Origin
Melcher-Dallas, IA
Morning in Melcher-Dallas on Saturday
Local time
6:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Melcher-Dallas, IA to West Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
42 mi
68 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Melcher-Dallas, IA
Talena Reese
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Melcher-Dallas, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 42 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on State Highway 5, County Road S45, Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.2 miles on State Highway 5. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.57 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 42 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
The drive from Melcher-Dallas, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 42 miles and takes about 57m, 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 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
State Highway 5 is the longest continuous segment at about 19.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CR S45 / B Street Northwest.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Melcher-Dallas, IA to West Des Moines, IA is easy. At 57m with 57% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CR S45 / B Street Northwest): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (CR S45 / 1st Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 28.8 miles (US 65; IA 5 / Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR S45 / B Street Northwest
At end of road, turn left onto CR S45 / B Street Northwest
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR S45 / 1st Street Northwest
Turn right onto CR S45 / 1st Street Northwest
Navigation decision point
3
28.8 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
US 65; IA 5 / Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Merge onto US 65; IA 5 / Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
8
36.3 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward IA 28: Norwalk, Martensdale
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 99
Toward IA 28: Norwalk, Martensdale
3
36.9 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
IA 28
Turn right onto IA 28
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Melcher-Dallas, IA to West Des Moines, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Martensdale along the way.
Martensdale
36.3 mi in
|
~48m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 5 | 19.2 mi | 22m |
| County Road S45 | 9.2 mi | 16m |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | 7.5 mi | 8m |
| IA 28 | 4.7 mi | 7m |
| Vine Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Northeast Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 1st Street Northwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| B Street Northwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
State Highway 5
— 19.2 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Melcher-Dallas, IA and West Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on CR S45
462 ft
·
14 sec
·
Northeast Main Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto CR S45
367 ft
·
9 sec
·
B Street Northwest
3
Turn right onto CR S45
461 ft
·
9 sec
·
1st Street Northwest
4
Continue on CR S45
9.2 mi
·
16 min
·
County Road S45
5
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
this road
6
Continue on IA 5
19 mi
·
22 min
·
State Highway 5
7
Merge onto US 65; IA 5
7.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 99
Toward IA 28: Norwalk, Martensdale
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto IA 28
4.7 mi
·
7 min
·
IA 28
10
Turn left onto Vine Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Vine Street
11
Arrive at destination
Vine Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21 mi from Melcher-Dallas, IA · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21 miles from Melcher-Dallas, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in West Des Moines, IA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into West Des Moines, IA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.57 one way
$13.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.21 | $14.42 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.08 | $16.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.27 | $18.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.88 | $2.69 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
West Des Moines, IA
Morning in West Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
6:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Altoona, IA
21 mi in
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
57m 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 Melcher-Dallas, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 42 miles and takes about 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are State Highway 5, County Road S45, Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21 miles from Melcher-Dallas, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.57 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.
The drive from Melcher-Dallas, IA to West Des Moines, IA is easy. At 57m with 57% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CR S45 / B Street Northwest): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (CR S45 / 1st Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 28.8 miles (US 65; IA 5 / Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
On the drive from Melcher-Dallas, IA to West Des Moines, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Martensdale along the way.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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Return Trip
West Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IAPlan the drive back the other way.
42.2 mi
58m
Continue From West Des Moines, IA
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