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Trip from Centerville, IA to Cedar Falls, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 57m

Distance

148.3 mi

239 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min
4 AM
2h 46m ★
6 AM
2h 57m
8 AM
3h 20m
10 AM
3h 5m
12 PM
3h 3m
3 PM
3h 6m
5 PM
3h 19m
8 PM
2h 51m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in and county seat of Appanoose County, Iowa, United States

Centerville, IA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States

Cedar Falls, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Centerville, IA to Cedar Falls, IA covers 148.3 miles and takes about 2h 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North 13th Street, East State Street, North 18th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.19 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

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

74.1 miles from Centerville, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 28m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 57m. Total distance: 148.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 57m drive with frequent turns across 148.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North 13th Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Centerville, IA to Cedar Falls, IA is easy. At 2h 57m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Centerville, IA to Cedar Falls, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North 13th Street
East State Street
North 18th Street
South Main Street
Highway 137
US 63 North
East Market Street
120th Street

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: North 13th Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Centerville, IA and Cedar Falls, IA.

1

Start on North 13th Street

164 ft · 8 sec · North 13th Street
2

Continue on North 13th Street

289 ft · 22 sec · North 13th Street
3

Turn right onto East State Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · East State Street
4

Turn left onto North 18th Street

21 mi · 30 min · North 18th Street
5

Continue on South Main Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Main Street
6

Keep slight right to continue on State Highway 137

14 mi · 21 min · State Highway 137
7

Take the ramp straight

0.5 mi · 58 sec
8

Merge slight left

7.5 mi · 8 min
9

Take the exit slight right toward US 63 North: Oskaloosa, New Sharon

15 mi · 23 min · US 63 North: Oskaloosa, New Sharon
10

Turn right onto East Market Street

22 mi · 32 min · East Market Street
11

Continue on 120th Street

2.3 mi · 3 min · 120th Street
12

Turn left onto 380th Avenue

2.0 mi · 2 min · 380th Avenue
13

Turn right onto 100th Street

8.0 mi · 11 min · 100th Street
14

Continue on J Avenue

6.3 mi · 9 min · J Avenue
15

Continue on State Street

1.5 mi · 2 min · State Street
16

Turn left onto West 13th Street

0.3 mi · 25 sec · West 13th Street
17

Turn right onto Harding Street

0.4 mi · 38 sec · Harding Street
18

Continue on South County Road

1.8 mi · 2 min · South County Road
19

Continue on J Avenue

12 mi · 17 min · J Avenue
20

At the end of the road, turn right

21 mi · 30 min
21

Turn left onto South Hudson Road

7.3 mi · 11 min · South Hudson Road
22

Turn right onto Greenhill Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Greenhill Road
23

Turn left onto Avenue of the Saints

1.5 mi · 2 min · Avenue of the Saints
24

Take the exit slight right toward 18th Street, Waterloo Road

0.2 mi · 32 sec · 18th Street, Waterloo Road
25

Continue on Waterloo Road

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Waterloo Road
26

Turn left onto Waterloo Road

0.4 mi · 46 sec · Waterloo Road
27

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Main Street

16 ft · Main Street
28

Exit the roundabout onto Main Street

20 ft · Main Street
29

Arrive at your destination

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 74.1 miles from Centerville, IA, or about 1h 28m into the drive.

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 33 miles or 39m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 74.1 miles or 1h 28m 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 25m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedar Falls, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Centerville, IA 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 Centerville, IA

This is one driving day of about 148.3 miles and 2h 57m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Centerville, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 74.1 mi from Centerville, IA · 1h 28m into the drive

city in Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Brooklyn, IA

74 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

Oskaloosa, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Brooklyn, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 74.1 miles from Centerville, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Cedar Falls, IA

The final approach into Cedar Falls, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Cedar Falls, IA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$23.19 one way

$46.37 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 52 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $25.46 $50.91
premium $4.89 $28.54 $57.08
diesel $5.61 $32.74 $65.49

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$48–$73

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 51.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 44.5 0 $15.57 $7.12
Efficient EV 37.1 0 $12.98 $5.93
EV Truck/SUV 59.3 0 $20.76 $9.49

Gas CO2

52 kg

EV CO2

17 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Centerville, IA

Morning in Centerville on Saturday

Local time

8:24 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cedar Falls, IA

Morning in Cedar Falls on Saturday

Local time

8:24 AM

CDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

50°F

Brooklyn, IA

74 mi in

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

24 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 57m 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 Centerville, IA to Cedar Falls, IA covers 148.3 miles and takes about 2h 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are North 13th Street, East State Street, North 18th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 74.1 miles from Centerville, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.19 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.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The drive from Centerville, IA to Cedar Falls, IA is easy. At 2h 57m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Centerville, IA to Cedar Falls, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Centerville, IA to Cedar Falls, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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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Explore More

Return Trip

Cedar Falls, IA to Centerville, IA

Plan the drive back the other way.

146.5 mi 3h 38m

Explore more options from Centerville, IA or browse trips ending in Cedar Falls, IA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.