Origin
Decatur, AL
Afternoon in Decatur on Saturday
Local time
3:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Decatur, AL to Riverside, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
55.1 mi
89 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Decatur, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, AL
🇻🇳🇻🇳 Việt Anh Nguyễn 🇻🇳🇻🇳
Trip Overview
The drive from Decatur, AL to Riverside, AL covers 55.1 miles and takes about 1h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Point Mallard Drive, AL 79, Point Mallard Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 34.8 miles on Point Mallard Drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.32 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Point Mallard Drive | 34.8 mi | 48m |
| AL 79 | 6.3 mi | 11m |
| Point Mallard Parkway | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| CR 26 | 3 mi | 5m |
| 6th Avenue Southeast | 3 mi | 5m |
| US 278 | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| US 231 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Lee Street Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Point Mallard Drive
— 34.8 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Decatur, AL and Riverside, AL.
1
Start on this road
426 ft
·
36 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Ferry Street Northeast
164 ft
·
8 sec
·
Ferry Street Northeast
3
Turn left onto Lee Street Northeast
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
Lee Street Northeast
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
At end of road, turn right onto US 31
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
6th Avenue Northeast
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on US 31
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
6th Avenue Southeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn left onto AL 67
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Point Mallard Parkway
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on AL 67
35 mi
·
48 min
·
Point Mallard Drive
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn right onto US 231
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
US 231
9
Turn left onto US 278
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
US 278
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on US 278
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
US 278
11
Take the exit
363 ft
·
9 sec
12
Turn straight onto AL 79
6.3 mi
·
11 min
·
AL 79
13
Turn sharp left onto CR 26
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
CR 26
14
Arrive at destination
CR 26
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.5 miles from Decatur, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 45.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Ferry Street Northeast
At end of road, turn left onto Ferry Street Northeast
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Lee Street Northeast
Turn left onto Lee Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
8
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast
At end of road, turn right onto US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
43.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
US 278
Turn left onto US 278
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
45.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.32 one way
$16.64 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $9.13 | $18.27 |
| premium | $4.56 | $9.89 | $19.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.17 | $24.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.82 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.71 | $3.53 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Riverside, AL
Afternoon in Riverside on Saturday
Local time
3:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°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
2 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
1h 22m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
55.1 mi in 1h 22m — 30% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Point Mallard Drive.
30% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.8 mi on Point Mallard Drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Ferry Street Northeast.
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 1h 22m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Ferry Street Northeast): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Lee Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 55.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.8 miles on Point Mallard Drive. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Ferry Street Northeast): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Lee Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Riverside, AL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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