Origin
Jenkins, KY
Afternoon in Jenkins on Monday
Local time
3:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Jenkins, KY to Owensboro, KY
Drive Time
5h 27m
Distance
324.6 mi
522 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$49
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 14m
★
6 AM
5h 28m
8 AM
5h 55m
10 AM
5h 37m
12 PM
5h 35m
3 PM
5h 39m
5 PM
5h 53m
8 PM
5h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jenkins, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Owensboro, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Jenkins, KY to Owensboro, KY covers 324.6 miles and takes about 5h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Main Street, C and O Railroad Road, Whitesburg Bypass for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $49.30 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
162.3 miles from Jenkins, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 43m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 27m drive with frequent turns across 324.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 38 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Main 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 5h 27m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Jenkins, KY to Owensboro, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| C and O Railroad Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Whitesburg Bypass | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Red Fox Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Smithsboro Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Whitesburg Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Bible Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Hal Rogers Parkway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
South Main Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jenkins, KY and Owensboro, KY.
1
Start on Cove Avenue
82 ft
·
9 sec
·
Cove Avenue
2
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Main Street
3
Turn left onto C and O Railroad Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
C and O Railroad Road
4
At the end of the road, turn sharp left
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
5
Take the exit slight right
11 mi
·
12 min
6
Continue on Whitesburg Bypass
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Whitesburg Bypass
7
Turn left
9.0 mi
·
10 min
8
Continue on Red Fox Road
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Red Fox Road
9
Continue on Smithsboro Road
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Smithsboro Road
10
Continue on Whitesburg Road
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Whitesburg Road
11
Continue on Bible Avenue
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Bible Avenue
12
Turn left
2.1 mi
·
2 min
13
At the end of the road, turn left
2.0 mi
·
2 min
14
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
15
Merge slight left onto Hal Rogers Parkway
94 mi
·
1 hr 49 min
·
Hal Rogers Parkway
16
Turn right
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
17
Keep slight left to continue on Bowling Green
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Bowling Green
18
Merge slight left onto Cumberland Parkway
86 mi
·
1 hr 32 min
·
Cumberland Parkway
19
Continue on Cumberland Parkway
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
Cumberland Parkway
20
Continue on Cumberland Expressway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Cumberland Expressway
21
Merge slight left
17 mi
·
17 min
22
Take the exit slight right toward KY 234: Bowling Green
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
KY 234: Bowling Green
23
Turn right onto Cemetery Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Cemetery Road
24
Continue on Fairview Avenue
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Fairview Avenue
25
Continue on East 6th Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Avenue
26
Continue on Veterans Memorial Lane
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Veterans Memorial Lane
27
Turn right onto Morgantown Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Morgantown Road
28
Take the ramp right
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
29
Merge slight left
62 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
30
Keep slight right to continue on US 60 East, US 231 North: Hawesville
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
US 60 East, US 231 North: Hawesville
31
Merge slight left onto Wendell Ford Expressway
0.8 mi
·
53 sec
·
Wendell Ford Expressway
32
Take the exit slight right toward KY 54
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
KY 54
33
Turn left onto Leitchfield Road
259 ft
·
6 sec
·
Leitchfield Road
34
Continue on East Parrish Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
East Parrish Avenue
35
Turn right onto Leitchfield Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Leitchfield Road
36
Turn left onto East 5th Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East 5th Street
37
Turn right onto Frederica Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Frederica Street
38
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 162.3 miles from Jenkins, KY, or about 2h 43m 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 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 162.3 miles or 2h 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Owensboro, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Jenkins, KY 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 Jenkins, KY
This is one driving day of about 324.6 miles and 5h 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Jenkins, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 162.3 mi from Jenkins, KY · 2h 43m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
162 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 162.3 miles from Jenkins, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Owensboro, KY
The final approach into Owensboro, KY 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 Owensboro, KY.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$49.30 one way
$98.61 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
114 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $54.35 | $108.70 |
| premium | $4.80 | $61.28 | $122.56 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $72.11 | $144.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$49
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$74–$99
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 113.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 97.4 | 1 | $34.08 | $15.58 |
| Efficient EV | 81.2 | 0 | $28.40 | $12.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 129.8 | 1 | $45.44 | $20.77 |
Gas CO2
114 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Owensboro, KY
Afternoon in Owensboro on Monday
Local time
2:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
22 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
5h 27m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Jenkins, KY to Owensboro, KY covers 324.6 miles and takes about 5h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Main Street, C and O Railroad Road, Whitesburg Bypass. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 162.3 miles from Jenkins, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $49.30 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 27m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Jenkins, KY to Owensboro, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Jenkins, KY to Owensboro, KY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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