Origin
Minneapolis, MN
Morning in Minneapolis on Friday
Local time
9:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Minneapolis, MN to West Co on Rapids, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
14.9 mi
24 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 23m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Co on Rapids, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
This quick 14.9-mile drive from Minneapolis to West Coon Rapids, MN, will only take about 24 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, with a substantial 64% of the journey on interstates. Given its short duration and minimal fuel cost of around $2, this route is incredibly flexible. It's a straightforward trip primarily within the Midwest region, connecting two points in Minnesota. You won't need an overnight stay for this one; it's an easy hop across town, so you can focus on your destination.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 14.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused drive for the most part, with 64% of the 14.9 miles on interstates. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be about 4.2 miles on I 94, offering a chance to settle into a rhythm. The primary roads you'll navigate are I 94, MN 252, and Noble Parkway. This profile suggests a blend of faster-paced interstate travel and potentially some quicker transitions on state highways as you approach your destination. It's not a meandering scenic route, but an efficient connection designed for straightforward travel.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 94 is the longest continuous segment at about 4.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and MN 252. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near North 1st Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 14.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (North 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
North 1st Avenue
Turn left onto North 1st Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 94
Merge onto I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
6.5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward MN 252, I 694 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 225
Toward MN 252, I 694 East
7
10.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MN 610 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward MN 610 West
7
11.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward Noble Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 7
Toward Noble Parkway
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| MN 252 | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Noble Parkway | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| West River Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| MN-610 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North 1st Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North 3rd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 4.2 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Minneapolis, MN and West Co on Rapids, MN.
1
Start on CR 152
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Avenue South
2
Turn left onto North 1st Avenue
426 ft
·
18 sec
·
North 1st Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto North 3rd Street
418 ft
·
16 sec
·
North 3rd Street
4
Take the ramp
1.8 mi
·
3 min
Toward I 94 West
5
Merge onto I 94
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
319 ft
·
7 sec
Exit 225
Toward MN 252, I 694 East
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward MN 252 North
8
Continue on MN 252
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
MN 252
Use the left lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
2 min
Toward MN 610 West
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto MN 610
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
MN-610
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 7
Toward Noble Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto CR 12
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Noble Parkway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
13
Continue on CR 12
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West River Road
Use the straight lane.
14
Arrive at destination
CR 12
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.22 one way
$4.43 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.39 | $4.78 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.66 | $5.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.29 | $6.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.56 | $0.72 |
| Efficient EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.30 | $0.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6 | 0 | $2.09 | $0.95 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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 Co on Rapids, MN
Morning in West Co on Rapids on Friday
Local time
9:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
24m 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 Minneapolis, MN to West Co on Rapids, MN covers 14.9 miles and takes about 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, MN 252, Noble Parkway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.5 miles from Minneapolis, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.22 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 is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 14.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (North 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Minneapolis, MN to West Co on Rapids, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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