwood, MO to Jefferson City, MO covers 125.3 miles and takes about 2h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway, US 54, Avenue of the Saints for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 61.6 miles on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.59 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
62.7 miles from Brentwood, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 16m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D Eisenhower Highway | 61.6 mi | 1h 10m |
| US 54 | 29.5 mi | 32m |
| Avenue of the Saints | 27.8 mi | 33m |
| Daniel Boone Expressway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| South Brentwood Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| US 40 | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West High Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
— 61.6 mi, about 1h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brentwood, MO and Jefferson City, MO.
1
Start on this road
68 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
59 ft
·
6 sec
3
Turn right onto Litzsinger Road
300 ft
·
12 sec
·
Litzsinger Road
4
Turn left onto South Brentwood Boulevard
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South Brentwood Boulevard
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 64 West, US 40 West
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Merge onto I 64; US 40
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Daniel Boone Expressway
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on I 64; US 40; US 61
28 mi
·
33 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit onto US 40
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 40
Exit 1A
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Merge onto I 70; US 40
62 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 148
Toward US 54: Auxvasse, Mexico, Fulton
11
Turn left onto US 54
30 mi
·
32 min
·
US 54
12
Take the exit
388 ft
·
18 sec
Toward State Capitol
13
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
14
Turn right onto Broadway Street
446 ft
·
26 sec
·
Broadway Street
15
Turn left onto West High Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
West High Street
16
Turn right
254 ft
·
25 sec
17
At end of road, turn left onto East Wall Way
6 ft
·
0 sec
·
East Wall Way
18
Arrive at destination
East Wall Way
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 62.7 miles from Brentwood, MO, or about 1h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 61.6 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 28 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 62.7 miles or 1h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jefferson City, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Brentwood, MO so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Brentwood, MO
This is one driving day of about 125.3 miles and 2h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Brentwood, MO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway for about 61.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
63 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 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 62.7 miles from Brentwood, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Dwight D Eisenhower Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 61.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 125.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
7
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 64 West, US 40 West
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 64 West, US 40 West
8
32.4 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
US 40
Take the exit onto US 40 toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
6
94.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 53m in
Take the exit toward US 54: Auxvasse, Mexico, Fulton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 148
Toward US 54: Auxvasse, Mexico, Fulton
6
125.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 28m in
|
East Wall Way
At end of road, turn left onto East Wall Way
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.59 one way
$39.18 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
44 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $21.51 | $43.02 |
| premium | $4.89 | $24.11 | $48.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $27.66 | $55.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 37.6 | 0 | $13.16 | $6.01 |
| Efficient EV | 31.3 | 0 | $10.96 | $5.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 50.1 | 0 | $17.54 | $8.02 |
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (66% 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
Jefferson City, MO
Afternoon in Jefferson City on Saturday
Local time
1:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°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
4 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
2h 28m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Gateway Arch National Park
National Park
Gateway Arch National Park commemorates President Jefferson’s vision of a continental nation, the individuals and cultural groups who helped shape its history, St. Louis’ role in westward expansion, a...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
$19
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
125.3 mi in 2h 28m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 61.6 mi on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 125.3 miles you will encounter 14 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: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.4 miles (US 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Brentwood, MO and Jefferson City, MO, road signs point toward Mexico and Fulton.
Mexico
94.6 mi in
|
~1h 53m
Fulton
94.6 mi in
|
~1h 53m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 28m. Total distance: 125.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 61.6 miles on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Jefferson City, MO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.4 miles (US 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Gateway Arch National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jefferson City, MO before heading back.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Jefferson City, MO
More trips to Jefferson City, MO
Explore more options from Brentwood, MO or browse trips ending in Jefferson City, MO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MO road trips.