Origin
Ely, IA
Morning in Ely on Thursday
Local time
11:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ely, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
23m
Distance
14 mi
23 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ely, IA
Yusuf Çelik
Trip Overview
The drive from Ely, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 14 miles and takes about 23m 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, Ely Road, State Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5.3 miles on Avenue of the Saints. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.19 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 14 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 23m drive with frequent turns across 14 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 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 5.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CR W6E / State Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 14 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.1 miles (CR W6E / State Street): Navigation decision point; at 5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR W6E / State Street
At end of road, turn right onto CR W6E / State Street
Navigation decision point
6
5 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward US 30 west, US 151 south
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 30 west, US 151 south
5
6.2 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 380 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids
5
12.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward Glass Road, 32nd Street, Coldstream, 29th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Glass Road, 32nd Street, Coldstream, 29t...
5
12.5 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Ely, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Coldstream along the way.
Coldstream
12.2 mi in
|
~19m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Ely Road | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| State Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| US 30 | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| 32nd Street Northeast | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| C Street Southwest | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 29th Street Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Oakland Road Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 5.3 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ely, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA.
1
Start on Dows Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Dows Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto CR W6E
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
State Street
3
Continue on CR W6E
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Ely Road
4
Turn right onto C Street Southwest
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
C Street Southwest
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward US 30 west, US 151 south
6
Merge onto US 30; US 151
0.8 mi
·
56 sec
·
US 30; US 151
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 380 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids
8
Merge onto I 380; IA 27
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward Glass Road, 32nd Street, Coldstream, 29th Street
10
Keep slight right at fork
319 ft
·
8 sec
11
Turn straight onto 29th Street Northeast
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
29th Street Northeast
12
Turn left onto Oakland Road Northeast
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Oakland Road Northeast
13
Turn right onto 32nd Street Northeast
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
32nd Street Northeast
14
Turn right onto Crystal Drive Northeast
184 ft
·
10 sec
·
Crystal Drive Northeast
15
Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast
177 ft
·
7 sec
·
Crystal Drive Northeast
16
Continue on Tiperary Drive Northeast
428 ft
·
18 sec
·
Tiperary Drive Northeast
17
Arrive at destination
Tiperary Drive Northeast
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.19 one way
$4.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.40 | $4.81 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.69 | $5.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.09 | $6.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.47 | $0.67 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.96 | $0.90 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Cedar Rapids, IA
Morning in Cedar Rapids on Thursday
Local time
11:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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 Ely, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 14 miles and takes about 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, Ely Road, State Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7 miles from Ely, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.19 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 14 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.1 miles (CR W6E / State Street): Navigation decision point; at 5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Ely, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Coldstream along the way.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Cedar Rapids, IA
More from Ely, IA
More trips to Cedar Rapids, IA
Explore more options from Ely, IA or browse trips ending in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.
Explore maps for Ely, IA or Cedar Rapids, IA on MapSof.net.