Origin
Madison, AL
Morning in Madison on Saturday
Local time
9:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 29m
Distance
64.2 mi
103 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Madison, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, AL
🇻🇳🇻🇳 Việt Anh Nguyễn 🇻🇳🇻🇳
The drive from Madison, AL to Riverside, AL covers 64.2 miles and takes about 1h 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Memorial Parkway Southwest, North Brindlee Mountain Parkway, AL 79 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27.1 miles on Memorial Parkway Southwest. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.70 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 29m. Total distance: 64.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This is a 1h 29m highway drive covering 64.2 miles, with most of the trip on Memorial Parkway Southwest and North Brindlee Mountain Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 27.1 miles on Memorial Parkway Southwest.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Memorial Parkway Southwest and North Brindlee Mountain Parkway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 9.9 miles in.
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 64.2 miles you will encounter 11 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 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 231 / Memorial Parkway Southwest): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
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
Merge onto US 231; US 431 / Memorial Parkway Southwest
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto US 231 / Memorial Parkway Southwest
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto US 278
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Memorial Parkway Southwest | 27.1 mi | 35m |
| North Brindlee Mountain Parkway | 14.9 mi | 20m |
| AL 79 | 6.3 mi | 11m |
| I 565 | 5.2 mi | 5m |
| CR 26 | 3 mi | 5m |
| Madison Boulevard | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| US 278 | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Hughes Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Madison, AL and Riverside, AL.
Start on Church Street
Turn right onto Mill Road
Turn right onto Hughes Road
At end of road, turn left onto Madison Boulevard
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 565; US 72 Alternate
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Merge onto US 231; US 431
Keep slight left at fork onto US 231
Continue on US 231
Turn left onto US 278
Continue on US 278
Take the exit
Turn straight onto AL 79
Turn sharp left onto CR 26
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 32.1 mi from Madison, AL · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 32.1 miles from Madison, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Riverside, AL 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
$9.70 one way
$19.39 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $10.64 | $21.29 |
| premium | $4.56 | $11.52 | $23.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.17 | $28.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.74 | $3.08 |
| Efficient EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.62 | $2.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.7 | 0 | $8.99 | $4.11 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (64% 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 Madison on Saturday
Local time
9:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Riverside on Saturday
Local time
9:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
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
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.
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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