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Trip from Columbia, MD to Edgewater, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

44m

Distance

31.5 mi

51 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 41m ★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 42m

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

planned community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Columbia, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Edgewater, MD, MD

Edgewater, MD

Jonathan Borba

Trip Overview

The drive from Columbia, MD to Edgewater, MD covers 31.5 miles and takes about 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 97, MD 100, Old Annapolis Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13 miles on I 97. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.22 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 31.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

44m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 44m highway drive covering 31.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 97 and MD 100. The longest continuous stretch is about 13 miles on I 97.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 97 is the longest continuous segment at about 13 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 97 and MD 100. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 31.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 13.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

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

8
13.9 mi into trip | ~20m in

Take the exit toward I 97: Annapolis, Baltimore

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 13A-B Toward I 97: Annapolis, Baltimore
9
14.1 mi into trip | ~21m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 97 South: Annapolis, Bay Bridge

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 13A Toward I 97 South: Annapolis, Bay Bridge
6
27.6 mi into trip | ~37m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 50 East, US 301 North: Annapolis, Bay Bridge

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 50 East, US 301 North: Annapolis, Bay...
6
28.4 mi into trip | ~39m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MD 665: Riva Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 22 Toward MD 665: Riva Road
7
29.8 mi into trip | ~40m in

Take the exit toward MD 2: Parole, Edgewater

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 MD 2: Parole, Edgewater

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 Columbia, MD to Edgewater, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore along the way.

Baltimore

13.9 mi in | ~20m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 97 13 mi 14m
MD 100 10.9 mi 14m
Old Annapolis Road 2 mi 3m
Solomons Island Road 1.2 mi 2m
Aris T Allen Boulevard 0.8 mi 1m
Clarksville Pike 0.6 mi 1m
Poplar Point Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 97 — 13 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MD and Edgewater, MD.

1

Start on this road

404 ft · 9 sec · this road
Exit 21B Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
2

Turn straight onto MD 108

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Clarksville Pike
3

Continue on MD 108

0.4 mi · 56 sec · Clarksville Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
4

Turn straight onto MD 108

2.0 mi · 3 min · Old Annapolis Road
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward MD 100 East
6

Merge onto MD 100

11 mi · 14 min · MD 100
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Exit 13A-B Toward I 97: Annapolis, Baltimore Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 13A Toward I 97 South: Annapolis, Bay Bridge Use the slight right lane.
9

Merge onto I 97

5.2 mi · 5 min · I 97
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto I 97

7.8 mi · 8 min · I 97
Toward Bay Bridge
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward US 50 East, US 301 North: Annapolis, Bay Bridge
12

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 49 sec
Exit 22 Toward MD 665: Riva Road
13

Continue on MD 665

0.8 mi · 1 min · Aris T Allen Boulevard
14

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Toward MD 2: Parole, Edgewater Use the slight right lane.
15

Turn right onto MD 2

1.1 mi · 1 min · Solomons Island Road
16

Continue on MD 2

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Solomons Island Road
17

Turn right onto Poplar Point Road

434 ft · 19 sec · Poplar Point Road
18

Turn right

380 ft · 27 sec
19

Arrive at destination

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.22 one way

$10.44 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $5.72 $11.44
premium $4.93 $6.11 $12.22
diesel $5.61 $6.95 $13.91

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.5 0 $3.31 $1.51
Efficient EV 7.9 0 $2.76 $1.26
EV Truck/SUV 12.6 0 $4.41 $2.02

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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 17, 2026

Origin

Columbia, MD

Late night in Columbia on Friday

Local time

4:18 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Edgewater, MD

Late night in Edgewater on Friday

Local time

4:18 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°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

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

44m 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, MD to Edgewater, MD covers 31.5 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 97, MD 100, Old Annapolis Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 15.7 miles from Columbia, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.22 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 12 decision points packed into just 31.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.

The main spots that need attention: at 13.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

On the drive from Columbia, MD to Edgewater, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore along the way.

How this page is built

Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Edgewater, MD to Columbia, MD

Plan the drive back the other way.

32.1 mi 43m

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