Origin
Needham, IN
Late night in Needham on Saturday
Local time
12:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Needham, IN to Bloomington, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
49.8 mi
80 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Needham, IN
Felix-Antoine Coutu
Bloomington, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Needham to Bloomington is 49.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 14 minutes via State Road 44 and I-69, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Indiana, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. You'll experience a mixed drive, making it a straightforward journey for a single day. Consider this route if you're looking for a relatively short and efficient drive between these two Indiana locations. The total distance is manageable for a quick trip, with most of the travel on main state and interstate highways.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 49.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
This drive offers a blend of highway and local road travel, with 39% of the route on interstate. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 18.6 miles on State Road 44, providing a good segment of continuous driving. The profile is described as a "mixed drive," suggesting you'll transition between faster highway speeds and potentially more varied road conditions as you navigate through Indiana. Expect shifts in scenery and driving pace as you move from one type of road to another.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
State Road 44 is the longest continuous segment at about 18.6 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 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North 700 E.
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 49.8 miles you will encounter 16 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 (North 700 E): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (North 700 East): Navigation decision point; at 7 miles (East Jefferson Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North 700 E
Turn right onto North 700 E
Navigation decision point
4
2.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
North 700 East
Turn right onto North 700 East
Navigation decision point
5
7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
East Jefferson Street
Turn right onto East Jefferson Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
27.7 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the ramp toward I 69 South: Evansville
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 69 South: Evansville
5
44.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward College Avenue, Walnut Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward College Avenue, Walnut Street
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Road 44 | 18.6 mi | 28m |
| I 69 | 15.7 mi | 17m |
| SR 44 | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| North Walnut Street | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| North 700 E | 2.6 mi | 6m |
| East Jefferson Street | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| North College Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| East King Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
State Road 44
— 18.6 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Needham, IN and Bloomington, IN.
1
Start on East 350 N
44 ft
·
3 sec
·
East 350 N
2
Turn right onto North 700 E
2.6 mi
·
6 min
·
North 700 E
3
Turn left onto East 100 North
313 ft
·
10 sec
·
East 100 North
4
Turn right onto North 700 East
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
North 700 East
5
Turn right onto SR 44
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
SR 44
6
Enter roundabout onto East King Street
102 ft
·
1 sec
·
East King Street
7
Continue on East King Street
0.6 mi
·
57 sec
·
East King Street
8
Turn left onto North Forsythe Street
491 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Forsythe Street
9
Turn right onto East Jefferson Street
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
East Jefferson Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Enter roundabout onto SR 44
224 ft
·
3 sec
·
State Road 44
11
Continue on SR 44
19 mi
·
28 min
·
State Road 44
12
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 69 South: Evansville
Use the left lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto SR 252
103 ft
·
1 sec
·
SR 252
14
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 69 South: Evansville
15
Merge onto I 69
16 mi
·
17 min
·
I 69
16
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Toward College Avenue, Walnut Street
17
Turn straight onto North Walnut Street
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Walnut Street
18
Continue on North College Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North College Avenue
19
Turn left onto West 10th Street
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
West 10th Street
20
Turn right onto North Dunn Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Dunn Street
21
Turn left onto East 4th Street
379 ft
·
15 sec
·
East 4th Street
22
Turn straight
99 ft
·
7 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.9 mi from Needham, IN · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.9 miles from Needham, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bloomington, IN
The final approach into Bloomington, IN 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
$7.79 one way
$15.57 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.55 | $17.10 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.58 | $19.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.00 | $21.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 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 | 14.9 | 0 | $5.23 | $2.39 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.97 | $3.19 |
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
Bloomington, IN
Late night in Bloomington on Saturday
Local time
12:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
76°F
Brooklyn, IN
25 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
21 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
1h 14m 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 Needham, IN to Bloomington, IN covers 49.8 miles and takes about 1h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are State Road 44, I 69, SR 44. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.9 miles from Needham, IN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.79 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 49.8 miles you will encounter 16 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 (North 700 E): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (North 700 East): Navigation decision point; at 7 miles (East Jefferson Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Needham, IN to Bloomington, IN 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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