Origin
Centennial, CO
Evening in Centennial on Thursday
Local time
5:16 PM
MDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Centennial, CO to Derby, CO
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
34m
Distance
19.7 mi
32 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Centennial, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Derby, CO
@coldbeer
Trip Overview
This 19.7-mile drive from Centennial to Derby, Colorado, is a quick trip that should take around 34 minutes to complete. Since it's a short, straightforward journey within the Mountain West region, it's perfectly suited for a single day trip. You'll primarily navigate local roads, with no highway driving involved, making for a relaxed pace. The estimated fuel cost for this route is about $3, which is quite budget-friendly. Given the short duration, you have plenty of flexibility to depart when you please and don't need to worry about overnight stops.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 19.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with a 0% highway share. The most significant uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.2 miles along South Valley Highway. You'll be traveling on a mix of South Valley Highway, North Colorado Boulevard, and North Vasquez Boulevard. This journey is characterized by frequent intersections and transitions between different local road segments, rather than long, open stretches. It's a route that keeps you engaged with the immediate surroundings as you navigate through urban and suburban landscapes.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Valley Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 7.2 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 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 13 decision points packed into just 19.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (I 25 / South Valley Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Turn left toward I 25 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 25 North
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 25 / South Valley Highway
Merge onto I 25 / South Valley Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward CO 2: Colorado Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 204
Toward CO 2: Colorado Boulevard
7
8.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CO 2: South Colorado Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward CO 2: South Colorado Boulevard
6
8.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CO 2 North: Colorado Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward CO 2 North: Colorado Boulevard
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Valley Highway | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| North Colorado Boulevard | 4.8 mi | 10m |
| North Vasquez Boulevard | 3 mi | 3m |
| South Colorado Boulevard | 2.9 mi | 6m |
| East Dry Creek Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Kimberly Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| East 77th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Panorama Circle | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Valley Highway
— 7.2 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Centennial, CO and Derby, CO.
1
Start on this road
495 ft
·
41 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
118 ft
·
10 sec
3
Turn right onto East Panorama Circle
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
East Panorama Circle
4
Turn right onto South Chester Street
384 ft
·
14 sec
·
South Chester Street
5
Turn right onto CR 46
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
East Dry Creek Road
6
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 25 North
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 25
7.2 mi
·
8 min
·
South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 204
Toward CO 2: Colorado Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward CO 2: South Colorado Boulevard
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
335 ft
·
10 sec
Toward CO 2 North: Colorado Boulevard
11
Turn straight onto CO 2
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
South Colorado Boulevard
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on CO 2
4.8 mi
·
10 min
·
North Colorado Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
13
Merge onto US 6; US 85; CO 2
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Vasquez Boulevard
14
Turn right onto East 77th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
East 77th Avenue
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto Kimberly Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Kimberly Street
16
Arrive at destination
Kimberly Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.97 one way
$5.94 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.14 | $6.29 |
| premium | $4.39 | $3.41 | $6.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.35 | $8.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Derby, CO
Evening in Derby on Thursday
Local time
5:16 PM
MDT
Current temp
79°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
2 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
34m 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 Centennial, CO to Derby, CO covers 19.7 miles and takes about 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Valley Highway, North Colorado Boulevard, North Vasquez Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.9 miles from Centennial, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.97 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 13 decision points packed into just 19.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (I 25 / South Valley Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Centennial, CO to Derby, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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