Origin
Ponder, TX
Afternoon in Ponder on Sunday
Local time
4:05 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ponder, TX to Rhode Island, TX
Drive Time
2h 18m
Distance
141.6 mi
228 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$22
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 9m
★
6 AM
2h 18m
8 AM
2h 37m
10 AM
2h 25m
12 PM
2h 23m
3 PM
2h 26m
5 PM
2h 36m
8 PM
2h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ponder, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Rhode Island, TX
Beth Fitzpatrick
Trip Overview
The drive from Ponder, TX to Rhode Island, TX covers 141.6 miles and takes about 2h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35E South, South Stemmons Freeway, North Stemmons Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.63 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
70.8 miles from Ponder, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 9m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 18m drive with frequent turns across 141.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35E South is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Ponder, TX to Rhode Island, TX is easy. At 2h 18m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ponder, TX to Rhode Island, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35E South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Stemmons Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Stemmons Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Continental Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| McKinney Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 75 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Woodall Rodgers Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 45 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
I 35E South
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ponder, TX and Rhode Island, TX.
1
Start on Farm-to-Market Road 156
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Farm-to-Market Road 156
2
Turn left
6.4 mi
·
9 min
3
Take the ramp right
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
4
Merge slight left
2.6 mi
·
2 min
5
Take the exit slight right toward I 35E South: Dallas
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
I 35E South: Dallas
6
Merge slight left
9.2 mi
·
9 min
7
Keep slight right to continue on South Stemmons Freeway
20 mi
·
22 min
·
South Stemmons Freeway
8
Keep slight left to continue on North Stemmons Freeway
8.3 mi
·
10 min
·
North Stemmons Freeway
9
Take the exit slight right toward Continental Avenue, Commerce Street West
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Continental Avenue, Commerce Street West
10
Turn straight onto North Stemmons Freeway
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Stemmons Freeway
11
Turn left onto Continental Avenue
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Continental Avenue
12
Turn left onto McKinney Avenue
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
McKinney Avenue
13
Take the ramp slight left toward US 75 North
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
US 75 North
14
Merge slight left onto Woodall Rodgers Freeway
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Woodall Rodgers Freeway
15
Keep slight right to continue on I 45 South: Houston
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
I 45 South: Houston
16
Merge slight left onto Julius Schepps Freeway
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
17
Keep slight left to continue on Julius Schepps Freeway
76 mi
·
1 hr 18 min
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
18
Take the exit slight right toward FM 833
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
FM 833
19
Turn left onto North Interstate 45
308 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Interstate 45
20
Turn left
1.3 mi
·
3 min
21
At the end of the road, turn right onto North State Highway 75
52 ft
·
2 sec
·
North State Highway 75
22
Turn left onto East FM 833
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East FM 833
23
Turn right onto County Road 161
10 ft
·
1 sec
·
County Road 161
24
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 70.8 miles from Ponder, TX, or about 1h 9m into the drive.
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 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 70.8 miles or 1h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rhode Island, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ponder, TX 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 Ponder, TX
This is one driving day of about 141.6 miles and 2h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Ponder, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 70.8 mi from Ponder, TX · 1h 9m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
71 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 70.8 miles from Ponder, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Rhode Island, TX
The final approach into Rhode Island, TX 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 Rhode Island, TX.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.63 one way
$43.26 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
50 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $23.70 | $47.41 |
| premium | $4.59 | $25.59 | $51.19 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $31.46 | $62.92 |
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: 49.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 42.5 | 0 | $14.87 | $6.80 |
| Efficient EV | 35.4 | 0 | $12.39 | $5.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 56.6 | 0 | $19.82 | $9.06 |
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% 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
Rhode Island, TX
Afternoon in Rhode Island on Sunday
Local time
4:05 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
2h 18m 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 Ponder, TX to Rhode Island, TX covers 141.6 miles and takes about 2h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35E South, South Stemmons Freeway, North Stemmons Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 70.8 miles from Ponder, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.63 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.
The drive from Ponder, TX to Rhode Island, TX is easy. At 2h 18m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ponder, TX to Rhode Island, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Ponder, TX to Rhode Island, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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