Origin
Riverside, AL
Morning in Riverside on Saturday
Local time
11:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Riverside, AL to Decatur, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
55 mi
88 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Riverside, AL
🇻🇳🇻🇳 Việt Anh Nguyễn 🇻🇳🇻🇳
Decatur, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Riverside, AL to Decatur, AL covers 55 miles and takes about 1h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on AL 67, AL 79, CR 26 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 39 miles on AL 67. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.31 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 55 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 21m highway drive covering 55 miles, with most of the trip on AL 67 and AL 79. The longest continuous stretch is about 39 miles on AL 67.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
AL 67 is the longest continuous segment at about 39 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on AL 67 and AL 79. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 9.4 miles in near US 278.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55 miles you will encounter 8 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 9.4 miles (US 278): Navigation decision point; at 12.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.7 miles (US 31 / 6th Avenue Southeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
9.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
US 278
Turn left onto US 278
Navigation decision point
5
12.6 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
51.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
US 31 / 6th Avenue Southeast
Turn right onto US 31 / 6th Avenue Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
54.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
|
Lee Street Northeast
Turn left onto Lee Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
54.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| AL 67 | 39 mi | 54m |
| AL 79 | 6.4 mi | 11m |
| CR 26 | 3 mi | 4m |
| 6th Avenue Southeast | 3 mi | 5m |
| US 278 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| US 231 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Lee Street Northeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 6th Avenue Northeast | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
AL 67
— 39 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Riverside, AL and Decatur, AL.
1
Start on CR 26
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
CR 26
2
Turn sharp right onto AL 79
6.4 mi
·
11 min
·
AL 79
3
Turn left onto US 278
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
US 278
4
Turn right onto US 231
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 231
5
Take the exit
139 ft
·
7 sec
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left onto AL 67
20 mi
·
27 min
·
AL 67
7
Continue on AL 67
6.9 mi
·
9 min
·
AL 67
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on AL 67
12 mi
·
16 min
·
AL 67
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto US 31
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
6th Avenue Southeast
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on US 31
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
6th Avenue Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn left onto Lee Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Lee Street Northeast
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn right
82 ft
·
6 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.5 mi from Riverside, AL · 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.5 miles from Riverside, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Decatur, AL
The final approach into Decatur, AL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.31 one way
$16.61 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $9.12 | $18.24 |
| premium | $4.56 | $9.87 | $19.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.14 | $24.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.77 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.81 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.70 | $3.52 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Decatur, AL
Morning in Decatur on Saturday
Local time
11:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°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
2 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
1h 21m 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 Riverside, AL to Decatur, AL covers 55 miles and takes about 1h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are AL 67, AL 79, CR 26. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.5 miles from Riverside, AL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.31 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 55 miles you will encounter 8 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 9.4 miles (US 278): Navigation decision point; at 12.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.7 miles (US 31 / 6th Avenue Southeast): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Riverside, AL to Decatur, AL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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