Trip from Independence, MO to Chillicothe, MO

Drive Time

1h 51m

Distance

87.9 mi

141 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

Trip Overview

The drive from Independence, MO to Chillicothe, MO covers 87.9 miles and takes about 1h 51m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on South Lynn Street, East Lexington Avenue, North Noland Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.35 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

43.9 miles from Independence, MO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 55m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 51m drive with frequent turns across 87.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Lynn Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Independence, MO to Chillicothe, MO is easy. At 1h 51m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Independence, MO to Chillicothe, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Lynn Street Unavailable Refreshing
East Lexington Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
North Noland Road Unavailable Refreshing
Highway 24 Unavailable Refreshing
MO 291 North Unavailable Refreshing
South Leonard Street Unavailable Refreshing
Lightburne Street Unavailable Refreshing
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: South Lynn Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Independence, MO and Chillicothe, MO.

1

Start on East Kansas Avenue

144 ft · 12 sec · East Kansas Avenue
2

Turn left onto South Lynn Street

407 ft · 20 sec · South Lynn Street
3

Turn right onto East Lexington Avenue

0.2 mi · 28 sec · East Lexington Avenue
4

Turn left onto North Noland Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · North Noland Road
5

Turn right onto West US Highway 24

2.1 mi · 4 min · West US Highway 24
6

Turn left onto MO 291 North: Liberty

0.2 mi · 29 sec · MO 291 North: Liberty
7

Merge slight left

8.3 mi · 11 min
8

Turn slight right

410 ft · 8 sec
9

Turn slight right onto South Leonard Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Leonard Street
10

Continue on Lightburne Street

2.8 mi · 5 min · Lightburne Street
11

Take the ramp slight right

0.4 mi · 46 sec
12

Merge slight left onto Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

34 mi · 36 min · Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
13

Take the exit slight right toward US 36, MO 110 East, I 35 Business: Cameron, Hamilton

0.2 mi · 33 sec · US 36, MO 110 East, I 35 Business: Cameron, Hamilton
14

Turn right onto Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

37 mi · 42 min · Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
15

Take the exit slight right toward US 36 Business, US 65: Chillicothe, Carrollton

0.2 mi · 31 sec · US 36 Business, US 65: Chillicothe, Carrollton
16

Turn left onto South Washington Street

1.4 mi · 3 min · South Washington Street
17

Turn right onto Jackson Street

322 ft · 15 sec · Jackson Street
18

Turn left onto Locust Street

0.1 mi · 30 sec · Locust Street
19

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 43.9 miles from Independence, MO, or about 55m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 41m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 43.9 miles or 55m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 34m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chillicothe, MO than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Independence, MO so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Independence, MO

This is one driving day of about 87.9 miles and 1h 51m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Independence, MO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 43.9 mi from Independence, MO · 55m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lawson, MO

44 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

Lawson, MO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lawson, MO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 43.9 miles from Independence, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Chillicothe, MO

The final approach into Chillicothe, MO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Chillicothe, MO.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.35 one way

$26.70 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 31 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $14.72 $29.44
premium $4.80 $16.59 $33.19
diesel $5.64 $19.53 $39.06

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 30.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 26.4 0 $9.23 $4.22
Efficient EV 22 0 $7.69 $3.52
EV Truck/SUV 35.2 0 $12.31 $5.63

Gas CO2

31 kg

EV CO2

10 kg (68% 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 data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Independence, MO

Afternoon in Independence on Sunday

Local time

1:31 PM

CDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chillicothe, MO

Afternoon in Chillicothe on Sunday

Local time

1:31 PM

CDT

Current temp

45°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

4 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

1h 51m 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, MO to Chillicothe, MO covers 87.9 miles and takes about 1h 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Lynn Street, East Lexington Avenue, North Noland Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43.9 miles from Independence, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.35 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.
The drive from Independence, MO to Chillicothe, MO is easy. At 1h 51m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Independence, MO to Chillicothe, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Independence, MO to Chillicothe, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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