Origin
Columbus, OH
Late night in Columbus on Thursday
Local time
1:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbus, OH to New Albany, OH
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
24m
Distance
16.5 mi
27 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbus, OH
Wikimedia Commons
New Albany, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Columbus, OH to New Albany, OH covers 16.5 miles and takes about 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Northeast Freeway, Morse Road, Johnstown Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.4 miles on Northeast Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.56 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
This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.
Midpoint
8.2 miles from Columbus, OH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 12m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from Columbus, OH to New Albany, OH covers 16.5 miles and takes about 24m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Northeast Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.4 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 around 0.1 miles in near South High Street.
Route Complexity
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 16.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South High Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (East Chestnut Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (Northeast Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South High Street
Turn right onto South High Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
East Chestnut Street
Turn right onto East Chestnut Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Northeast Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto Northeast Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 270 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 10A
Toward I 270 North
7
10.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward Morse Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 32
Toward Morse Road
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast Freeway | 6.4 mi | 7m |
| Morse Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Johnstown Road | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Jack Nicklaus Freeway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| South High Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Chestnut Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North 4th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Northeast Freeway
— 6.4 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbus, OH and New Albany, OH.
1
Start on this road
77 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto East State Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
East State Street
3
Turn right onto South High Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South High Street
Use the right lane.
4
Turn right onto East Chestnut Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
East Chestnut Street
Use the right lane.
5
At end of road, turn left onto US 23
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
North 4th Street
6
Keep slight right at fork onto Northeast Freeway
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Northeast Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
353 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 270 North, SR 161: Easton Way
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 10A
Toward I 270 North
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 270
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Jack Nicklaus Freeway
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 32
Toward Morse Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto Morse Road
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Morse Road
Use the right lane.
12
Enter roundabout onto US 62
245 ft
·
3 sec
·
Johnstown Road
13
Continue on US 62
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Johnstown Road
Use the straight lane.
14
Enter roundabout onto US 62
111 ft
·
1 sec
·
Johnstown Road
15
Continue on US 62
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Johnstown Road
16
Enter roundabout onto US 62
99 ft
·
1 sec
·
West Main Street
17
Continue on US 62
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
West Main Street
18
Turn right onto East Dublin Granville Road
447 ft
·
17 sec
·
East Dublin Granville Road
19
Turn right onto South High Street
104 ft
·
1 sec
·
South High Street
20
Arrive at destination
South High Street
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 8.2 miles from Columbus, OH, or about 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 6.4 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 16.5 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 8.2 miles or 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near New Albany, OH than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Have your navigation ready before leaving Columbus, OH.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Columbus, OH
This is one driving day of about 16.5 miles and 24m.
At 16.5 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Northeast Freeway for about 6.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 8.2 mi from Columbus, OH · 12m into the drive
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 16.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 8.2 miles from Columbus, OH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in New Albany, OH
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into New Albany, OH if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.56 one way
$5.12 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $2.84 | $5.68 |
| premium | $4.91 | $3.19 | $6.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.64 | $7.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$28–$53
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5 | 0 | $1.73 | $0.79 |
| Efficient EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.44 | $0.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.31 | $1.06 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
New Albany, OH
Late night in New Albany on Thursday
Local time
1:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
15 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
24m 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 Columbus, OH to New Albany, OH covers 16.5 miles and takes about 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Northeast Freeway, Morse Road, Johnstown Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.2 miles from Columbus, OH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.56 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 16 decision points packed into just 16.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South High Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (East Chestnut Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (Northeast Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Columbus, OH to New Albany, OH does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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