Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
54.6 mi
88 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kansas City, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Adrian, MO
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Kansas City, MO to Adrian, MO covers 54.6 miles and takes about 1h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Bruce R. Watkins Drive, East Main Street, Charlotte Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 52.9 miles on Bruce R. Watkins Drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.54 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 54.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 1h 5m drive with frequent turns across 54.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
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. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 12th Street.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 5m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Charlotte Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Campbell Street): Navigation decision point.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto East 12th Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Charlotte Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Campbell Street
Navigation decision point
Merge onto US 71 / Bruce R. Watkins Drive
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MO 18: Clinton, Adrian
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bruce R. Watkins Drive | 52.9 mi | 1h |
| East Main Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Charlotte Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East 12th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| MO 18 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 1st Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Truman Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Campbell Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Kansas City, MO and Adrian, MO.
Start on Oak Street
Turn right onto East 12th Street
Turn right onto Charlotte Street
Turn left onto East Truman Road
Turn right onto Campbell Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 71
Take the exit
Turn right onto MO 18
Continue on MO 18
Turn left onto MO 18
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.3 mi from Kansas City, MO · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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.
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 27.3 miles from Kansas City, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Adrian, MO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$8.54 one way
$17.07 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.37 | $18.74 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.51 | $21.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.05 | $24.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.78 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.64 | $3.49 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Kansas City on Friday
Local time
6:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
Destination
Morning in Adrian on Friday
Local time
6:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
48°F
Lee's Summit, MO
27 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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