Origin
Dayton, KY
Evening in Dayton on Friday
Local time
8:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dayton, KY to Independence, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
17.8 mi
29 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dayton, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Independence, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Dayton, KY to Independence, KY is 17.8 miles and takes about 27 minutes via Madison Pike and Ronald Reagan Highway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, same-day trip entirely within Kentucky's Southeast region. Expect a local drive with plenty of turns, so don't plan on setting any speed records. It's a quick hop that's perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 17.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m 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
This drive has a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, meaning you'll be navigating more surface streets and intersections than open highway. While 28% of the route utilizes highways like Ronald Reagan Highway and I-471, the longest uninterrupted stretch is 5.2 miles on Madison Pike. You'll experience a mix of quicker highway segments and more stop-and-go local road driving, particularly as you approach your destination. Be prepared for frequent adjustments to your speed and direction.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Madison Pike is the longest continuous segment at about 5.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 17.8 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles (I 275 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
5.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 275 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward I 275 West
5
6.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 275 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Merge onto I 275 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
10.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward KY 17: Independence, Covington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 80
Toward KY 17: Independence, Covington
6
11.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
KY 17 / Madison Pike
Turn right onto KY 17 / Madison Pike toward Independence
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward Independence
5
16.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
KY 17 Business / Pelly Road
Turn right onto KY 17 Business / Pelly Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
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 Dayton, KY to Independence, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Covington along the way.
Covington
10.8 mi in
|
~16m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Madison Pike | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| Ronald Reagan Highway | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| I 471 | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| KY 17 Business | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Fairfield Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| 6th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Pelly Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Dave Cowens Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Madison Pike
— 5.2 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dayton, KY and Independence, KY.
1
Start on Dayton Avenue
46 ft
·
8 sec
·
Dayton Avenue
2
Turn left onto KY 8 Business
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
6th Avenue
3
Continue on KY 8 Business
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Fairfield Avenue
4
Continue on KY 8 Business
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Dave Cowens Drive
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 471 South
6
Merge onto I 471
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 471
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1B
Toward I 275 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 275
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 80
Toward KY 17: Independence, Covington
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn right onto KY 17
5.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Madison Pike
Toward Independence
Use the left / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto KY 17 Business
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Pelly Road
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on KY 17 Business
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
KY 17 Business
13
Arrive at destination
KY 17 Business; KY 2045
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.78 one way
$5.57 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.06 | $6.11 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.43 | $6.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.93 | $7.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.2 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 | 5.3 | 0 | $1.87 | $0.85 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.56 | $0.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
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
Independence, KY
Evening in Independence on Friday
Local time
8:57 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
7 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
27m 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 Dayton, KY to Independence, KY covers 17.8 miles and takes about 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Madison Pike, Ronald Reagan Highway, I 471. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.9 miles from Dayton, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.78 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 17.8 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 5.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles (I 275 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Dayton, KY to Independence, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Covington along the way.
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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