Origin
Shell Rock, IA
Late night in Shell Rock on Saturday
Local time
12:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Shell Rock, IA to Waterloo, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
25.1 mi
40 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Shell Rock, IA
El Puerto de Santa María
Waterloo, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Shell Rock, IA to Waterloo, IA is 25.1 miles and takes about 33 minutes via Avenue of the Saints, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Iowa, making it a straightforward drive between two Midwest communities. You'll primarily be on local roads and expressways, so don't expect a high-speed interstate journey. It's a quick hop that's easy to fit into any schedule, perfect for a day trip or a brief connection between destinations.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 25.1 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.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (25%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive', with only 25% of the journey on highways. You'll navigate through a mix of local streets and expressways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 15.3 miles along Avenue of the Saints. Expect frequent turns and changes in road type as you transition from smaller local roads to the Leo P Rooff Expressway and then onto 230th Street before reaching your destination.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 15.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 around 0.6 miles in near North Public Road.
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 25.1 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 0.6 miles (North Public Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (IA 3 / State Highway 3): Navigation decision point; at 18.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
North Public Road
Turn left onto North Public Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
IA 3 / State Highway 3
Turn right onto IA 3 / State Highway 3
Navigation decision point
4
18.4 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward US 218 south: Waterloo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
5
24.5 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers C...
5
25.1 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
West 4th Street
Turn right onto West 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 15.3 mi | 17m |
| Leo P Rooff Expressway | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| 230th Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| South Cherry Street | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| US 218 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| State Highway 3 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Washington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Public Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 15.3 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shell Rock, IA and Waterloo, IA.
1
Start on South Cherry Street
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
South Cherry Street
2
Turn left onto North Public Road
346 ft
·
20 sec
·
North Public Road
3
Turn right onto IA 3
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
State Highway 3
4
Continue on IA 3
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
230th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
6
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
7
Take the exit
317 ft
·
7 sec
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
8
Continue on US 218
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
US 218
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
9
Merge onto US 218
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Leo P Rooff Expressway
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
11
Turn straight onto Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Washington Street
12
Turn right onto West 4th Street
76 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 4th Street
13
Arrive at destination
West 4th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.92 one way
$7.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.31 | $8.62 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.83 | $9.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.54 | $11.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 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 | 7.5 | 0 | $2.64 | $1.20 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.61 |
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
Waterloo, IA
Late night in Waterloo on Saturday
Local time
12:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°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
3 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 Shell Rock, IA to Waterloo, IA covers 25.1 miles and takes about 33m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, Leo P Rooff Expressway, 230th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.6 miles from Shell Rock, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.92 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 25.1 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 0.6 miles (North Public Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (IA 3 / State Highway 3): Navigation decision point; at 18.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Shell Rock, IA to Waterloo, IA 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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