Trip from Independence, KY to Newport, KY

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are KY 17, Licking Pike, Ronald Reagan Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 7.6 miles from Independence, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.39 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

24m

Distance

15.3 mi

25 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min

4 AM

0h 22m ★

6 AM

0h 24m

8 AM

0h 29m

10 AM

0h 26m

12 PM

0h 26m

3 PM

0h 26m

5 PM

0h 28m

8 PM

0h 23m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Trip Overview

The drive from Independence, KY to Newport, KY covers 15.3 miles and takes about 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on KY 17, Licking Pike, Ronald Reagan Highway 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 $2.39 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 15.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

24m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile.

Drive Character

The drive from Independence, KY to Newport, KY covers 15.3 miles and takes about 24m, 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 13 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. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.4 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 15.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: 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; at 9.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

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.

8

9.5 mi into trip | ~14m in

Take the exit toward KY 9, AA: Wilder, Maysville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 77 Toward KY 9, AA: Wilder, Maysville

8

9.7 mi into trip | ~14m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Newport

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward Newport

6

15 mi into trip | ~23m in | West 5th Street

Enter roundabout onto West 5th Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Independence, KY and Newport, KY, road signs point toward Aa: Wilder and Maysville.

Aa: Wilder

9.5 mi in | ~14m

Maysville

9.5 mi in | ~14m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
KY 17	5 mi	7m
Licking Pike	4.4 mi	6m
Ronald Reagan Highway	2.7 mi	3m
Madison Pike	1.1 mi	2m
Lowell Street	0.7 mi	1m
West 5th Street	0.5 mi	1m
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 Newport, 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

2.7 mi · 3 min · Ronald Reagan Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec

Exit 77 Toward KY 9, AA: Wilder, Maysville Use the straight / slight right lanes.

7

Keep slight left at fork

204 ft · 6 sec

Toward Newport Use the left lane.

8

Turn left onto KY 9; AA

4.4 mi · 6 min · Licking Pike

Use the left lane.

9

Continue on KY 9

0.7 mi · 1 min · Lowell Street

Use the straight / right lanes.

10

Continue on KY 9

0.2 mi · 28 sec · West 5th Street

11

Enter roundabout onto West 5th Street

78 ft · 2 sec · West 5th Street

12

Continue on West 5th Street

0.2 mi · 40 sec · West 5th Street

Use the straight / left / right lanes.

13

Arrive at destination

West 5th Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.39 one way

$4.78 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$2.63	$5.25
premium	$4.89	$2.94	$5.89
diesel	$5.61	$3.38	$6.76

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	4.6	$1.61	$0.73
Efficient EV	3.8	$1.34	$0.61
EV Truck/SUV	6.1	$2.14	$0.98

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Independence, KY

Afternoon in Independence on Thursday

Local time

1:42 PM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Newport, KY

Afternoon in Newport on Thursday

Local time

1:42 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

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, KY to Newport, KY covers 15.3 miles and takes about 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are KY 17, Licking Pike, Ronald Reagan Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 7.6 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 $2.39 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 short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 15.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.

The main spots that need attention: 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; at 9.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Independence, KY and Newport, KY, road signs point toward Aa: Wilder and Maysville.

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