Origin
Clayton, IN
Night in Clayton on Thursday
Local time
10:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clayton, IN to Indianapolis, IN
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
38m
Distance
22.9 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clayton, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward commute between Clayton and Indianapolis, this 22.9-mile journey is a practical choice. You can easily complete the trip in about 38 minutes, making it a perfect day excursion that requires no overnight stay. Navigating primarily via West Washington Street, West Main Street, and Old National Road, you will find this path keeps you off the interstate entirely. With a fuel budget of just $3, it is an economical way to move between these two Midwestern locations. This route is best suited for those who prefer local roads over high-speed highway travel.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 22.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m 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 that keeps you engaged behind the wheel rather than drifting along a monotonous interstate. Because the route has a 0% highway share, you will experience a constant change in scenery and pace as you transition through local streets. Your longest uninterrupted stretch is 7 miles on West Washington Street, providing a brief period of steady driving. The personality of this trip is defined by its local character, requiring your full attention as you navigate through the various town segments. It is a slow, rhythmic drive that feels grounded in the local landscape.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Washington Street is the longest continuous segment at about 7 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 early in the drive near Michigan Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 22.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Michigan Street): Navigation decision point; at 21.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Michigan Street
Turn right onto Michigan Street
Navigation decision point
8
21.3 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward Illinois Street, Meridian Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 79B
Toward Illinois Street, Meridian Street
8
21.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Illinois Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward Illinois Street
6
22.2 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
West South Street
Turn right onto West South Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
22.3 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
South Meridian Street
Turn left onto South Meridian Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Washington Street | 7 mi | 10m |
| West Main Street | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Old National Road | 4 mi | 6m |
| Dwight D Eisenhower Highway | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Kentucky Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| South Holt Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Meridian Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South Illinois Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West Washington Street
— 7 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clayton, IN and Indianapolis, IN.
1
Start on this road
174 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Michigan Street
166 ft
·
9 sec
·
Michigan Street
3
Turn right onto Pennsylvania Street
250 ft
·
16 sec
·
Pennsylvania Street
4
Turn left onto SR 39
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Kentucky Street
5
Turn slight right onto SR 39
369 ft
·
6 sec
·
Morgan Street
6
Turn left onto US 40
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Old National Road
7
Continue on US 40
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
West Main Street
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on US 40
7.0 mi
·
10 min
·
West Washington Street
Use the left lane.
9
Turn right onto South Holt Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Holt Road
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 70 East
11
Merge onto I 70
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 79B
Toward Illinois Street, Meridian Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward Illinois Street
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
14
Continue on South Illinois Street
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
South Illinois Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
Turn right onto West South Street
511 ft
·
25 sec
·
West South Street
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto South Meridian Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South Meridian Street
Use the left lane.
17
Turn left onto Monument Circle
365 ft
·
42 sec
·
Monument Circle
18
Turn right
76 ft
·
6 sec
19
At end of road, turn right
257 ft
·
28 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.58 one way
$7.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.93 | $7.86 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.41 | $8.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.06 | $10.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.40 | $1.10 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $2.00 | $0.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.21 | $1.47 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Indianapolis, IN
Night in Indianapolis on Thursday
Local time
10:16 PM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Partly Sunny
SSW 14 mph
11% chance
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
26 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
38m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Clayton, IN to Indianapolis, IN covers 22.9 miles and takes about 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Washington Street, West Main Street, Old National Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.4 miles from Clayton, IN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.58 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 22.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Michigan Street): Navigation decision point; at 21.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Clayton, IN to Indianapolis, IN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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