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Trip from Richmond, VA to Bon Air, VA

Data updated 11 minutes ago

Drive Time

15m

Distance

7.4 mi

12 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$1

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 14m ★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 18m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 15m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Bon Air, VA, VA

Bon Air, VA

Sami Aksu

Trip Overview

This short 7.4-mile drive from Richmond to Bon Air, Virginia, can be completed in about 15 minutes, making it an easy addition to any local itinerary or a quick hop for a specific destination. With a minimal fuel cost of around $1, it's a budget-friendly trip. The route is primarily on the Powhite Parkway and Jahnke Road, offering a mixed driving experience. Since it's a single-day trip, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. Both locations are situated in the Southeast region of Virginia, so you'll remain within familiar territory for this brief journey.

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

3.7 miles from Richmond, VA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 8m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 44% of the journey being on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 1.7 miles along the Powhite Parkway. This section offers a taste of faster-paced driving before transitioning to local roads like Jahnke Road. The road character shifts as you progress, moving from a more arterial feel on the parkway to a more neighborhood-oriented drive as you approach Bon Air. It's not an overly monotonous stretch, offering some variation in the driving experience.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Powhite Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 1.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near Parkwood Avenue.

Route Complexity 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 7.4 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (Parkwood Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (McCloy Street): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (Maplewood Avenue): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

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

5
1.6 mi into trip | ~4m in | Parkwood Avenue

Turn right onto Parkwood Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
1.8 mi into trip | ~5m in | McCloy Street

Turn left onto McCloy Street

Navigation decision point

5
2 mi into trip | ~6m in | Maplewood Avenue

Turn left onto Maplewood Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
2.8 mi into trip | ~7m in | VA 76 / Powhite Parkway

Merge onto VA 76 / Powhite Parkway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
5.5 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the exit toward SR 686 West: Jahnke Road

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward SR 686 West: Jahnke Road

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Powhite Parkway 1.7 mi 2m
Jahnke Road 1 mi 2m
E-ZPass Only (Powhite Parkway) 1 mi 1m
West Main Street 0.6 mi 1m
Buford Road 0.6 mi 1m
VA 146 0.6 mi <1m
North Meadow Street 0.5 mi 1m
McCloy Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Powhite Parkway — 1.7 mi, about 2m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Richmond, VA and Bon Air, VA.

1

Start on Marcus-David Peters Circle

525 ft · 14 sec · Marcus-David Peters Circle
2

Continue on Monument Avenue

0.1 mi · 28 sec · Monument Avenue
3

Turn left onto North Meadow Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Meadow Street
4

Turn right onto VA 147

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
5

Continue on VA 147

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Ellwood Avenue
6

Turn left onto South Sheppard Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · South Sheppard Street
7

Turn right onto Parkwood Avenue

0.2 mi · 42 sec · Parkwood Avenue
8

Turn left onto McCloy Street

0.2 mi · 44 sec · McCloy Street
9

Turn left onto Maplewood Avenue

30 ft · 1 sec · Maplewood Avenue
10

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward VA 76 Toll South
11

Merge onto VA 146

0.6 mi · 46 sec · VA 146
12

Merge onto VA 76

1.0 mi · 1 min · Powhite Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork onto VA 76

1.0 mi · 1 min · E-ZPass Only (Powhite Parkway)
14

Merge onto VA 76

0.7 mi · 1 min · Powhite Parkway
15

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward SR 686 West: Jahnke Road Use the slight right lane.
16

Turn straight onto SR 686

1.0 mi · 2 min · Jahnke Road
17

Turn sharp right onto SR 678

0.6 mi · 1 min · Buford Road
18

Turn left onto SR 718

14 ft · 0 sec · Rockaway Road
19

Arrive at destination

SR 718

Trip Plan

Given the short 15-minute duration and 7.4-mile distance, this trip offers a lot of flexibility. You can easily depart at any time of day without needing to plan for extensive stops. Factor in the low fuel cost of approximately $1 for your budget. A practical tip for this specific route is to be aware of the E-ZPass toll on the Powhite Parkway; have your transponder ready or be prepared for toll payment. Since it's such a quick drive, you can afford to leave a little later or make an impromptu stop if needed.

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 3.7 miles from Richmond, VA, or about 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 1.7 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 7.4 miles or 15m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 3.7 miles or 8m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 13m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bon Air, VA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Richmond, VA 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 Richmond, VA

This is one driving day of about 7.4 miles and 15m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Richmond, VA.
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.
The longest stretch is on Powhite Parkway for about 1.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 3.7 mi from Richmond, VA · 8m into the drive

Downtown Middletown, MD, MD

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Middletown, MD

4 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

Middletown, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 7.4 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Middletown, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 3.7 miles from Richmond, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Bon Air, VA

The final approach into Bon Air, VA 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 Bon Air, VA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Petersburg National Battlefield

Petersburg National Battlefield

National Battlefield

Two hundred ninety-two days, eight offensives, over 70,000 casualties, U. S. Colored Troops, and the decline of Gen. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. U.S. forces c...

23 mi from route ~57 min detour Free near mile 5.8
Park Closure: Eastern Front Tour Road south of Route 36 - Closed
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.16 one way

$2.31 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 3 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $1.27 $2.53
premium $4.70 $1.37 $2.74
diesel $5.61 $1.63 $3.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$1

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$26–$51

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 2.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 2.2 0 $0.78 $0.36
Efficient EV 1.9 0 $0.65 $0.30
EV Truck/SUV 3 0 $1.04 $0.47

Gas CO2

3 kg

EV CO2

1 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.

Forecast data refreshed 6 hours ago

Origin

Richmond, VA

Late night in Richmond on Wednesday

Local time

2:08 AM

EDT

Current temp

65°F

Mostly Clear

SW 3 to 12 mph 3% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 14 at 9:10AM EDT by NWS Blacksburg VA

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 14 at 8:55AM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA

Destination

Bon Air, VA

Late night in Bon Air on Wednesday

Local time

2:08 AM

EDT

Current temp

83°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

86°F

Middletown, MD

4 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

18 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

15m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Richmond, VA to Bon Air, VA covers 7.4 miles and takes about 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Powhite Parkway, Jahnke Road, E-ZPass Only (Powhite Parkway). Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 3.7 miles from Richmond, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.16 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 7.4 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (Parkwood Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (McCloy Street): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (Maplewood Avenue): Navigation decision point.
The route from Richmond, VA to Bon Air, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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