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Trip from Lakeville, MN to Co on Rapids, MN

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

52m

Distance

37 mi

59 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 48m ★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 50m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States

Lakeville, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Co on Rapids, MN, MN

Co on Rapids, MN

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Lakeville, MN to Co on Rapids, MN covers 37 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 35W, I 94, East River Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.4 miles on I 35W. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.51 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 37 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

52m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 52m highway drive covering 37 miles, with most of the trip on I 35W and I 94. The longest continuous stretch is about 16.4 miles on I 35W.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35W is the longest continuous segment at about 16.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and I 94. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 37 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
4.5 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the ramp toward I 35 North

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward I 35 North
6
7.3 mi into trip | ~10m in | I 35W

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
24 mi into trip | ~32m in

Take the exit toward I 94 West

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 94 West
6
32.1 mi into trip | ~42m in

Take the exit toward MN 252, I 694 East

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 225 Toward MN 252, I 694 East
7
32.8 mi into trip | ~44m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 35W 16.4 mi 20m
I 94 7.7 mi 9m
East River Road 3.9 mi 7m
I 35 2.6 mi 2m
Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway 1.6 mi 2m
Kenwood Trail 1.2 mi 2m
Kenwood Trail / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway 0.7 mi 1m
202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 35W — 16.4 mi, about 20m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lakeville, MN and Co on Rapids, MN.

1

Start on 207th Street West

22 ft · 5 sec · 207th Street West
2

Turn right onto Holyoke Avenue

0.4 mi · 1 min · Holyoke Avenue
3

Enter roundabout onto CR 50

198 ft · 3 sec · 202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
4

Continue on CR 50

0.5 mi · 50 sec · 202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
5

Continue on CR 5

0.7 mi · 1 min · Kenwood Trail / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
6

Continue on CR 5

1.6 mi · 2 min · Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
7

Enter roundabout onto CR 5

125 ft · 2 sec · Kenwood Trail
8

Continue on CR 5

1.2 mi · 2 min · Kenwood Trail
Use the right lane.
9

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward I 35 North Use the right lane.
10

Merge onto I 35

2.6 mi · 2 min · I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W

16 mi · 20 min · I 35W
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto MN 65

0.3 mi · 17 sec · MN 65
Toward I 94 West
13

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 54 sec
Toward I 94 West Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Merge onto I 94; MN 55

7.7 mi · 9 min · I 94; MN 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

319 ft · 7 sec
Exit 225 Toward MN 252, I 694 East
16

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Toward I 694 East
17

Merge onto I 694

436 ft · 5 sec · I 694
18

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Exit 36 Toward East River Road
19

Keep slight right at fork

410 ft · 9 sec
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
20

Continue on CR 1

3.9 mi · 7 min · East River Road
21

Turn left onto Mississippi Boulevard Northwest

0.1 mi · 32 sec · Mississippi Boulevard Northwest
22

Arrive at destination

Mississippi Boulevard Northwest

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 18.5 mi from Lakeville, MN · 25m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Minneapolis, MN

19 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

Fridley, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bloomington, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18.5 miles from Lakeville, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Co on Rapids, MN

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Co on Rapids, MN if you are unfamiliar with the area.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.51 one way

$11.01 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $5.93 $11.87
premium $4.53 $6.60 $13.20
diesel $5.61 $8.17 $16.34

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.1 0 $3.89 $1.78
Efficient EV 9.3 0 $3.24 $1.48
EV Truck/SUV 14.8 0 $5.18 $2.37

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (69% 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 as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Lakeville, MN

Afternoon in Lakeville on Friday

Local time

12:53 PM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 15 to 20 mph 82% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 17 at 7:50AM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Weather Advisory issued April 17 at 4:14AM CDT until April 17 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Destination

Co on Rapids, MN

Afternoon in Co on Rapids on Friday

Local time

12:53 PM

CDT

Current temp

66°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

WSW 10 to 15 mph 89% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 17 at 7:50AM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Weather Advisory issued April 17 at 4:14AM CDT until April 17 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

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

1 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

52m on the road

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Lakeville, MN to Co on Rapids, MN covers 37 miles and takes about 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 35W, I 94, East River Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 18.5 miles from Lakeville, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.51 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 is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 37 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.

The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Lakeville, MN to Co on Rapids, MN 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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