The drive from Mediapolis, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 91.1 miles and takes about 1h 53m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Avenue of the Saints, State Highway 92, US Highway 61 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 51.9 miles on Avenue of the Saints.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.24 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
45.5 miles from Mediapolis, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 59m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 53m. Total distance: 91.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Mediapolis, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 91.1 miles and takes about 1h 53m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 51.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort5/10
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 91.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 19.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 89.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward US 61 north: Muscatine
Navigation decision point
Toward US 61 north: Muscatine
5
19.3 mi into trip|~22m in
Take the exit toward IA 92 west, CR G48 east: Grandview, Columbus Junction
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 92 west, CR G48 east: Grandview, Colu...
5
89.3 mi into trip|~1h 50m in
Take the exit toward Glass Road, 32nd Street, Coldstream, 29th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.3
0
$9.57
$4.37
Efficient EV
22.8
0
$7.97
$3.64
EV Truck/SUV
36.4
0
$12.75
$5.83
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 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
Mediapolis, IA
Morning
in Mediapolis on Friday
Local time
9:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cedar Rapids, IA
Morning
in Cedar Rapids on Friday
Local time
9:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Riverside, IA
46 mi in
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
2 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
1h 53m 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 Mediapolis, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 91.1 miles and takes about 1h 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, State Highway 92, US Highway 61. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 45.5 miles from Mediapolis, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.24 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 91.1 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 19.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 89.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Mediapolis, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA, road signs point toward Cr G48 East: Grandview and Columbus Junction.
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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
