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Trip from Dike, IA to Iowa City, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 53m

Distance

95.8 mi

154 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 46m ★
6 AM
1h 54m
8 AM
2h 11m
10 AM
2h 0m
12 PM
1h 58m
3 PM
2h 1m
5 PM
2h 10m
8 PM
1h 49m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Dike, IA, IA

Dike, IA

Luis Quintero

city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States

Iowa City, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Dike, IA to Iowa City, IA covers 95.8 miles and takes about 1h 53m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Avenue of the Saints, US 20, I 80 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 64.7 miles on Avenue of the Saints. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.98 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

47.9 miles from Dike, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 55m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 53m. Total distance: 95.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 53m drive with frequent turns across 95.8 miles of local and secondary roads.

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.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 64.7 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 0.2 miles in near 1st Street.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 95.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.2 miles (1st Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 23.2 miles (I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | 1st Street

At end of road, turn left onto 1st Street

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

5
0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp

Navigation decision point

6
23.2 mi into trip | ~28m in | I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints

Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
4
87.9 mi into trip | ~1h 39m in

Take the exit toward I 80

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward I 80
5
88.2 mi into trip | ~1h 40m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 80 East: Davenport

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Avenue of the Saints 64.7 mi 1h 11m
US 20 22.5 mi 25m
I 80 4.2 mi 4m
North Dubuque Street 1 mi 2m
North Gilbert Street 0.8 mi 2m
1st Street 0.3 mi <1m
West State Street 0.2 mi <1m
Kimball Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Avenue of the Saints — 64.7 mi, about 1h 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Dike, IA and Iowa City, IA.

1

Start on West State Street

0.2 mi · 48 sec · West State Street
2

At end of road, turn left onto 1st Street

0.3 mi · 43 sec · 1st Street
3

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec
4

Merge onto US 20

22 mi · 25 min · US 20
5

Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27

65 mi · 1 hr 11 min · Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Toward I 80
7

Keep slight left at fork

1.2 mi · 2 min
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
8

Merge onto I 80

4.2 mi · 4 min · I 80
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Toward Downtown
10

Turn right onto North Dubuque Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · North Dubuque Street
11

Turn left onto Kimball Road

477 ft · 21 sec · Kimball Road
12

Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street

0.8 mi · 2 min · North Gilbert Street
13

Arrive at destination

South Gilbert Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 47.9 miles from Dike, IA, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.7 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 21 miles or 25m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 47.9 miles or 55m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 29m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Iowa City, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Dike, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Dike, IA

This is one driving day of about 95.8 miles and 1h 53m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Dike, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Avenue of the Saints for about 64.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 47.9 mi from Dike, IA · 55m into the drive

city in Linn County, Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hiawatha, IA

48 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

Elk Run Heights, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hiawatha, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 47.9 miles from Dike, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Avenue of the Saints if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.7 miles.

Arriving in Iowa City, IA

The final approach into Iowa City, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.98 one way

$29.95 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 34 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $16.44 $32.89
premium $4.89 $18.44 $36.87
diesel $5.61 $21.15 $42.30

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 33.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 28.7 0 $10.06 $4.60
Efficient EV 24 0 $8.38 $3.83
EV Truck/SUV 38.3 0 $13.41 $6.13

Gas CO2

34 kg

EV CO2

11 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.

Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Dike, IA

Afternoon in Dike on Friday

Local time

2:56 PM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 8 mph 49% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 14 at 11:55AM CDT until April 20 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 14 at 11:55AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Iowa City, IA

Afternoon in Iowa City on Friday

Local time

2:56 PM

CDT

Current temp

82°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

SW 15 mph 40% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 14 at 11:55AM CDT until April 20 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 14 at 11:55AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

4 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

1h 53m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Dike, IA to Iowa City, IA covers 95.8 miles and takes about 1h 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, US 20, I 80. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 47.9 miles from Dike, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.98 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 95.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.2 miles (1st Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 23.2 miles (I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

The route from Dike, IA to Iowa City, 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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