Origin
Columbus, OH
Late night in Columbus on Friday
Local time
2:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbus, OH to Utica, OH
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
52m
Distance
39.3 mi
63 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbus, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Utica, OH
Israyosoy S.
Trip Overview
The drive from Columbus, OH to Utica, OH covers 39.3 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest, Northeast Freeway, Johnstown Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.8 miles on Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.10 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 39.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 52m drive with frequent turns across 39.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest is the longest continuous segment at about 16.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 17 decision points packed into just 39.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
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 17 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest | 16.8 mi | 19m |
| Northeast Freeway | 6.4 mi | 7m |
| Johnstown Road | 5.9 mi | 7m |
| Morse Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Jack Nicklaus Freeway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| West Coshocton Street | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| West Main Street | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| South High Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest
— 16.8 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbus, OH and Utica, 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
0.7 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Main Street
18
Continue on US 62
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Johnstown Road
Use the straight lane.
19
Continue on US 62
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Continue on US 62
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
West Coshocton Street
21
Continue on US 62
14 mi
·
15 min
·
Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
22
Turn left onto SR 13
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South Main Street
23
Turn right onto Mill Street
404 ft
·
16 sec
·
Mill Street
24
Turn left onto South Central Avenue
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Central Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
South Central Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.6 mi from Columbus, OH · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.6 miles from Columbus, OH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Utica, OH
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Utica, 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
$6.10 one way
$12.20 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $6.77 | $13.54 |
| premium | $4.91 | $7.60 | $15.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.68 | $17.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
| Efficient EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.44 | $1.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.50 | $2.52 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Utica, OH
Late night in Utica on Friday
Local time
2:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
51°F
New Albany, OH
20 mi in
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
30 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
52m 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 Utica, OH covers 39.3 miles and takes about 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest, Northeast Freeway, Johnstown Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.6 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 $6.10 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 17 decision points packed into just 39.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
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 Utica, OH does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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