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Trip from Madison, AL to Ballplay, AL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 23m

Distance

99 mi

159 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min
4 AM
2h 14m ★
6 AM
2h 23m
8 AM
2h 43m
10 AM
2h 30m
12 PM
2h 28m
3 PM
2h 31m
5 PM
2h 42m
8 PM
2h 17m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Alabama, United States

Madison, AL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Ballplay, AL, AL

Ballplay, AL

David Kanigan

Trip Overview

The drive from Madison, AL to Ballplay, AL covers 99 miles and takes about 2h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Governors Drive Southwest, Florida Short Route, West Meighan Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 36.3 miles on Governors Drive Southwest. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.95 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

49.5 miles from Madison, AL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 5m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 23m. Total distance: 99 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 23m drive with frequent turns across 99 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Governors Drive Southwest is the longest continuous segment at about 36.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 99 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 9.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.3 miles (US 231; US 431 / Memorial Parkway Southwest): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.7 miles (US 431): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

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

5
9.9 mi into trip | ~13m in

Take the exit toward US 231 South, US 431 South: Memorial Parkway

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

Toward US 231 South, US 431 South: Memorial Par...
5
10.3 mi into trip | ~14m in | US 231; US 431 / Memorial Parkway Southwest

Merge onto US 231; US 431 / Memorial Parkway Southwest

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
7
10.7 mi into trip | ~14m in | US 431

Keep slight right at fork onto US 431 toward Governors Drive

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane. Toward Governors Drive
6
78.4 mi into trip | ~1h 47m in | 5th Avenue Northwest

Turn right onto 5th Avenue Northwest

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
92.4 mi into trip | ~2h 11m in | CH 65 / Alford Bend Road

Turn left onto CH 65 / Alford Bend Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Governors Drive Southwest 36.3 mi 45m
Florida Short Route 28.1 mi 40m
West Meighan Boulevard 6.3 mi 11m
I 565 5.2 mi 5m
Herman Nelson Highway 4.8 mi 6m
Centre Road 3.3 mi 5m
Madison Boulevard 2.6 mi 3m
Gunter Avenue 2.5 mi 4m
Longest stretch: Governors Drive Southwest — 36.3 mi, about 45m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Madison, AL and Ballplay, AL.

1

Start on Church Street

70 ft · 3 sec · Church Street
2

Turn right onto Mill Road

0.3 mi · 47 sec · Mill Road
3

Turn right onto Hughes Road

1.3 mi · 2 min · Hughes Road
4

At end of road, turn left onto Madison Boulevard

2.6 mi · 3 min · Madison Boulevard
5

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
6

Merge onto I 565; US 72 Alternate

5.2 mi · 5 min · I 565; US 72 Alternate
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward US 231 South, US 431 South: Memorial Parkway
8

Continue on this road

0.2 mi · 26 sec · this road
Exit 19A Toward US 231 South, US 431 South: Memorial Parkway
9

Merge onto US 231; US 431

0.4 mi · 32 sec · Memorial Parkway Southwest
Use the straight lane.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto US 431

0.3 mi · 33 sec · US 431
Toward Governors Drive Use the straight lane.
11

Turn left onto US 431

36 mi · 45 min · Governors Drive Southwest
Use the left lane.
12

Continue on US 431; AL 79

2.5 mi · 4 min · Gunter Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
13

Continue on US 431

28 mi · 40 min · Florida Short Route
Use the straight / right lanes.
14

Turn slight left onto 4th Street Northwest

0.5 mi · 53 sec · 4th Street Northwest
Use the left lane.
15

Turn right onto 5th Avenue Northwest

1.4 mi · 3 min · 5th Avenue Northwest
Use the straight lane.
16

Continue on US 278; US 431

6.3 mi · 11 min · West Meighan Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
17

Turn left onto US 278

1.4 mi · 2 min · Piedmont Cutoff Highway
Use the left lane.
18

Continue on US 278

4.8 mi · 6 min · Herman Nelson Highway
19

Turn left onto CH 65

0.9 mi · 1 min · Alford Bend Road
Use the left lane.
20

Turn right onto Main Street

2.2 mi · 4 min · Main Street
21

Continue on County Highway 71

0.2 mi · 20 sec · County Highway 71
22

Continue on Centre Road

3.3 mi · 5 min · Centre Road
23

Arrive at destination

Centre Road

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 49.5 miles from Madison, AL, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 36.3 miles.

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 22 miles or 29m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 49.5 miles or 1h 5m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 53m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ballplay, AL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Madison, AL 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 Madison, AL

This is one driving day of about 99 miles and 2h 23m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Madison, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Governors Drive Southwest for about 36.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 49.5 mi from Madison, AL · 1h 5m into the drive

city in Marshall County, Alabama, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Guntersville, AL

50 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

Huntsville, AL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Guntersville, AL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 49.5 miles from Madison, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Ballplay, AL

The final approach into Ballplay, AL 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 Ballplay, AL.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Freedom Riders National Monument

Freedom Riders National Monument

National Monument

In 1961, a small interracial band of “Freedom Riders” challenged discriminatory laws requiring separation of the races in interstate travel. They were attacked by white segregationists, who firebombed...

24 mi from route ~61 min detour Free near mile 92.2
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.95 one way

$29.90 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 35 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $16.41 $32.83
premium $4.56 $17.77 $35.54
diesel $5.61 $21.86 $43.72

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 34.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 29.7 0 $10.40 $4.75
Efficient EV 24.8 0 $8.66 $3.96
EV Truck/SUV 39.6 0 $13.86 $6.34

Gas CO2

35 kg

EV CO2

12 kg (66% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Madison, AL

Afternoon in Madison on Thursday

Local time

4:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Ballplay, AL

Afternoon in Ballplay on Thursday

Local time

4:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°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

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

24 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

2h 23m 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 Madison, AL to Ballplay, AL covers 99 miles and takes about 2h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Governors Drive Southwest, Florida Short Route, West Meighan Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 49.5 miles from Madison, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.95 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 demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 99 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.3 miles (US 231; US 431 / Memorial Parkway Southwest): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.7 miles (US 431): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Madison, AL to Ballplay, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Freedom Riders National Monument.

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