Origin
Morgantown, KY
Late night in Morgantown on Saturday
Local time
2:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Morgantown, KY to Owensboro, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
47.4 mi
76 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good 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.
Morgantown, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Owensboro, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Morgantown, KY to Owensboro, KY covers 47.4 miles and takes about 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 165, West G L Smith Street, East Parrish Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 35.8 miles on I 165. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.41 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 47.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 58m highway drive covering 47.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 165 and West G L Smith Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 35.8 miles on I 165.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 165 is the longest continuous segment at about 35.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 165 and West G L Smith Street. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 231; KY 79; KY 403 / West G L Smith Street.
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 47.4 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (US 231; KY 79; KY 403 / West G L Smith Street): Navigation decision point; at 43 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 231; KY 79; KY 403 / West G L Smith Street
Turn right onto US 231; KY 79; KY 403 / West G L Smith Street
Navigation decision point
7
43 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 60 East, US 231 North: Hawesville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 70A
Toward US 60 East, US 231 North: Hawesville
5
44.1 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward KY 54
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 18
Toward KY 54
4
44.3 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
KY 54 / Leitchfield Road
Turn left onto KY 54 / Leitchfield Road
Navigation decision point
4
47.2 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
Frederica Street
Turn right onto Frederica Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 165 | 35.8 mi | 38m |
| West G L Smith Street | 6.7 mi | 9m |
| East Parrish Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East 5th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Wendell Ford Expressway | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| Leitchfield Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Frederica Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 165
— 35.8 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Morgantown, KY and Owensboro, KY.
1
Start on North Main Street
105 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn right onto US 231; KY 79; KY 403
6.7 mi
·
9 min
·
West G L Smith Street
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 165 North: Owensboro
4
Merge onto I 165
36 mi
·
38 min
·
I 165
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 70A
Toward US 60 East, US 231 North: Hawesville
6
Merge onto US 60; US 231
0.8 mi
·
53 sec
·
Wendell Ford Expressway
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 18
Toward KY 54
8
Turn left onto KY 54
260 ft
·
6 sec
·
Leitchfield Road
9
Continue on KY 54
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
East Parrish Avenue
10
Turn right onto Leitchfield Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Leitchfield Road
11
Turn left onto East 5th Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East 5th Street
12
Turn right onto Frederica Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Frederica Street
13
Arrive at destination
Frederica Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.7 mi from Morgantown, KY · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.7 miles from Morgantown, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Owensboro, KY
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Owensboro, KY 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
$7.41 one way
$14.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.14 | $16.27 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.12 | $18.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.47 | $20.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.98 | $2.28 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.15 | $1.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19 | 0 | $6.64 | $3.03 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Owensboro, KY
Late night in Owensboro on Saturday
Local time
2:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Beaver Dam, KY
24 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
23 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
58m 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 Morgantown, KY to Owensboro, KY covers 47.4 miles and takes about 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 165, West G L Smith Street, East Parrish Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.7 miles from Morgantown, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.41 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 47.4 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (US 231; KY 79; KY 403 / West G L Smith Street): Navigation decision point; at 43 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Morgantown, KY to Owensboro, KY 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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