Origin
Columbus, OH
Night in Columbus on Thursday
Local time
10:40 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbus, OH to Waterloo, OH
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
26m
Distance
16 mi
26 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbus, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Waterloo, OH
Wijs (Wise)
Trip Overview
The drive from Columbus, OH to Waterloo, OH covers 16 miles and takes about 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Southeast Expressway, East Livingston Avenue, East Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.8 miles on Southeast Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.48 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 16 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 26m highway drive covering 16 miles, with most of the trip on Southeast Expressway and East Livingston Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 8.8 miles on Southeast Expressway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Southeast Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 8.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southeast Expressway and East Livingston Avenue. 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
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 16 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South High Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (US 62; SR 3 / East Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (US 23; US 33 / South Third Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South High Street
Turn left onto South High Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 62; SR 3 / East Main Street
Turn left onto US 62; SR 3 / East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
0.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 23; US 33 / South Third Street
Turn right onto US 23; US 33 / South Third Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward US 33 East: Lancaster
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 105A
Toward US 33 East: Lancaster
8
15.1 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward Hill Road, Diley Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 139
Toward Hill Road, Diley Road
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southeast Expressway | 8.8 mi | 11m |
| East Livingston Avenue | 2.7 mi | 6m |
| East Freeway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Columbus-Lancaster Road Northwest | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| College Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South High Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Alum Creek Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Third Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Southeast Expressway
— 8.8 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbus, OH and Waterloo, OH.
1
Start on this road
77 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto East State Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
East State Street
3
Turn left onto South High Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South High Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto US 62; SR 3
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
East Main Street
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto US 23; US 33
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
South Third Street
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto US 23; US 33
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
East Livingston Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto Alum Creek Drive
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Alum Creek Drive
Use the right lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 70 East
9
Merge onto I 70
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Freeway
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 105A
Toward US 33 East: Lancaster
Use the slight right lane.
11
Continue on US 33
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
College Avenue
Use the straight lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 33
8.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Southeast Expressway
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on US 33
0.7 mi
·
48 sec
·
Columbus-Lancaster Road Northwest
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 139
Toward Hill Road, Diley Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto CR 18
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Diley Road
Use the right lane.
16
Continue on CR 18
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Hill Road Northwest
17
Continue on CR 18
229 ft
·
10 sec
·
Hill Road Northwest
18
Arrive at destination
CR 18
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.48 one way
$4.97 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $2.76 | $5.51 |
| premium | $4.91 | $3.09 | $6.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.53 | $7.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.6 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 | 4.8 | 0 | $1.68 | $0.77 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.40 | $0.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
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
Waterloo, OH
Night in Waterloo on Thursday
Local time
10:40 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°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
14 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
26m 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 Waterloo, OH covers 16 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Southeast Expressway, East Livingston Avenue, East Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8 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 $2.48 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 13 decision points packed into just 16 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South High Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (US 62; SR 3 / East Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (US 23; US 33 / South Third Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Columbus, OH to Waterloo, OH does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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