Origin
Independence, KY
Evening in Independence on Thursday
Local time
5:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Independence, KY to Cold Spring, KY
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
21m
Distance
13.9 mi
22 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Independence, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Cold Spring, KY
Vietnam Hidden Light
Trip Overview
The drive from Independence, KY to Cold Spring, KY covers 13.9 miles and takes about 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on KY 17, Ronald Reagan Highway, Alexandria Pike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5 miles on KY 17. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.17 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 13.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Independence, KY to Cold Spring, KY covers 13.9 miles and takes about 21m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 8 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
KY 17 is the longest continuous segment at about 5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near KY 17.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 21m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (KY 17): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles (I 275 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
4 of 4 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
KY 17
Turn left onto KY 17
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
6.4 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Turn left toward I 275 East: Newport
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 275 East: Newport
5
6.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 275 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Merge onto I 275 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
11.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward Alexandria
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 74A
Toward Alexandria
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 Independence, KY to Cold Spring, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Alexandria along the way.
Alexandria
11.6 mi in
|
~16m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| KY 17 | 5 mi | 7m |
| Ronald Reagan Highway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| Alexandria Pike | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Madison Pike | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| KY 17 Business | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
KY 17
— 5 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Independence, KY and Cold Spring, KY.
1
Start on KY 17 Business; KY 2045
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Madison Pike
2
Continue on KY 17 Business
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
KY 17 Business
3
Turn left onto KY 17
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
KY 17
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 275 East: Newport
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 275
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 74A
Toward Alexandria
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on US 27; KY 8
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Alexandria Pike
8
Arrive at destination
US 27
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.17 one way
$4.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.39 | $4.77 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.67 | $5.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.07 | $6.14 |
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 | $1.46 | $0.67 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.95 | $0.89 |
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
Cold Spring, KY
Evening in Cold Spring on Thursday
Local time
5:59 PM
EDT
Current temp
54°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
2 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
21m 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, KY to Cold Spring, KY covers 13.9 miles and takes about 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are KY 17, Ronald Reagan Highway, Alexandria Pike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7 miles from Independence, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.17 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 21m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (KY 17): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles (I 275 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Independence, KY to Cold Spring, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Alexandria along the way.
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