Origin
Elba, AL
Morning in Elba on Wednesday
Local time
7:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elba, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
4h 4m
Distance
179.6 mi
289 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$27
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 51m
★
6 AM
4h 4m
8 AM
4h 30m
10 AM
4h 13m
12 PM
4h 11m
3 PM
4h 14m
5 PM
4h 29m
8 PM
3h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elba, AL
Earth Photart
Tuscaloosa, AL
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from Elba, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL covers 179.6 miles and takes about 4h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 82, US 231, Neal Grantham Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 86.7 miles on US 82. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.12 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
89.8 miles from Elba, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 7m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 4h 4m highway drive covering 179.6 miles, with most of the trip on US 82 and US 231. The longest continuous stretch is about 86.7 miles on US 82.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 82 is the longest continuous segment at about 86.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 82 and US 231. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 20.7 miles in.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 179.6 miles you will encounter 14 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 20.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 20.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 81.7 miles (US 31 / Birmingham Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
20.7 mi into trip
|
~37m in
At end of road, turn right toward AL 167 South: Enterprise
Navigation decision point
Toward AL 167 South: Enterprise
6
20.7 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight left at fork toward AL 167 South: Enterprise
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward AL 167 South: Enterprise
5
81.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 56m in
|
US 31 / Birmingham Highway
At end of road, turn left onto US 31 / Birmingham Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
179.5 mi into trip
|
~4h 3m in
|
University Boulevard
Turn right onto University Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
179.6 mi into trip
|
~4h 3m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 82 | 86.7 mi | 1h 51m |
| US 231 | 43.2 mi | 52m |
| Neal Grantham Drive | 19.8 mi | 34m |
| South Boulevard | 10.1 mi | 15m |
| AL 167 | 7.6 mi | 11m |
| Birmingham Highway | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| US 11 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Memorial Drive | 2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
US 82
— 86.7 mi, about 1h 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elba, AL and Tuscaloosa, AL.
1
Start on Simmons Street
235 ft
·
15 sec
·
Simmons Street
2
Turn left onto Claxton Avenue
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Claxton Avenue
3
Keep slight right at fork onto Neil Grantham Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Neil Grantham Drive
4
Continue on AL 87
20 mi
·
34 min
·
Neal Grantham Drive
5
At end of road, turn right
17 ft
·
0 sec
Toward AL 167 South: Enterprise
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
Toward AL 167 South: Enterprise
7
Turn slight left onto AL 167
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
AL 167
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto US 231; AL 10
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 231; AL 10
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on US 231; AL 10
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
US 231; AL 10
10
Continue on US 231; AL 10
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
US 231; AL 10
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 231; AL 10
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
US 231; AL 10
12
Continue on US 231
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
US 231
13
Continue on US 231
36 mi
·
42 min
·
US 231
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn left onto US 80; US 82; AL 21
10 mi
·
15 min
·
South Boulevard
Use the left lane.
15
At end of road, turn left onto US 31
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Birmingham Highway
Use the straight lane.
16
Continue on US 31
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Memorial Drive
Use the left lane.
17
Turn left onto US 82; AL 14
513 ft
·
7 sec
·
US 82; AL 14
Use the left lane.
18
Continue on US 82; AL 14
87 mi
·
1 hr 51 min
·
US 82; AL 14
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Take the exit
308 ft
·
10 sec
Use the left lane.
20
Continue on Old Montgomery Highway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Old Montgomery Highway
Use the straight / left lanes.
21
Turn left onto US 11
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Skyland Boulevard East
Use the left lane.
22
Turn right onto US 11; AL 69
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 11; AL 69
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Continue on I 359; AL 69
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 359; AL 69
24
Continue on US 43; AL 69
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard North
Use the straight / left lanes.
25
Turn right onto University Boulevard
284 ft
·
10 sec
·
University Boulevard
Use the right lane.
26
Turn left
168 ft
·
12 sec
Use the left lane.
27
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 89.8 miles from Elba, AL, or about 2h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.7 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 80 miles or 1h 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 89.8 miles or 2h 7m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tuscaloosa, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Elba, AL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Elba, AL
This is one driving day of about 179.6 miles and 4h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Elba, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 82 for about 86.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 89.8 mi from Elba, AL · 2h 7m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
90 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 89.8 miles from Elba, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 82 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 86.7 miles.
Arriving in Tuscaloosa, AL
The final approach into Tuscaloosa, AL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Tuscaloosa, AL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.12 one way
$54.25 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
63 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $29.78 | $59.55 |
| premium | $4.56 | $32.24 | $64.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $39.65 | $79.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 62.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 53.9 | 0 | $18.86 | $8.62 |
| Efficient EV | 44.9 | 0 | $15.71 | $7.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 71.8 | 0 | $25.14 | $11.49 |
Gas CO2
63 kg
EV CO2
21 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
Tuscaloosa, AL
Morning in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday
Local time
7:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
79°F
Columbiana, AL
90 mi in
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
8 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
4h 4m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Elba, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL covers 179.6 miles and takes about 4h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 82, US 231, Neal Grantham Drive. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 89.8 miles from Elba, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.12 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 179.6 miles you will encounter 14 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 20.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 20.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 81.7 miles (US 31 / Birmingham Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Elba, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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