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Trip from Mediapolis, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA

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

Drive Time

1h 53m

Distance

91.1 mi

147 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 46m ★
6 AM
1h 54m
8 AM
2h 11m
10 AM
2h 0m
12 PM
1h 58m
3 PM
2h 1m
5 PM
2h 10m
8 PM
1h 49m

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

Downtown Mediapolis, IA, IA

Mediapolis, IA

tian Jin

Trip Overview

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.

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 Effort 5/10

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

Toward Glass Road, 32nd Street, Coldstream, 29t...
5
89.6 mi into trip | ~1h 50m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
89.9 mi into trip | ~1h 51m in | Oakland Road Northeast

Turn left onto Oakland Road Northeast

Navigation decision point

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Mediapolis, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA, road signs point toward Cr G48 East: Grandview and Columbus Junction.

Cr G48 East: Grandview

19.3 mi in | ~22m

Columbus Junction

19.3 mi in | ~22m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Avenue of the Saints 51.9 mi 59m
State Highway 92 16.9 mi 25m
US Highway 61 12.4 mi 14m
North Baxter Street 6.1 mi 6m
32nd Street Northeast 0.8 mi 1m
Oak Street 0.7 mi 1m
Main Street 0.4 mi <1m
29th Street Northeast 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Avenue of the Saints — 51.9 mi, about 59m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Mediapolis, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA.

1

Start on North Orchard Street

73 ft · 5 sec · North Orchard Street
2

Turn right onto Main Street

0.4 mi · 38 sec · Main Street
3

Turn straight onto Mediapolis Road

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Mediapolis Road
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward US 61 north: Muscatine
5

Merge onto US 61

12 mi · 14 min · US Highway 61
6

Continue on US 61

6.1 mi · 6 min · North Baxter Street
7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 45 sec
Toward IA 92 west, CR G48 east: Grandview, Columbus Junction
8

Turn left onto IA 92

8.3 mi · 12 min · State Highway 92
9

Continue on IA 92

0.7 mi · 1 min · Oak Street
10

Continue on IA 92

8.6 mi · 12 min · State Highway 92
11

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 43 sec
12

Merge onto US 218; IA 27

52 mi · 59 min · Avenue of the Saints
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Toward Glass Road, 32nd Street, Coldstream, 29th Street
14

Keep slight right at fork

319 ft · 8 sec
15

Turn straight onto 29th Street Northeast

0.3 mi · 36 sec · 29th Street Northeast
16

Turn left onto Oakland Road Northeast

0.3 mi · 29 sec · Oakland Road Northeast
17

Turn right onto 32nd Street Northeast

0.8 mi · 1 min · 32nd Street Northeast
18

Turn right onto Crystal Drive Northeast

184 ft · 10 sec · Crystal Drive Northeast
19

Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast

177 ft · 7 sec · Crystal Drive Northeast
20

Continue on Tiperary Drive Northeast

428 ft · 18 sec · Tiperary Drive Northeast
21

Arrive at destination

Tiperary Drive Northeast

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 45.5 miles from Mediapolis, IA, or about 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51.9 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 20 miles or 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 45.5 miles or 59m 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 33m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedar Rapids, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Mediapolis, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Mediapolis, IA

This is one driving day of about 91.1 miles and 1h 53m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Mediapolis, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Avenue of the Saints for about 51.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 45.5 mi from Mediapolis, IA · 59m into the drive

Downtown Riverside, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Riverside, IA

46 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

Columbus Junction, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Riverside, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 45.5 miles from Mediapolis, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Cedar Rapids, IA

The final approach into Cedar Rapids, IA 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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.24 one way

$28.48 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 32 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $15.64 $31.28
premium $4.89 $17.53 $35.06
diesel $5.61 $20.11 $40.23

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 31.9 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 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

Late night in Mediapolis on Friday

Local time

4:19 AM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cedar Rapids, IA

Late night in Cedar Rapids on Friday

Local time

4:19 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 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.

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