Origin
Independence, IA
Evening in Independence on Friday
Local time
5:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Independence, IA to Iowa City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
66.5 mi
107 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Independence, IA
Roger Ce
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Independence, IA to Iowa City, IA covers 66.5 miles and takes about 1h 24m 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, Jamestown Avenue, I 80 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 42.6 miles on Avenue of the Saints. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.40 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 66.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m 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 1h 24m drive with frequent turns across 66.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 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 42.6 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 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 66.5 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 0.1 miles (IA 150 / 3rd Avenue Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 58.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 150 / 3rd Avenue Southeast
Turn left onto IA 150 / 3rd Avenue Southeast
Navigation decision point
4
58.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward I 80
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 80
5
58.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
4
64.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
Take the exit toward Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Downtown
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 42.6 mi | 47m |
| Jamestown Avenue | 10.4 mi | 14m |
| I 80 | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| 31st Avenue | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| 3rd Avenue Southeast | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| North Dubuque Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Gilbert Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| 1st Street East | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 42.6 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Independence, IA and Iowa City, 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
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
3rd Avenue Southeast
4
Continue on Jamestown Avenue
10 mi
·
14 min
·
Jamestown Avenue
5
Continue on IA 150
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
31st Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
7
Merge onto I 380; IA 27
43 mi
·
47 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 80
9
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
10
Merge onto I 80
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
I 80
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward Downtown
12
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Dubuque Street
13
Turn left onto Kimball Road
477 ft
·
21 sec
·
Kimball Road
14
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Gilbert Street
15
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 33.2 mi from Independence, IA · 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.2 miles from Independence, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Iowa City, IA
The final approach into Iowa City, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.40 one way
$20.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.41 | $22.83 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.80 | $25.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.68 | $29.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20 | 0 | $6.98 | $3.19 |
| Efficient EV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.82 | $2.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.6 | 0 | $9.31 | $4.26 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Iowa City, IA
Evening in Iowa City on Friday
Local time
5:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
3 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
1h 24m 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 Iowa City, IA covers 66.5 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, Jamestown Avenue, I 80. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33.2 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 $10.40 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 66.5 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 0.1 miles (IA 150 / 3rd Avenue Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 58.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Independence, IA to Iowa City, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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