Origin
Gresham, NE
Late night in Gresham on Friday
Local time
2:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gresham, NE to McCool Junction, NE
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
36m
Distance
29.9 mi
48 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 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gresham, NE
Gaby Lopez
McCool Junction, NE
Jan van der Wolf
Trip Overview
This short 29.9-mile drive from Gresham to McCool Junction, Nebraska, is perfect for a single-day trip, taking about 36 minutes to complete. You'll primarily be on Highway 69 and I-80, with a brief stint on South Lincoln Avenue. With a fuel cost estimated at $5, this is an economical journey. The route stays within the Great Plains region, offering a consistent landscape. Given its brevity, there are no planned stops, and you can easily fit this into any schedule. It's a straightforward drive, ideal for a quick transit or a short scenic excursion within the state.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 29.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused drive for this 29.9-mile journey, with 61% of the route utilizing major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.7 miles on Highway 69, offering a chance to settle into a steady pace. While the majority is on highways, including I-80, the inclusion of South Lincoln Avenue suggests a brief transition to a more local road feel as you approach your destination. This mix provides a dynamic driving experience without being overly complex, keeping your travel time to a brisk 36 minutes.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Highway 69 is the longest continuous segment at about 8.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 69 and I 80. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near N-69 / Highway 69.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 36m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (N-69 / Highway 69): Navigation decision point; at 9 miles (US 34; I 80 Alt / Highway 34): Navigation decision point; at 17.3 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
N-69 / Highway 69
At end of road, turn left onto N-69 / Highway 69
Navigation decision point
3
9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
US 34; I 80 Alt / Highway 34
Turn right onto US 34; I 80 Alt / Highway 34
Navigation decision point
4
17.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the ramp toward NE 93B Link: Waco
Navigation decision point
Toward NE 93B Link: Waco
5
24 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward US 81: York, Geneva
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 81: York, Geneva
4
29.9 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
West M Street
Turn right onto West M Street
Navigation decision point
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 Gresham, NE to McCool Junction, NE, road signs begin pointing toward Geneva along the way.
Geneva
24 mi in
|
~29m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 69 | 8.7 mi | 10m |
| I 80 | 6.4 mi | 6m |
| South Lincoln Avenue | 5.1 mi | 5m |
| Road S | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| Highway 34 | 3 mi | 3m |
| Strickler Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| S-93F | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Elm Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 69
— 8.7 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gresham, NE and McCool Junction, NE.
1
Start on Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
Elm Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto N-69
8.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Highway 69
3
Turn right onto US 34; I 80 Alt
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 34
4
Turn left onto L-93B; I 80 Alt
231 ft
·
6 sec
·
Road S
5
Continue on L-93B; I 80 Alt
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Strickler Street
6
Continue on L-93B; I 80 Alt
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Road S
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward NE 93B Link: Waco
8
Merge onto I 80
6.4 mi
·
6 min
·
I 80
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward US 81: York, Geneva
10
Turn left onto US 81; I 80 Alternate
5.1 mi
·
5 min
·
South Lincoln Avenue
11
Turn left onto S-93F
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
S-93F
12
Turn right onto West M Street
21 ft
·
0 sec
·
West M Street
13
Arrive at destination
West M Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.67 one way
$9.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.13 | $10.26 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.75 | $11.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.60 | $13.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.62 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.91 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
McCool Junction, NE
Late night in McCool Junction on Friday
Local time
2:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°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
36m 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 Gresham, NE to McCool Junction, NE covers 29.9 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Highway 69, I 80, South Lincoln Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.9 miles from Gresham, NE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.67 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 straightforward 36m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (N-69 / Highway 69): Navigation decision point; at 9 miles (US 34; I 80 Alt / Highway 34): Navigation decision point; at 17.3 miles: Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Gresham, NE to McCool Junction, NE, road signs begin pointing toward Geneva along the way.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
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