The drive from Maize, KS to Lenexa, KS covers 187.8 miles and takes about 3h 18m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35, Kansas Turnpike, KS 254 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 97 miles on I 35.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.36 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
93.9 miles from Maize, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 39m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 18m. Total distance: 187.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 3h 18m highway drive covering 187.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and Kansas Turnpike. The longest continuous stretch is about 97 miles on I 35.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 97 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Kansas Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Heather Lane.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 187.8 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 0.1 miles (North Heather Lane): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (North Maize Road): Navigation decision point; at 90.2 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North Heather Lane
Turn right onto North Heather Lane
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|North Maize Road
Turn left onto North Maize Road
Navigation decision point
6
90.2 mi into trip|~1h 35m in|I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
187.2 mi into trip|~3h 15m in
Take the exit toward 95th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 224
Toward 95th Street
9
187.3 mi into trip|~3h 16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 95th Street, Pittsburgh State University, Brown Mackie College
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward 95th Street, Pittsburgh State University...
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
97 mi
1h 40m
Kansas Turnpike
56 mi
56m
KS 254
24.7 mi
27m
KS 96
8.3 mi
9m
Lenexa Drive
0.2 mi
<1m
North Maize Road
0.1 mi
<1m
East Hickory Lane
0.1 mi
<1m
Rosehill Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 97 mi, about 1h 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maize, KS and Lenexa, KS.
1
Start on North Queen Street
58 ft·2 sec·North Queen Street
2
Continue on Harvest Lane
442 ft·21 sec·Harvest Lane
3
Turn right onto North Heather Lane
225 ft·15 sec·North Heather Lane
4
Turn left onto East Hickory Lane
0.1 mi·33 sec·East Hickory Lane
5
Turn left onto North Maize Road
0.1 mi·18 sec·North Maize Road
6
Turn right onto West 53rd Street North
287 ft·6 sec·West 53rd Street North
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·39 sec
Toward KS 96 East
8
Merge onto KS 96
8.3 mi·9 min·KS 96
9
Continue on KS 254
25 mi·27 min·KS 254
Toward KS 254, El DoradoUse the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Take the exit
267 ft·7 sec
11
Merge onto Boyer Road
260 ft·7 sec·Boyer Road
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
13
Turn straight
0.2 mi·20 sec
14
Merge onto I 35
56 mi·56 min·Kansas Turnpike
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
95 mi·1 hr 38 min·I 35
Use the straight lane.
16
Continue on I 35; US 56; US 169
1.6 mi·1 min·I 35; US 56; US 169
Toward I 35 North, US 56 East, US 169 North: Des MoinesUse the straight lane.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·19 sec
Exit 224Toward 95th StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork
296 ft·7 sec
Toward 95th Street, Pittsburgh State University, Brown Mackie CollegeUse the right lane.
19
Turn straight onto West 95th Street
189 ft·3 sec·West 95th Street
20
Turn slight right onto Lenexa Drive
0.2 mi·56 sec·Lenexa Drive
Use the right lane.
21
Turn left onto Rosehill Road
500 ft·18 sec·Rosehill Road
22
Turn right
71 ft·10 sec
23
Turn left
256 ft·18 sec
24
Arrive at 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 93.9 miles from Maize, KS, or about 1h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 97 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 41 miles or 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 93.9 miles or 1h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lenexa, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Maize, KS 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 Maize, KS
This is one driving day of about 187.8 miles and 3h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 41 miles from Maize, KS.
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.
The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 97 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 93.9 mi from Maize, KS
· 1h 39m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.36 one way
$58.72 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg66 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$32.24
$64.47
premium
$4.89
$36.14
$72.28
diesel
$5.61
$41.46
$82.93
Estimated Tolls: $2.80
Kansas Turnpike
(56 mi)$2.80
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Tolls
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 65.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
56.3
0
$19.72
$9.01
Efficient EV
47
0
$16.43
$7.51
EV Truck/SUV
75.1
0
$26.29
$12.02
Gas CO2
66 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (67% 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
Maize, KS
Morning
in Maize on Friday
Local time
7:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lenexa, KS
Morning
in Lenexa on Friday
Local time
7:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
10 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
3h 18m 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 Maize, KS to Lenexa, KS covers 187.8 miles and takes about 3h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, Kansas Turnpike, KS 254. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 93.9 miles from Maize, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $29.36 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 187.8 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 0.1 miles (North Heather Lane): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (North Maize Road): Navigation decision point; at 90.2 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Maize, KS to Lenexa, KS does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
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.
