Origin
Edgewater, MD
Morning in Edgewater on Friday
Local time
9:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Edgewater, MD to Columbia, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
32.1 mi
52 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Edgewater, MD
Jonathan Borba
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Edgewater, MD to Columbia, MD covers 32.1 miles and takes about 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 97, Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway, Solomons Island Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13 miles on I 97. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.32 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 32.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (40%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Edgewater, MD to Columbia, MD covers 32.1 miles and takes about 43m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 97 is the longest continuous segment at about 13 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 MD 2 / Solomons Island Road.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 32.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (MD 2 / Solomons Island Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 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
|
MD 2 / Solomons Island Road
Turn right onto MD 2 / Solomons Island Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
16.7 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward MD 100: Ellicott City, Gibson Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 14A-B
Toward MD 100: Ellicott City, Gibson Island
8
17 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 14B
Toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
7
30.7 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 29 South: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 29 South: Washington
8
31.7 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Edgewater, MD and Columbia, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore and Gibson Island.
Baltimore
2.2 mi in
|
~4m
Gibson Island
16.7 mi in
|
~21m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 97 | 13 mi | 14m |
| Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway | 12.9 mi | 17m |
| Solomons Island Road | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Aris T Allen Boulevard | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Columbia Pike | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Poplar Point Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 97
— 13 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Edgewater, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on this road
380 ft
·
30 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Poplar Point Road
434 ft
·
21 sec
·
Poplar Point Road
3
Turn right onto MD 2
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Solomons Island Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on MD 2
155 ft
·
9 sec
·
Solomons Island Road
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward MD 665 West, US 301, I 97, US 50: Aris T Allen Boulevard
6
Merge onto MD 665
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
Aris T Allen Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 97, US 50 West, US 301 South: Washington, Baltimore
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 97 North: Baltimore
9
Continue on I 97
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 97
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 97
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
I 97
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 14A-B
Toward MD 100: Ellicott City, Gibson Island
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 14B
Toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto MD 100
13 mi
·
17 min
·
Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 29 South: Washington
Use the slight left lane.
15
Merge onto US 29
0.5 mi
·
30 sec
·
Columbia Pike
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Arrive at destination
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.32 one way
$10.64 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.83 | $11.66 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.23 | $12.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.09 | $14.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.37 | $1.54 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.81 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.49 | $2.05 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Columbia, MD
Morning in Columbia on Friday
Local time
9:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°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
1 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
43m 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 Edgewater, MD to Columbia, MD covers 32.1 miles and takes about 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 97, Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway, Solomons Island Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.1 miles from Edgewater, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.32 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 short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 32.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (MD 2 / Solomons Island Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Edgewater, MD and Columbia, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore and Gibson Island.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
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. National park proximity is from the NPS API. 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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