Origin
Powell, OH
Evening in Powell on Friday
Local time
7:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Powell, OH to Columbus, OH
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
17 mi
27 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Powell, OH
Jovan Vasiljević
Columbus, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Powell to Columbus covers a short 17-mile distance that typically takes around 23 minutes to complete. Because this journey is entirely local, you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations or multi-day planning; it is a straightforward trip that fits easily into a single day. With a fuel cost estimate of just $2, it is a very budget-friendly route within the Midwest. Navigating through East Olentangy Street, West Powell Road, and Olentangy River Road, you will find this path serves as a functional connection between the two locations. This trip is ideal if you are looking for a quick, practical transit rather than an extended road trip experience.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 17 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive as you make your way from Powell into the heart of Columbus. Since 0% of this route involves highways, you will stay off the interstates and remain on local thoroughfares for the entirety of the 17-mile journey. There is no significant high-speed cruising here, as the longest stretch is 0 miles on East Olentangy Street. Instead, you should prepare for a series of turns and stop-and-go driving that keeps you engaged with the local road network. The personality of this drive is defined by its reliance on surface streets, making it a low-stress, low-speed commute.
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.
Olentangy Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 10.2 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 early in the drive near SR 750 / East Olentangy Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 17 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SR 750 / East Olentangy Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
SR 750 / East Olentangy Street
Turn right onto SR 750 / East Olentangy Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
14.3 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward I 670 East: Neil Avenue, Airport
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.
Exit 1F
Toward I 670 East: Neil Avenue, Airport
8
15.7 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward US 23: Third Street, Fourth Street
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 4A–B
Toward US 23: Third Street, Fourth Street
7
15.8 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 23 South: Third Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 4A
Toward US 23 South: Third Street
6
16.9 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
East State Street
Turn right onto East State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Powell, OH to Columbus, OH, road signs begin pointing toward Airport along the way.
Airport
14.3 mi in
|
~19m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Olentangy Freeway | 10.2 mi | 12m |
| Olentangy River Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| East Olentangy Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| North Third Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| North Innerbelt | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Powell Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East State Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Liberty Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Olentangy Freeway
— 10.2 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Powell, OH and Columbus, OH.
1
Start on South Liberty Street
65 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Liberty Street
2
Turn right onto SR 750
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
East Olentangy Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on SR 750
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
West Powell Road
4
Turn right onto SR 315
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Olentangy River Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on SR 315
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Olentangy Freeway
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1F
Toward I 670 East: Neil Avenue, Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 670 East
8
Merge onto I 670
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Innerbelt
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 4A–B
Toward US 23: Third Street, Fourth Street
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 4A
Toward US 23 South: Third Street
11
Turn straight onto US 23
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
North Third Street
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn right onto East State Street
106 ft
·
3 sec
·
East State Street
Use the right lane.
13
Turn right
88 ft
·
6 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.64 one way
$5.28 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $2.93 | $5.86 |
| premium | $4.91 | $3.29 | $6.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.75 | $7.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.78 | $0.82 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.49 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Columbus, OH
Evening in Columbus on Friday
Local time
7:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°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
14 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
26m 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 Powell, OH to Columbus, OH covers 17 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Olentangy Freeway, Olentangy River Road, East Olentangy Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.5 miles from Powell, OH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.64 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 is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 17 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SR 750 / East Olentangy Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Powell, OH to Columbus, OH, road signs begin pointing toward Airport along the way.
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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