Origin
Runnells, IA
Afternoon in Runnells on Saturday
Local time
1:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Runnells, IA to Clive, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
25.7 mi
41 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Runnells, IA
Barnabas Davoti
Clive, IA
DS stories
Trip Overview
Runnells to Clive is 25.7 miles and takes about 40 minutes via East University Avenue, John MacVicar Freeway, and Southeast 116th Street, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Iowa, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a local feel with frequent turns, making it a straightforward, same-day trip. Given its short duration, it’s a convenient local excursion or an easy connection between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East University Avenue | 9.4 mi | 14m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| Southeast 116th Street | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Northeast University Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Southeast 112th Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Southeast Camp Drive | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Brown Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 73rd Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East University Avenue
— 9.4 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Runnells, IA and Clive, IA.
1
Start on IA-316
78 ft
·
3 sec
·
East McKinney Street
2
Turn right onto Brown Street
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Brown Street
3
Continue on Southeast 116th Street
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Southeast 116th Street
4
Continue on Camp Drive
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Camp Drive
5
Continue on Southeast Camp Drive
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Southeast Camp Drive
6
Continue on Southeast 112th Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Southeast 112th Street
7
Turn left onto IA 163
1.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East University Avenue
8
Continue on IA 163
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast University Avenue
9
Continue on IA 163
7.7 mi
·
12 min
·
East University Avenue
10
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I-235 west
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 235
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 3
Toward 73rd Street, 8th Street, Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn left onto 73rd Street
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
73rd Street
14
Turn left onto University Avenue
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
University Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto Northwest 78th Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Northwest 78th Street
16
Arrive at destination
Northwest 78th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 25.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Brown Street
Turn right onto Brown Street
Navigation decision point
5
17.5 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the ramp toward I-235 west
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I-235 west
5
18.1 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
8
24.5 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward 73rd Street, 8th Street, Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
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 3
Toward 73rd Street, 8th Street, Windsor Heights...
5
25.2 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
University Avenue
Turn left onto University Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.02 one way
$8.04 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.41 | $8.82 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.95 | $9.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.67 | $11.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.23 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.25 | $1.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.60 | $1.64 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Clive, IA
Afternoon in Clive on Saturday
Local time
1:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
20 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
40m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with only 25% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a dynamic road profile, shifting between local streets and highway segments. The longest continuous stretch you'll experience is 9.4 miles on East University Avenue, offering a brief period of less frequent turns. Be prepared for consistent adjustments as you navigate through different road types and follow the main roads like East University Avenue, John MacVicar Freeway, and Southeast 116th Street.
Only 25% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.4 mi on East University Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Brown Street.
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 25.7 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: near the start (Brown Street): Navigation decision point; at 17.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 25.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (25%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.4 miles on East University Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Brown Street): Navigation decision point; at 17.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Clive, IA before heading back.
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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