Origin
Independence, IA
Late night in Independence on Friday
Local time
2:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Independence, IA to Cedar Falls, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
35 mi
56 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good 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 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Independence, IA
Roger Ce
Cedar Falls, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Independence, IA to Cedar Falls, IA covers 35 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 US 20, Avenue of the Saints, IA 58 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.2 miles on US 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.47 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 35 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 (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 43m highway drive covering 35 miles, with most of the trip on US 20 and Avenue of the Saints. The longest continuous stretch is about 21.2 miles on US 20.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 21.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and Avenue of the Saints. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IA 150; CR D22 / 1st Street East.
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 35 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (IA 150; CR D22 / 1st Street East): Navigation decision point; at 29.9 miles (IA 27): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 150; CR D22 / 1st Street East
Turn left onto IA 150; CR D22 / 1st Street East
Navigation decision point
5
29.9 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
IA 27
Take the exit onto IA 27 toward IA 27, IA 58 North: Cedar Falls
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 27, IA 58 North: Cedar Falls
5
30.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
30.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
IA 58
Turn right onto IA 58
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
34.2 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward 18th Street, Waterloo Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 184
Toward 18th Street, Waterloo Road
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 20 | 21.2 mi | 24m |
| Avenue of the Saints | 6.9 mi | 7m |
| IA 58 | 4 mi | 5m |
| 3rd Avenue Southeast | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Waterloo Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| IA 27 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 1st Street East | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 5th Avenue Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 21.2 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Independence, IA and Cedar Falls, IA.
1
Start on 5th Avenue Southeast
42 ft
·
9 sec
·
5th Avenue Southeast
2
Turn left onto IA 150; CR D22
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
1st Street East
3
Turn left onto IA 150
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
3rd Avenue Southeast
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
5
Merge onto US 20
21 mi
·
24 min
·
US 20
6
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27
6.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
7
Take the exit onto IA 27
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
IA 27
Toward IA 27, IA 58 North: Cedar Falls
8
Keep slight left at fork
260 ft
·
8 sec
9
Turn right onto IA 58
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
IA 58
Use the left lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 184
Toward 18th Street, Waterloo Road
11
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
this road
Toward Waterloo Road
12
Turn left onto Waterloo Road
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Waterloo Road
13
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
15 ft
·
0 sec
·
Main Street
14
Continue on Main Street
21 ft
·
0 sec
·
Main Street
15
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.47 one way
$10.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.01 | $12.02 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.74 | $13.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.73 | $15.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.06 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.90 | $2.24 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Cedar Falls, IA
Late night in Cedar Falls on Friday
Local time
2:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
20 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
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 Independence, IA to Cedar Falls, IA covers 35 miles and takes about 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 20, Avenue of the Saints, IA 58. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.5 miles from Independence, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.47 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 35 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (IA 150; CR D22 / 1st Street East): Navigation decision point; at 29.9 miles (IA 27): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Independence, IA to Cedar Falls, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Cedar Falls, IA
More trips to Cedar Falls, IA
Explore more options from Independence, IA or browse trips ending in Cedar Falls, IA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.