Origin
Postville, IA
Afternoon in Postville on Sunday
Local time
1:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Postville, IA to Council Bluffs, IA
Drive Time
5h 16m
Distance
316.5 mi
509 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$48
one way
Photo: Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Postville, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 316.5 miles and takes about 5h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Tilden Street, Mill Street, East Bradford Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $48.07 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
158.3 miles from Postville, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 38m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 16m drive with frequent turns across 316.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 47 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Tilden Street 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 5h 16m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Postville, IA to Council Bluffs, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Tilden Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Mill Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Bradford Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 230th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 270th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| McCloud Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Logan Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
West Tilden Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Postville, IA and Council Bluffs, IA.
1
Start on North Lawler Street
39 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Lawler Street
2
Turn right onto West Tilden Street
7.8 mi
·
10 min
·
West Tilden Street
3
Continue on Mill Street
9.1 mi
·
12 min
·
Mill Street
4
Continue on East Bradford Street
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
East Bradford Street
5
Continue on 230th Street
13 mi
·
17 min
·
230th Street
6
Continue on 270th Street
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
270th Street
7
Continue on East Main Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
8
Continue on 270th Street
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
270th Street
9
Take the ramp left
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
10
Merge slight left onto McCloud Avenue
22 mi
·
25 min
·
McCloud Avenue
11
Continue on Logan Avenue
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Logan Avenue
12
Turn right onto West Airline Highway
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
West Airline Highway
13
Turn left onto Airport Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Airport Boulevard
14
Take the ramp right toward US 218 north
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 218 north
15
Merge slight left onto Leo P Rooff Expressway
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
Leo P Rooff Expressway
16
Take the exit slight right
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
17
Keep slight left to continue on IA 27 South, IA 58 South: Hudson, UNI
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
IA 27 South, IA 58 South: Hudson, UNI
18
Merge slight left onto Avenue of the Saints
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
19
Take the exit slight right toward University Avenue
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
University Avenue
20
Keep slight right
335 ft
·
8 sec
21
Turn straight onto University Avenue
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
University Avenue
22
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward University Avenue
125 ft
·
3 sec
·
University Avenue
23
Exit the roundabout onto University Avenue
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
University Avenue
24
Continue on Grundy Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Grundy Road
25
Take the ramp right
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
26
Merge slight left
11 mi
·
13 min
27
Take the exit slight right toward IA 14: Parkersburg, Grundy Center
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
IA 14: Parkersburg, Grundy Center
28
Turn left onto N Avenue
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
N Avenue
29
Turn right onto 210th Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
210th Street
30
Turn sharp left onto County Road T37
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road T37
31
Continue on M Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
M Avenue
32
Turn right onto 240th Street
6.3 mi
·
9 min
·
240th Street
33
Turn left onto Sanford Avenue
16 mi
·
21 min
·
Sanford Avenue
34
Turn right onto 160th Street
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
160th Street
35
Keep slight left to continue on North Main Street
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
36
Continue on Marsh Avenue
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Marsh Avenue
37
Turn right
36 mi
·
42 min
38
Take the exit slight right toward I 80 west, US 65 south: Des Moines
13 mi
·
15 min
·
I 80 west, US 65 south: Des Moines
39
Continue straight
5.6 mi
·
6 min
40
Keep slight right to continue on I 80 West: Omaha
96 mi
·
1 hr 42 min
·
I 80 West: Omaha
41
Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska
19 mi
·
20 min
·
I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska
42
Take the exit slight right toward US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland
43
Turn straight onto East Kanesville Boulevard
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
East Kanesville Boulevard
44
Continue on East Broadway
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Broadway
45
Continue on East Kanesville Boulevard
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
East Kanesville Boulevard
46
Continue on West Broadway
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Broadway
47
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 158.3 miles from Postville, IA, or about 2h 38m 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 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 158.3 miles or 2h 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Council Bluffs, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Postville, IA 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 Postville, IA
This is one driving day of about 316.5 miles and 5h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Postville, IA.
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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 158.3 mi from Postville, IA · 2h 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
158 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 158.3 miles from Postville, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Council Bluffs, IA
The final approach into Council Bluffs, IA 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 Council Bluffs, IA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$48.07 one way
$96.15 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
111 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $53.00 | $105.99 |
| premium | $4.80 | $59.75 | $119.50 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $70.32 | $140.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 110.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 95 | 1 | $33.23 | $15.19 |
| Efficient EV | 79.1 | 0 | $27.69 | $12.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 126.6 | 1 | $44.31 | $20.26 |
Gas CO2
111 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Council Bluffs, IA
Afternoon in Council Bluffs on Sunday
Local time
1:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°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
9 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
5h 16m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Postville, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 316.5 miles and takes about 5h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Tilden Street, Mill Street, East Bradford Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 158.3 miles from Postville, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $48.07 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 16m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Postville, IA to Council Bluffs, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Postville, IA to Council Bluffs, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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