Origin
Polk, MO
Morning in Polk on Monday
Local time
7:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Polk, MO to Kansas City, MO
Drive Time
3h 11m
Distance
144.6 mi
233 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$22
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
6 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 0m
★
6 AM
3h 12m
8 AM
3h 35m
10 AM
3h 20m
12 PM
3h 18m
3 PM
3h 21m
5 PM
3h 34m
8 PM
3h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Polk, MO
Valeria Boltneva
Kansas City, MO
Matthew Chirinos
Trip Overview
The drive from Polk, MO to Kansas City, MO covers 144.6 miles and takes about 3h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MO 7, MO 13, MO 64 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 73.9 miles on MO 7. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.96 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
72.3 miles from Polk, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 47m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 3h 11m highway drive covering 144.6 miles, with most of the trip on MO 7 and MO 13. The longest continuous stretch is about 73.9 miles on MO 7.
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.
MO 7 is the longest continuous segment at about 73.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MO 7 and MO 13. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 11.6 miles in near MO 64.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 3h 11m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 11.6 miles (MO 64): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 17.7 miles (US 54): Navigation decision point; at 106 miles (MO 7): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
11.6 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
MO 64
Turn sharp left onto MO 64
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
17.7 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
US 54
At end of road, turn left onto US 54
Navigation decision point
7
106 mi into trip
|
~2h 24m in
|
MO 7
Take the exit onto MO 7 toward I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kansas City
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.
Toward I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kan...
7
143.9 mi into trip
|
~3h 10m in
Take the exit toward 11th Street, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward 11th Street, Downtown
4
144.5 mi into trip
|
~3h 11m in
|
Oak Street
Turn left onto Oak Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MO 7 | 73.9 mi | 1h 24m |
| MO 13 | 30.8 mi | 37m |
| MO 64 | 12.6 mi | 22m |
| MO T | 11.9 mi | 21m |
| US 54 | 9 mi | 12m |
| MO 254 | 3 mi | 5m |
| MO D | 2.1 mi | 5m |
| MO 83 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MO 7
— 73.9 mi, about 1h 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Polk, MO and Kansas City, MO.
1
Start on the route
2.1 mi
·
5 min
·
the route
2
Continue straight
9.5 mi
·
16 min
3
Turn sharp left
3.1 mi
·
5 min
4
Continue straight
3.0 mi
·
5 min
5
At the end of the road, turn left
9.0 mi
·
12 min
6
Turn right
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
7
Turn left
12 mi
·
21 min
8
Turn right
31 mi
·
37 min
9
Continue straight
36 mi
·
39 min
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kansas City
38 mi
·
45 min
·
I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kansas City
11
Take the exit slight right toward 11th Street, Downtown
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
11th Street, Downtown
12
Turn straight onto East 11th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
East 11th Street
13
Turn left onto Oak Street
463 ft
·
15 sec
·
Oak Street
14
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 72.3 miles from Polk, MO, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 73.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 80 miles or 1h 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 72.3 miles or 1h 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kansas City, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Polk, MO so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Polk, MO
This is one driving day of about 144.6 miles and 3h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Polk, MO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on MO 7 for about 73.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 72.3 mi from Polk, MO · 1h 47m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
72 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 72.3 miles from Polk, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before MO 7 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 73.9 miles.
Arriving in Kansas City, MO
The final approach into Kansas City, MO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Kansas City, MO.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.96 one way
$43.93 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
51 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $24.21 | $48.42 |
| premium | $4.80 | $27.30 | $54.60 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $32.13 | $64.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
EV Charging Along Route
6 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
Hy-Vee - Tesla Supercharger
Belton, MO
Tesla
12 DCFC
Port In The Storm
Osceola, MO
SYNERGEV
4 DCFC
Price Chopper - Harrisonville
Harrisonville, MO
FCN
4 DCFC
Flying J 672
Peculiar, MO
eVgo Network
4 DCFC
Rob Sight Ford
Kansas City, MO
FORD_CHARGE
4 DCFC
State Line Nissan
Kansas City, MO
Non-Networked
1 DCFC
SYNERGEV: 1
FCN: 1
eVgo Network: 1
Tesla: 1
FORD_CHARGE: 1
Non-Networked: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 43.4 | 0 | $15.18 | $6.94 |
| Efficient EV | 36.2 | 0 | $12.65 | $5.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 57.8 | 0 | $20.24 | $9.25 |
Gas CO2
51 kg
EV CO2
17 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
Kansas City, MO
Morning in Kansas City on Monday
Local time
7:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
56°F
Billings, MO
72 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
30 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 11m 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 Polk, MO to Kansas City, MO covers 144.6 miles and takes about 3h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are MO 7, MO 13, MO 64. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 72.3 miles from Polk, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.96 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 11m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 11.6 miles (MO 64): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 17.7 miles (US 54): Navigation decision point; at 106 miles (MO 7): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Polk, MO to Kansas City, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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