Origin
Columbia, KY
Evening in Columbia on Sunday
Local time
6:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, KY to Owensboro, KY
Drive Time
2h 17m
Distance
146.4 mi
236 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$22
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 8m
★
6 AM
2h 18m
8 AM
2h 37m
10 AM
2h 25m
12 PM
2h 23m
3 PM
2h 25m
5 PM
2h 36m
8 PM
2h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia, KY
Arturo Añez.
Owensboro, KY
Vietnam Hidden Light
Trip Overview
The drive from Columbia, KY to Owensboro, KY covers 146.4 miles and takes about 2h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Burkesville Street, Cumberland Parkway West, Cumberland Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.24 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
73.2 miles from Columbia, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 8m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 17m drive with frequent turns across 146.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Burkesville 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.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Columbia, KY to Owensboro, KY is easy. At 2h 17m 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 Columbia, KY to Owensboro, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Burkesville Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Cumberland Parkway West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Cumberland Parkway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Cumberland Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| KY 234 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Cemetery Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Fairview Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East 6th Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Burkesville Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, KY and Owensboro, KY.
1
Start on Public Square
30 ft
·
1 sec
·
Public Square
2
Exit the rotary onto Burkesville Street
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Burkesville Street
3
Take the exit slight right toward Cumberland Parkway West, Glasgow
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Cumberland Parkway West, Glasgow
4
Merge slight left onto Cumberland Parkway
46 mi
·
49 min
·
Cumberland Parkway
5
Continue on Cumberland Parkway
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
Cumberland Parkway
6
Continue on Cumberland Expressway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Cumberland Expressway
7
Merge slight left
17 mi
·
17 min
8
Take the exit slight right toward KY 234: Bowling Green
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
KY 234: Bowling Green
9
Turn right onto Cemetery Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Cemetery Road
10
Continue on Fairview Avenue
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Fairview Avenue
11
Continue on East 6th Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Avenue
12
Continue on Veterans Memorial Lane
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Veterans Memorial Lane
13
Turn right onto Morgantown Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Morgantown Road
14
Take the ramp right
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
15
Merge slight left
62 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
16
Keep slight right to continue on US 60 East, US 231 North: Hawesville
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
US 60 East, US 231 North: Hawesville
17
Merge slight left onto Wendell Ford Expressway
0.8 mi
·
53 sec
·
Wendell Ford Expressway
18
Take the exit slight right toward KY 54
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
KY 54
19
Turn left onto Leitchfield Road
259 ft
·
6 sec
·
Leitchfield Road
20
Continue on East Parrish Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
East Parrish Avenue
21
Turn right onto Leitchfield Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Leitchfield Road
22
Turn left onto East 5th Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East 5th Street
23
Turn right onto Frederica Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Frederica Street
24
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 73.2 miles from Columbia, KY, or about 1h 8m 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 80 miles or 1h 15m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 73.2 miles or 1h 8m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Owensboro, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Columbia, KY 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 Columbia, KY
This is one driving day of about 146.4 miles and 2h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Columbia, KY.
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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 73.2 mi from Columbia, KY · 1h 8m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
73 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 73.2 miles from Columbia, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Owensboro, KY
The final approach into Owensboro, KY 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 Owensboro, KY.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.24 one way
$44.47 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
51 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $24.51 | $49.03 |
| premium | $4.80 | $27.64 | $55.27 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $32.53 | $65.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 43.9 | 0 | $15.37 | $7.03 |
| Efficient EV | 36.6 | 0 | $12.81 | $5.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 58.6 | 0 | $20.50 | $9.37 |
Gas CO2
51 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.
Destination
Owensboro, KY
Evening in Owensboro on Sunday
Local time
6:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
21 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 17m 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 Columbia, KY to Owensboro, KY covers 146.4 miles and takes about 2h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Burkesville Street, Cumberland Parkway West, Cumberland Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 73.2 miles from Columbia, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $22.24 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.
The drive from Columbia, KY to Owensboro, KY is easy. At 2h 17m 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 Columbia, KY to Owensboro, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Columbia, KY to Owensboro, KY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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