Origin
Dallas Center, IA
Late night in Dallas Center on Saturday
Local time
2:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dallas Center, IA to Ankeny, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
22.2 mi
36 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dallas Center, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Ankeny, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Dallas Center, IA to Ankeny, IA is 22.2 miles and takes about 40m via 240th Street, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip keeps you within the Midwest, traveling between two locations in Iowa. Expect a local drive with plenty of turns rather than a highway cruise. Given the brief distance and duration, this route is best suited for a single-day excursion with minimal planning required.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 22.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This is a turn-heavy local drive with no highway time, so be prepared for frequent changes in direction. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.4 miles along 240th Street. As you navigate using roads like Northwest 70th Avenue and West 1st Street, the landscape will likely feel consistently rural or suburban without the high speeds of interstate travel. The character of the drive is defined by its local roads and the continuous need to adjust your course.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
240th Street is the longest continuous segment at about 5.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR R16 / 14th Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 40m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR R16 / 14th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (IA 44 / Sugar Grove Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 10.5 miles (Northwest 70th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR R16 / 14th Street
Turn right onto CR R16 / 14th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 44 / Sugar Grove Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto IA 44 / Sugar Grove Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
10.5 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
Northwest 70th Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Northwest 70th Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
10.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
Northwest 70th Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Northwest 70th Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
11.5 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
Northwest 70th Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Northwest 70th Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 240th Street | 5.4 mi | 7m |
| Northwest 70th Avenue | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| West 1st Street | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| East 1st Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Southwest State Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Northwest 26th Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Southwest Oralabor Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Northwest 66th Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
240th Street
— 5.4 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dallas Center, IA and Ankeny, IA.
1
Start on Walnut Street
32 ft
·
5 sec
·
Walnut Street
2
Turn right onto CR R16
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
14th Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto IA 44
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Sugar Grove Avenue
4
Continue on IA 44
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
240th Street
5
Continue on IA 44
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
West 1st Street
6
Continue on IA 44
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
East 1st Street
7
Enter roundabout onto Northwest 70th Avenue
94 ft
·
1 sec
·
Northwest 70th Avenue
8
Continue on Northwest 70th Avenue
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Northwest 70th Avenue
9
Enter roundabout onto Northwest 70th Avenue
126 ft
·
2 sec
·
Northwest 70th Avenue
10
Continue on Northwest 70th Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest 70th Avenue
11
Enter roundabout onto Northwest 70th Avenue
110 ft
·
2 sec
·
Northwest 70th Avenue
12
Continue on Northwest 70th Avenue
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Northwest 70th Avenue
13
Turn right onto Northwest Beaver Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest Beaver Drive
14
Continue on Northwest 66th Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Northwest 66th Avenue
15
Turn left onto Northwest 26th Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Northwest 26th Street
16
Turn right onto IA 415
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Northwest 78th Avenue
17
Continue on IA 415
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest Oralabor Road
18
Turn left onto Southwest State Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest State Street
19
Turn right onto Southwest Ordnance Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Ordnance Road
20
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Walnut Street
21
Turn right onto Southwest 3rd Street
48 ft
·
2 sec
·
Southwest 3rd Street
22
Arrive at destination
Southwest 3rd Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.47 one way
$6.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.81 | $7.62 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.27 | $8.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.90 | $9.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.33 | $1.07 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.94 | $0.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.11 | $1.42 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Ankeny, IA
Late night in Ankeny on Saturday
Local time
2:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
19 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
40m 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 Dallas Center, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 22.2 miles and takes about 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 240th Street, Northwest 70th Avenue, West 1st Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.1 miles from Dallas Center, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.47 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 straightforward 40m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR R16 / 14th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (IA 44 / Sugar Grove Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 10.5 miles (Northwest 70th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
The route from Dallas Center, IA to Ankeny, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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