Origin
Storm Lake, IA
Afternoon in Storm Lake on Thursday
Local time
1:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Storm Lake, IA to Council Bluffs, IA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
2h 43m
Distance
118.1 mi
190 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$18
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 33m
★
6 AM
2h 44m
8 AM
3h 5m
10 AM
2h 51m
12 PM
2h 49m
3 PM
2h 52m
5 PM
3h 4m
8 PM
2h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Storm Lake, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Council Bluffs, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Storm Lake, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 118.1 miles and takes about 2h 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, Fox Avenue, State Highway 39 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.1 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.46 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
59 miles from Storm Lake, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 24m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 43m. Total distance: 118.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Storm Lake, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 118.1 miles and takes about 2h 43m, 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 37 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 18.1 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 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near West 5th 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 118.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.2 miles (West 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.1 miles (CR C65 / 630th Street): Navigation decision point; at 14.4 miles (M43 / Fox Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West 5th Street
At end of road, turn left onto West 5th Street
Navigation decision point
4
4.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
CR C65 / 630th Street
Turn left onto CR C65 / 630th Street
Navigation decision point
6
14.4 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
M43 / Fox Avenue
Turn left onto M43 / Fox Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
94.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 16B
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
5
113.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 34m in
Take the exit toward US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 18.1 mi | 19m |
| Fox Avenue | 17.2 mi | 23m |
| State Highway 39 | 17.1 mi | 23m |
| 260th Street | 17 mi | 23m |
| State Highway 191 | 14 mi | 19m |
| Iowa 191 | 6 mi | 8m |
| Gard Avenue | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| East Kanesville Boulevard | 3.7 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 18.1 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Storm Lake, IA and Council Bluffs, IA.
1
Start on Grand Avenue
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto West 5th Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
West 5th Street
3
Continue on IA 110
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 110
4
Turn straight onto 85th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
85th Avenue
5
Turn left onto CR C65
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
·
630th Street
6
Turn right onto CR M43
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
90th Avenue
7
Continue on CR M43
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Gard Avenue
8
Turn right onto US 20
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
220th Street
9
Turn left onto M43
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Fox Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on IA 39
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Des Moines Street
11
Continue on IA 39
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Fox Avenue
12
Continue on IA 39
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
400th Street
13
Continue on IA 39
17 mi
·
23 min
·
State Highway 39
14
Turn left
217 ft
·
9 sec
15
Turn straight onto US 59; IA 141
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
George P. Soumas Memorial Highway
16
Continue on US 59; IA 141
17 mi
·
23 min
·
260th Street
17
Turn right onto IA 37
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 37
18
Continue on IA 37
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Railway Street
19
Turn left onto IA 191
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
State Highway 191
20
Continue on IA 191
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Railway Street
21
Continue on IA 191
9.7 mi
·
13 min
·
State Highway 191
22
Continue on IA 191
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Iowa 191
23
Continue on IA 191
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
1st Street
24
Continue on IA 191
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Railway Street
25
Continue on IA 191
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
1st Street
26
Continue on IA 191
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Iowa 191
27
Continue on IA 191
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Railroad Highway
28
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 880 East: Des Moines
29
Merge onto I 880
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
I 880
30
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 16B
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Merge onto I 80
18 mi
·
19 min
·
I 80
32
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
Toward US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland
33
Turn straight onto IA 906
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
East Kanesville Boulevard
34
Continue on IA 906
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
East Broadway
35
Continue on IA 906
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
East Kanesville Boulevard
36
Continue on West Broadway
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Broadway
37
Arrive at destination
West Broadway
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 59 miles from Storm Lake, IA, or about 1h 24m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 18.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 26 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59 miles or 1h 24m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Council Bluffs, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Storm Lake, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Storm Lake, IA
This is one driving day of about 118.1 miles and 2h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Storm Lake, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 18.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 59 mi from Storm Lake, IA · 1h 24m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
59 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 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 59 miles from Storm Lake, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Council Bluffs, IA
The final approach into Council Bluffs, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Council Bluffs, IA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.46 one way
$36.93 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
41 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $20.27 | $40.54 |
| premium | $4.89 | $22.73 | $45.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $26.07 | $52.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 35.4 | 0 | $12.40 | $5.67 |
| Efficient EV | 29.5 | 0 | $10.33 | $4.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 47.2 | 0 | $16.53 | $7.56 |
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (66% 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
Council Bluffs, IA
Afternoon in Council Bluffs on Thursday
Local time
1:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
19 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
2h 43m 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 Storm Lake, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 118.1 miles and takes about 2h 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, Fox Avenue, State Highway 39. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 59 miles from Storm Lake, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.46 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 118.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.2 miles (West 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.1 miles (CR C65 / 630th Street): Navigation decision point; at 14.4 miles (M43 / Fox Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Storm Lake, IA to Council Bluffs, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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