Trip from Cleveland, TN to East Chattanooga, TN

Drive Time

37m

Distance

25.3 mi

41 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 34m ★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m

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

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick commute or a simple transition between Cleveland and East Chattanooga, this 25.3-mile trip is an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. Expect to spend about 37 minutes behind the wheel as you navigate from the Southeast region toward your destination. With a modest fuel budget of $4, this route is highly economical for those moving through Tennessee. Because the drive is short, there is no need to worry about overnight lodging or complex trip planning. The path relies on a combination of I-75, Bonny Oaks Drive, and South Lee Highway to get you where you need to go. It serves as a straightforward, no-nonsense connection between these two points.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

12.6 miles from Cleveland, TN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 17m into the drive .

Drive Character

This trip offers a mixed driving experience, balancing high-speed transit with local road navigation. You will spend roughly 56 percent of your journey on the highway, with the longest uninterrupted segment covering 12.4 miles on I-75. Transitions between the interstate and surface streets like South Lee Highway require you to shift your focus from steady cruising to more attentive local driving. As you move off the main interstate, the pace naturally adjusts to the flow of regional traffic. Expect a functional drive that trades scenic variety for efficiency as you progress toward East Chattanooga.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 75 is the longest continuous segment at about 12.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 64; US 11 Business / Broad Street Southwest.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 25.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 64; US 11 Business / Broad Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 64; US 11 Business / 3rd Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (US 11; US 64 / South Lee Highway): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 64; US 11 Business / Broad Street Southwest

Turn left onto US 64; US 11 Business / Broad Street Southwest

Navigation decision point

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 64; US 11 Business / 3rd Street Southwest

Turn right onto US 64; US 11 Business / 3rd Street Southwest

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in | US 11; US 64 / South Lee Highway

Turn left onto US 11; US 64 / South Lee Highway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.
6
4.6 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the exit

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.
7
17.3 mi into trip | ~22m in | US 11; US 64; SR 317

Take the exit onto US 11; US 64; SR 317 toward Secondary SR 317 West, US 11 South, US 64 West: Bonny Oaks Drive, Old Lee Highway

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward Secondary SR 317 West, US 11 South, US 6...

Towns Along This Route

Between Cleveland, TN and East Chattanooga, TN, road signs point toward Secondary Sr 317 West and Old Lee Highway.

Secondary Sr 317 West

17.3 mi in | ~22m | via US 11; US 64; SR 317

Old Lee Highway

17.3 mi in | ~22m | via US 11; US 64; SR 317

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 75 12.4 mi 13m
Bonny Oaks Drive 6.5 mi 11m
South Lee Highway 2.4 mi 3m
US 74 1.3 mi 1m
Campbell Street 0.6 mi 1m
US 11 0.5 mi 1m
Glass Street 0.3 mi <1m
Lee Highway 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 75 — 12.4 mi, about 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cleveland, TN and East Chattanooga, TN.

1

Start on US 64

68 ft · 9 sec · Inman Street West
2

Turn left onto US 64; US 11 Business

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Broad Street Southwest
3

Turn right onto US 64; US 11 Business

0.2 mi · 23 sec · 3rd Street Southwest
Use the right lane.
4

Continue on US 64; US 11 Business

0.3 mi · 35 sec · Lee Highway
5

Turn left onto US 11; US 64

2.4 mi · 3 min · South Lee Highway
Use the straight / left lanes.
6

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 35 sec
7

Merge onto US 74

1.3 mi · 1 min · US 74
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Use the left / straight lanes.
9

Merge onto I 75

12 mi · 13 min · I 75
10

Take the exit onto US 11; US 64; SR 317

0.2 mi · 44 sec · US 11; US 64; SR 317
Toward Secondary SR 317 West, US 11 South, US 64 West: Bonny Oaks Drive, Old Lee Highway Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto US 11; US 64; SR 317

0.2 mi · 24 sec · US 11; US 64; SR 317
12

Continue on TN 317

4.8 mi · 8 min · Bonny Oaks Drive
13

Continue on SR 17

1.8 mi · 3 min · Bonny Oaks Drive
14

Continue on SR 17

0.6 mi · 1 min · Campbell Street
15

Turn right onto SR 17

0.3 mi · 38 sec · Glass Street
16

Turn left onto North Chamberlain Avenue

52 ft · 1 sec · North Chamberlain Avenue
17

Arrive at destination

North Chamberlain Avenue

Trip Plan

Given the short 37-minute duration, you have plenty of flexibility when planning your departure time. Since there are no mandatory stops required for this 25.3-mile stretch, you can easily complete the journey in one go without needing to build in rest breaks. Keep in mind that traffic levels on I-75 can fluctuate, so checking local conditions before you head out is a smart move. Budgeting $4 for fuel should keep you covered for the entire trip, but keeping your tank topped off before leaving Cleveland ensures you won't need to worry about mid-route refueling. Prioritize a steady pace once you transition onto Bonny Oaks Drive to navigate the final leg of the trip smoothly.

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 12.6 miles from Cleveland, TN, or about 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 12.4 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 25.3 miles or 37m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 12.6 miles or 17m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 30m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near East Chattanooga, TN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Cleveland, TN 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 Cleveland, TN

This is one driving day of about 25.3 miles and 37m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Cleveland, TN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on I 75 for about 12.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 12.6 mi from Cleveland, TN · 17m into the drive

Downtown Chattanooga, TN, TN

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Chattanooga, TN

13 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

Chattanooga, TN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 25.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Chattanooga, TN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 12.6 miles from Cleveland, TN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in East Chattanooga, TN

The final approach into East Chattanooga, TN 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 East Chattanooga, TN.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.84 one way

$7.69 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $4.24 $8.47
premium $4.80 $4.78 $9.55
diesel $5.64 $5.62 $11.24

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$4

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$29–$54

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.6 0 $2.66 $1.21
Efficient EV 6.3 0 $2.21 $1.01
EV Truck/SUV 10.1 0 $3.54 $1.62

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Cleveland, TN

Evening in Cleveland on Sunday

Local time

7:27 PM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

East Chattanooga, TN

Evening in East Chattanooga on Sunday

Local time

7:27 PM

EDT

Current temp

63°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

1 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

37m 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 Cleveland, TN to East Chattanooga, TN covers 25.3 miles and takes about 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 75, Bonny Oaks Drive, South Lee Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.6 miles from Cleveland, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.84 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 demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 25.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 64; US 11 Business / Broad Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 64; US 11 Business / 3rd Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (US 11; US 64 / South Lee Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Between Cleveland, TN and East Chattanooga, TN, road signs point toward Secondary Sr 317 West and Old Lee Highway.

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