Trip from Pleasant Hill, IA to Waukee, IA

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are John MacVicar Freeway, Hickman Road, Dean Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 10.9 miles from Pleasant Hill, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.41 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

36m

Distance

21.8 mi

35 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min

4 AM

0h 33m ★

6 AM

0h 36m

8 AM

0h 42m

10 AM

0h 38m

12 PM

0h 38m

3 PM

0h 39m

5 PM

0h 42m

8 PM

0h 34m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

Trip Overview

The drive from Pleasant Hill, IA to Waukee, IA covers 21.8 miles and takes about 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on John MacVicar Freeway, Hickman Road, Dean Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.1 miles on John MacVicar Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.41 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 21.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

36m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

The drive from Pleasant Hill, IA to Waukee, IA covers 21.8 miles and takes about 36m, 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 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

John MacVicar Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 9.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in near East 30th Street.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 21.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (East 30th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles (Ramp 72 E): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5

2.4 mi into trip | ~5m in | East 30th Street

Turn right onto East 30th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

5

4.3 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the ramp toward I-235 west

Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I-235 west

8

14.1 mi into trip | ~23m in | Ramp 72 E

Take the exit onto Ramp 72 E toward I 35 North, I 80 East: Minneapolis, Chicago

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 123B Toward I 35 North, I 80 East: Minneapolis, Chic...

7

14.5 mi into trip | ~24m in | I 80

Merge onto I 80 toward I-35 north, I-80 east: Chicago, Minneapolis

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I-35 north, I-80 east: Chicago, Minneapo...

6

15.6 mi into trip | ~25m in

Take the exit toward US 6

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward US 6

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Pleasant Hill, IA and Waukee, IA, road signs point toward Chicago and Minneapolis.

Chicago

14.1 mi in | ~23m | via Ramp 72 E

Minneapolis

14.5 mi in | ~24m | via I 80

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
John MacVicar Freeway	9.1 mi	11m
Hickman Road	5.7 mi	9m
Dean Avenue	1.5 mi	3m
East University Avenue	1.3 mi	2m
I 80	1.1 mi	1m
East 30th Street	0.6 mi	1m
Fairview Drive	0.5 mi	1m
Ramp 72 E	0.4 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: John MacVicar Freeway — 9.1 mi, about 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Pleasant Hill, IA and Waukee, IA.

1

Start on Doanes Park Road

62 ft · 6 sec · Doanes Park Road

2

Turn right onto South Pleasant Hill Boulevard

0.4 mi · 59 sec · South Pleasant Hill Boulevard

3

Turn left onto Fairview Drive

0.5 mi · 1 min · Fairview Drive

4

Continue on Dean Avenue

1.5 mi · 3 min · Dean Avenue

5

Turn right onto East 30th Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · East 30th Street

Use the right lane.

6

Turn left onto IA 163

1.3 mi · 2 min · East University Avenue

Use the left lane.

7

Take the ramp

0.6 mi · 1 min

Toward I-235 west Use the slight right lane.

8

Merge onto I 235

9.1 mi · 11 min · John MacVicar Freeway

Use the slight right lane.

9

Take the exit onto Ramp 72 E

0.4 mi · 56 sec · Ramp 72 E

Exit 123B Toward I 35 North, I 80 East: Minneapolis, Chicago Use the slight right lane.

10

Merge onto I 80

1.1 mi · 1 min · I 80

Toward I-35 north, I-80 east: Chicago, Minneapolis Use the slight right lane.

11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 39 sec

Toward US 6 Use the slight right lane.

12

Turn left onto US 6

5.7 mi · 9 min · Hickman Road

Use the straight / left lanes.

13

Turn left onto CR R22

0.2 mi · 34 sec · 6th Street

14

Turn left onto Ashworth Drive

139 ft · 4 sec · Ashworth Drive

15

Arrive at destination

Ashworth Drive

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.41 one way

$6.82 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$3.74	$7.48
premium	$4.89	$4.20	$8.39
diesel	$5.61	$4.81	$9.63

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	6.5	$2.29	$1.05
Efficient EV	5.5	$1.91	$0.87
EV Truck/SUV	8.7	$3.05	$1.40

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Pleasant Hill, IA

Afternoon in Pleasant Hill on Thursday

Local time

2:01 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Waukee, IA

Afternoon in Waukee on Thursday

Local time

2:01 PM

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

17 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

36m 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 Pleasant Hill, IA to Waukee, IA covers 21.8 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.