Origin
Dubuque, IA
Morning in Dubuque on Friday
Local time
6:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dubuque, IA to Independence, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
67.6 mi
109 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
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.
Dubuque, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Independence, IA
Roger Ce
Trip Overview
The drive from Dubuque, IA to Independence, IA covers 67.6 miles and takes about 1h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dodge Street, 3rd Avenue Southeast, Locust Street Conn for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 65.2 miles on Dodge Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.57 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 67.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m 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
Expect a 1h 23m drive with frequent turns across 67.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dodge Street is the longest continuous segment at about 65.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Dubuque, IA to Independence, IA is easy. At 1h 23m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.4 miles (IA 946 / Locust Street Conn): Navigation decision point; at 66.1 miles (IA 150 / 3rd Avenue Southeast): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward US 61 South, US 151 South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 189A
Toward US 61 South, US 151 South
3
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IA 946 / Locust Street Conn
Turn right onto IA 946 / Locust Street Conn
Navigation decision point
4
66.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
|
IA 150 / 3rd Avenue Southeast
Turn right onto IA 150 / 3rd Avenue Southeast
Navigation decision point
4
67.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
IA 150; CR D22 / 1st Street East
Turn right onto IA 150; CR D22 / 1st Street East
Navigation decision point
5
67.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
|
5th Avenue Southeast
Turn right onto 5th Avenue Southeast
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dodge Street | 65.2 mi | 1h 18m |
| 3rd Avenue Southeast | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Locust Street Conn | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Central Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 1st Street East | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 5th Avenue Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dodge Street
— 65.2 mi, about 1h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dubuque, IA and Independence, IA.
1
Start on Central Avenue
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Central Avenue
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 189A
Toward US 61 South, US 151 South
3
Turn right onto IA 946
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Locust Street Conn
4
Turn right onto US 20
65 mi
·
1 hr 18 min
·
Dodge Street
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
6
Turn right onto IA 150
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
3rd Avenue Southeast
7
Turn right onto IA 150; CR D22
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
1st Street East
8
Turn right onto 5th Avenue Southeast
42 ft
·
1 sec
·
5th Avenue Southeast
9
Arrive at destination
5th Avenue Southeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 33.8 mi from Dubuque, IA · 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.8 miles from Dubuque, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Dodge Street if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 65.2 miles.
Arriving in Independence, IA
The final approach into Independence, 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
$10.57 one way
$21.14 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.60 | $23.21 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.01 | $26.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.93 | $29.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.10 | $3.24 |
| Efficient EV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.91 | $2.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27 | 0 | $9.46 | $4.33 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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, IA
Morning in Independence on Friday
Local time
6:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Epworth, IA
34 mi in
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
23 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 23m 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 Dubuque, IA to Independence, IA covers 67.6 miles and takes about 1h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dodge Street, 3rd Avenue Southeast, Locust Street Conn. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33.8 miles from Dubuque, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.57 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.
The drive from Dubuque, IA to Independence, IA is easy. At 1h 23m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.4 miles (IA 946 / Locust Street Conn): Navigation decision point; at 66.1 miles (IA 150 / 3rd Avenue Southeast): Navigation decision point.
The route from Dubuque, IA to Independence, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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