Origin
Rockville, MD
Morning in Rockville on Friday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockville, MD to Riverside, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
21.5 mi
35 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Riverside, MD
Sjuan Dogjani
Trip Overview
This straightforward 21.5-mile drive from Rockville to Riverside, Maryland, is a quick 33-minute trip that's perfect for a single day. You'll navigate using a combination of Columbia Pike, the Intercounty Connector, and Norbeck Road, with no significant highway driving involved. With an estimated fuel cost of just $4, this route is very budget-friendly for a short excursion. Given its brevity and ease, it’s an ideal option if you’re looking for a short, local journey within the Northeast region of Maryland without needing an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 21.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, characterized by frequent changes in direction rather than long, uninterrupted stretches. The longest continuous segment you’ll encounter is 7.5 miles on Columbia Pike, offering a brief period of consistent travel. With 0% highway share, this journey keeps you on local roads for its entirety, providing a more connected feel to the communities you pass through. The road's personality is that of a steady, local transit, guiding you efficiently between your starting and ending points in Maryland.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Columbia Pike is the longest continuous segment at about 7.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near MD 28 / West Jefferson 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 21.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (MD 28 / West Jefferson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MD 28 / West Jefferson Street
Turn left onto MD 28 / West Jefferson Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
12.8 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward US 29: Silver Spring, Columbia
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 16A-B
Toward US 29: Silver Spring, Columbia
6
13.1 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 29 North: Columbia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 16B
Toward US 29 North: Columbia
5
13.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
US 29 / Columbia Pike
Merge onto US 29 / Columbia Pike
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
21 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward Rivers Edge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward Rivers Edge
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 Rockville, MD to Riverside, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Columbia along the way.
Columbia
12.8 mi in
|
~19m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Pike | 7.5 mi | 10m |
| Intercounty Connector | 7 mi | 8m |
| Norbeck Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Veirs Mill Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| First Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Rivers Edge Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West Jefferson Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Georgia Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Columbia Pike
— 7.5 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockville, MD and Riverside, MD.
1
Start on South Washington Street
300 ft
·
16 sec
·
South Washington Street
2
Turn left onto MD 28
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Jefferson Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on MD 28
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Veirs Mill Road
4
Turn left onto MD 28
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
First Street
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on MD 28
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Norbeck Road
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto MD 97
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Georgia Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward MD 200 Toll East
8
Merge onto MD 200 Toll
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Intercounty Connector
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 16A-B
Toward US 29: Silver Spring, Columbia
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 16B
Toward US 29 North: Columbia
11
Merge onto US 29
7.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
337 ft
·
11 sec
Toward Rivers Edge
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on Rivers Edge Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Rivers Edge Road
14
Turn left onto Rivers View Court
390 ft
·
17 sec
·
Rivers View Court
15
Arrive at destination
Rivers View Court
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.56 one way
$7.13 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.90 | $7.81 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.17 | $8.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.75 | $9.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.26 | $1.03 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.88 | $0.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.01 | $1.38 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Riverside, MD
Morning in Riverside on Friday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
33m 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 Rockville, MD to Riverside, MD covers 21.5 miles and takes about 33m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Columbia Pike, Intercounty Connector, Norbeck Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.7 miles from Rockville, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.56 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 21.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (MD 28 / West Jefferson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Rockville, MD to Riverside, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Columbia along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield.
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. National park proximity is from the NPS API. 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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