Origin
Iowa City, IA
Afternoon in Iowa City on Saturday
Local time
1:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Iowa City, IA to Washington, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
33 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Washington, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 33-mile journey from Iowa City to Washington, Iowa, is a straightforward day trip, estimated to take around 47 minutes. You'll primarily navigate local roads like County Road G36 and County Highway W61, with a small portion on the Avenue of the Saints. With a modest fuel cost of approximately $5, this route is an easy addition to any Midwest exploration. The drive is best suited for a single day, offering a brief but engaging local experience without the need for an overnight stop. Its short distance makes it ideal for a relaxed pace.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 18.5 mi | 21m |
| County Road G36 | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| County Highway W61 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Riverside Drive | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Gilbert Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Co Hwy W61 / Riverside Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Old Highway 218 South | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 18.5 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Iowa City, IA and Washington, IA.
1
Start on South Gilbert Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Gilbert Street
2
Turn right onto East Benton Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Benton Street
3
Turn left onto US 6; IA 1
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Riverside Drive
4
Continue on Old Highway 218 South
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Highway 218 South
5
Continue on Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
8
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
10
Turn right onto County Road G36
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
County Road G36
11
Turn left onto Co Hwy W61 / Riverside Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Co Hwy W61 / Riverside Road
12
Continue on County Highway W61
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
County Highway W61
13
Continue on North 12th Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North 12th Avenue
14
Turn right onto East 7th Street
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
East 7th Street
15
At end of road, turn left onto North 4th Avenue
102 ft
·
3 sec
·
North 4th Avenue
16
Turn right onto East 7th Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
East 7th Street
17
Turn left onto North 2nd Avenue
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
North 2nd Avenue
18
Turn right onto East Main Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
East Main Street
19
Turn left onto South Marion Avenue
92 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Marion Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
South Marion Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.5 miles from Iowa City, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 3.7 and 33 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
3.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
32.3 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
North 4th Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto North 4th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
32.3 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
East 7th Street
Turn right onto East 7th Street
Navigation decision point
4
32.8 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
East Main Street
Turn right onto East Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
33 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
South Marion Avenue
Turn left onto South Marion Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.16 one way
$10.32 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.66 | $11.33 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.35 | $12.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.29 | $14.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.47 | $1.58 |
| Efficient EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.89 | $1.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.62 | $2.11 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Washington, IA
Afternoon in Washington on Saturday
Local time
1:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
47m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for most of this 33-mile route, with only about 2% of the journey on higher-speed highways. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be 18.5 miles along the Avenue of the Saints. The road's personality shifts as you move, transitioning from more open highway sections to winding local county roads. This dynamic makes for an engaging driving experience, keeping you attentive without being overly demanding. You'll get a good feel for the Iowa landscape as you navigate these varied surfaces.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.5 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 33 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 3.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 32.3 miles (North 4th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 32.3 miles (East 7th Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 33 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (2%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.5 miles on Avenue of the Saints. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 32.3 miles (North 4th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 32.3 miles (East 7th Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Washington, IA before heading back.
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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