Origin
Clive, IA
Afternoon in Clive on Saturday
Local time
12:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clive, IA to Runnells, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
25.8 mi
42 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clive, IA
DS stories
Runnells, IA
Barnabas Davoti
Trip Overview
Clive, IA to Runnells, IA is 25.8 miles and takes about 40m via East University Avenue and John MacVicar Freeway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive keeps you within the Midwest region, entirely within Iowa. Expect a local driving experience with frequent turns, making it a quick and easy trip. It’s a straightforward journey suitable for a single day, offering a simple way to get from point A to point B without extensive planning.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 25.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (25%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Drive Character
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only 25% of the journey on highways. You'll navigate through a mix of local roads and some freeway sections, including East University Avenue, John MacVicar Freeway, and Southeast 116th Street. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.5 miles on East University Avenue. Be prepared for frequent changes in direction and speed as you transition between different types of roads.
Only 25% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.5 mi on East University Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near University Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 40m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (73rd Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
University Avenue
Turn left onto University Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
73rd Street
Turn right onto 73rd Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, State Fairgrounds
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 10A
Toward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, Sta...
4
19.5 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
Northeast 112th Street
Turn right onto Northeast 112th Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Clive, IA to Runnells, IA, road signs begin pointing toward State Fairgrounds along the way.
State Fairgrounds
7.7 mi in
|
~11m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East University Avenue | 9.5 mi | 14m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| Southeast 116th Street | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Northeast University Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Northeast 112th Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Southeast Camp Drive | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 73rd Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Brown Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East University Avenue
— 9.5 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clive, IA and Runnells, IA.
1
Start on Northwest 78th Street
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
Northwest 78th Street
2
Turn left onto University Avenue
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
University Avenue
3
Turn right onto 73rd Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
73rd Street
Use the right lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I-235 east
5
Merge onto I 235
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 10A
Toward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, State Fairgrounds
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn straight onto IA 163
7.7 mi
·
12 min
·
East University Avenue
8
Continue on IA 163
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast University Avenue
9
Continue on IA 163
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East University Avenue
10
Turn right onto Northeast 112th Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast 112th Street
11
Continue on Southeast Camp Drive
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Southeast Camp Drive
12
Continue on Camp Drive
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Camp Drive
13
Continue on Southeast 116th Street
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Southeast 116th Street
14
Continue on Brown Street
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
Brown Street
15
Turn left onto IA-316
78 ft
·
1 sec
·
East McKinney Street
16
Arrive at destination
IA-316
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.03 one way
$8.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.43 | $8.86 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.96 | $9.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.70 | $11.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.71 | $1.24 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.26 | $1.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.61 | $1.65 |
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.
Destination
Runnells, IA
Afternoon in Runnells on Saturday
Local time
12:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°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
20 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
40m 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 Clive, IA to Runnells, IA covers 25.8 miles and takes about 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East University Avenue, John MacVicar Freeway, Southeast 116th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.9 miles from Clive, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.03 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 straightforward 40m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (73rd Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Clive, IA to Runnells, IA, road signs begin pointing toward State Fairgrounds along the way.
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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