Origin
Roanoke, VA
Morning in Roanoke on Friday
Local time
6:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Roanoke, VA to Gretna, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
53.8 mi
87 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Roanoke, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Gretna, VA
ᛟᛞᚨᛚᚹ ᚨᚱᚲᛟᚾᛊᚲᛁ
Trip Overview
The drive from Roanoke, VA to Gretna, VA covers 53.8 miles and takes about 1h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Old Franklin Turnpike, West Gretna Road, VA 116 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.6 miles on Old Franklin Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.41 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 53.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (54%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Roanoke, VA to Gretna, VA covers 53.8 miles and takes about 1h 20m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Old Franklin Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 15.6 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 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 1st Street Southwest.
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 53.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.1 miles (1st Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 221; US 220 BUS / Franklin Road Southwest): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.3 miles (VA 116 / South Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
1st Street Southwest
Turn left onto 1st Street Southwest
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 221; US 220 BUS / Franklin Road Southwest
Turn sharp left onto US 221; US 220 BUS / Franklin Road Southwest
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
VA 116 / South Jefferson Street
Turn right onto VA 116 / South Jefferson Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
VA 24 / Elm Avenue Southeast
Turn left onto VA 24 / Elm Avenue Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
VA 24 / Bullitt Avenue Southeast
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 24 / Bullitt Avenue Southeast
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Old Franklin Turnpike | 15.6 mi | 21m |
| West Gretna Road | 13.7 mi | 18m |
| VA 116 | 13.5 mi | 20m |
| Booker T Washington Highway | 7.1 mi | 10m |
| 9th Street Southeast | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Henry Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Riverland Road Southeast | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Elm Avenue Southeast | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Old Franklin Turnpike
— 15.6 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Roanoke, VA and Gretna, VA.
1
Start on this road
285 ft
·
26 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto 1st Street Southwest
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
1st Street Southwest
3
Turn sharp left onto US 221; US 220 BUS
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Franklin Road Southwest
4
Turn right onto VA 116
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Jefferson Street
5
Turn left onto VA 24
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
Elm Avenue Southeast
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on VA 24
426 ft
·
7 sec
·
Jamison Avenue Southeast
7
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 24
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Bullitt Avenue Southeast
8
Turn right onto 9th Street Southeast
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
9th Street Southeast
9
At end of road, turn left onto VA 116
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Riverland Road Southeast
10
Turn slight right onto VA 116
13 mi
·
20 min
·
VA 116
11
At end of road, turn right onto VA 122
7.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Booker T Washington Highway
12
Turn left onto VA 40
16 mi
·
21 min
·
Old Franklin Turnpike
13
Continue on VA 40
14 mi
·
18 min
·
West Gretna Road
14
Turn left onto SR 1302
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Leftwich Street
15
Turn right onto SR 792
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Henry Street
16
At end of road, turn left onto US 29 BUS
287 ft
·
13 sec
·
Main Street
17
Turn right onto SR 792
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Northside Drive
18
Arrive at destination
SR 792
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.9 mi from Roanoke, VA · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 26.9 miles from Roanoke, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Gretna, VA
The final approach into Gretna, VA 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
$8.41 one way
$16.83 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.20 | $18.40 |
| premium | $4.70 | $9.96 | $19.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.88 | $23.76 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.09
Old Franklin Turnpike
(15.6 mi)
$1.09
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 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 | 16.1 | 0 | $5.65 | $2.58 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.71 | $2.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.53 | $3.44 |
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
Gretna, VA
Morning in Gretna on Friday
Local time
6:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Rocky Mount, VA
27 mi in
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
31 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 20m 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 Roanoke, VA to Gretna, VA covers 53.8 miles and takes about 1h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Old Franklin Turnpike, West Gretna Road, VA 116. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.9 miles from Roanoke, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.41 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 53.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.1 miles (1st Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 221; US 220 BUS / Franklin Road Southwest): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.3 miles (VA 116 / South Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Roanoke, VA to Gretna, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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