Origin
Indianola, IA
Late night in Indianola on Saturday
Local time
2:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Indianola, IA to Ankeny, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
29 mi
47 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Indianola, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Ankeny, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 29-mile drive from Indianola, IA to Ankeny, IA is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 46 minutes. You'll primarily navigate using South Jefferson Way, John MacVicar Freeway, and Southeast 14th Street. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $5, this route offers a practical and efficient journey through the Midwest region of Iowa. There are no designated stops included, making it a direct transit experience. Given its short distance and duration, this drive is ideal for a quick commute or a simple point-to-point travel day without the need for an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 29 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with about 31% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10.2 miles along South Jefferson Way. As you transition from South Jefferson Way to John MacVicar Freeway and then Southeast 14th Street, the road character will likely shift between more urbanized sections and potentially faster-paced highway segments. This blend means you'll experience varying traffic conditions and speed limits throughout the 29-mile trip.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Jefferson Way is the longest continuous segment at about 10.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue.
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 29 miles you will encounter 8 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 92 / East 2nd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 17.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 18.1 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue
Turn left onto IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
17.4 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the ramp toward I-235 east
Navigation decision point
Toward I-235 east
5
18.1 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
27.2 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight left at fork toward High Trestle Trail
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward High Trestle Trail
5
29 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
Southwest 3rd Street
Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Jefferson Way | 10.2 mi | 16m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| Southeast 14th Street | 4.8 mi | 9m |
| I 35 | 4 mi | 4m |
| Southridge Boulevard | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| East 1st Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| East 15th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Southwest Walnut Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Jefferson Way
— 10.2 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Indianola, IA and Ankeny, IA.
1
Start on this road
79 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto IA 92
291 ft
·
8 sec
·
East 2nd Avenue
3
Turn right onto US 65; US 69
10 mi
·
16 min
·
South Jefferson Way
4
Continue on US 69
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Southridge Boulevard
5
Continue on US 69
4.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Southeast 14th Street
6
Continue on US 69
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Johnson Court
7
Continue on US 69
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
East 15th Street
8
Take the ramp
0.7 mi
·
57 sec
Toward I-235 east
9
Merge onto I 235
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 35
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward 1st Street
12
Keep slight left at fork
256 ft
·
8 sec
Toward High Trestle Trail
Use the left lane.
13
Turn straight onto East 1st Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
East 1st Street
14
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Southwest Walnut Street
15
Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street
48 ft
·
2 sec
·
Southwest 3rd Street
16
Arrive at destination
Southwest 3rd Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.53 one way
$9.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.98 | $9.96 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.58 | $11.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.40 | $12.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.54 | $1.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.06 | $1.86 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Ankeny, IA
Late night in Ankeny on Saturday
Local time
2:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
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
46m 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 Indianola, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 29 miles and takes about 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Jefferson Way, John MacVicar Freeway, Southeast 14th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.5 miles from Indianola, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.53 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 29 miles you will encounter 8 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 92 / East 2nd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 17.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 18.1 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Indianola, IA to Ankeny, 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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