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Trip from Taos, MO to East Independence, MO

Drive Time

1h 14m

Distance

54 mi

87 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 9m ★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown East Independence, MO, MO

East Independence, MO

Momo King

Trip Overview

The drive from Taos, MO to East Independence, MO covers 54 miles and takes about 1h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 29, MO 291, Alexander Doniphan Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21 miles on I 29. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.20 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

27 miles from Taos, MO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 35m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 1h 14m highway drive covering 54 miles, with most of the trip on I 29 and MO 291. The longest continuous stretch is about 21 miles on I 29.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 29 is the longest continuous segment at about 21 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 29 and MO 291. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in near MO 116 / Southeast 116 Highway.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 54 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (MO 116 / Southeast 116 Highway): Navigation decision point; at 19.9 miles (I 29; I 435; US 71): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.2 miles (I 29; US 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
1.5 mi into trip | ~3m in | MO 116 / Southeast 116 Highway

Turn left onto MO 116 / Southeast 116 Highway

Navigation decision point

5
19.9 mi into trip | ~27m in | I 29; I 435; US 71

Merge onto I 29; I 435; US 71

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
22.2 mi into trip | ~29m in | I 29; US 71

Keep slight left at fork onto I 29; US 71 toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City
7
27.9 mi into trip | ~36m in

Take the exit toward MO 152 East: Liberty

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes. Exit 9A Toward MO 152 East: Liberty
5
54 mi into trip | ~1h 14m in | East 9th Street South

Turn right onto East 9th Street South

Navigation decision point

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Taos, MO to East Independence, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Liberty along the way.

Liberty

39.6 mi in | ~50m | via West Kansas Street

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 29 21 mi 22m
MO 291 11.7 mi 17m
Alexander Doniphan Memorial Highway 10.9 mi 12m
MO 371 3.1 mi 5m
Southeast 116 Highway 1.5 mi 2m
MO CC 1.5 mi 3m
East Truman Road 1.4 mi 3m
West Kansas Street 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 29 — 21 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Taos, MO and East Independence, MO.

1

Start on Southeast Taos Road

18 ft · 5 sec · Southeast Taos Road
2

Turn left onto MO CC

1.5 mi · 3 min · MO CC
3

Turn left onto MO 116

1.5 mi · 2 min · Southeast 116 Highway
4

Turn right onto MO 371

3.1 mi · 5 min · MO 371
5

Turn left onto MO H

0.7 mi · 1 min · MO H
6

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City
7

Merge onto I 29; US 71

13 mi · 13 min · I 29; US 71
8

Merge onto I 29; I 435; US 71

2.2 mi · 2 min · I 29; I 435; US 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto I 29; US 71

5.7 mi · 6 min · I 29; US 71
Toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City Use the slight right lane.
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 47 sec
Exit 9A Toward MO 152 East: Liberty Use the straight / right lanes.
11

Merge onto MO 152

11 mi · 12 min · Alexander Doniphan Memorial Highway
12

Continue on MO 152

0.4 mi · 47 sec · Northeast Barry Road
13

Continue on West Kansas Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · West Kansas Street
Toward Liberty
14

Turn right onto MO 291

12 mi · 17 min · MO 291
15

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 52 sec
Toward East Truman Road
16

Turn left onto East Truman Road

1.4 mi · 3 min · East Truman Road
17

Turn left onto Main Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · Main Road
18

Turn right onto East 9th Street South

79 ft · 3 sec · East 9th Street South
19

Arrive at destination

East 9th Street South

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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 27 miles from Taos, MO, or about 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 21 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 54 miles or 1h 14m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 27 miles or 35m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near East Independence, MO than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Taos, MO 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 Taos, MO

This is one driving day of about 54 miles and 1h 14m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Taos, MO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on I 29 for about 21 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 27 mi from Taos, MO · 35m into the drive

Downtown Kansas City, MO, MO

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Kansas City, MO

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.

Popular next leg

Kansas City, MO to East Independence, MO

19.3 mi · 24m

Pacing Suggestions

Kansas City, MO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 54 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Kansas City, MO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27 miles from Taos, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in East Independence, MO

The final approach into East Independence, MO 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 East Independence, MO.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.20 one way

$16.40 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $9.04 $18.08
premium $4.80 $10.19 $20.39
diesel $5.64 $12.00 $23.99

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$8

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$33–$58

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.2 0 $5.67 $2.59
Efficient EV 13.5 0 $4.73 $2.16
EV Truck/SUV 21.6 0 $7.56 $3.46

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.

Forecast data refreshed 4 hours ago

Origin

Taos, MO

Afternoon in Taos on Monday

Local time

2:26 PM

CDT

Current temp

80°F

Partly Sunny

SSW 22 mph 8% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:46PM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:46PM CDT until April 20 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Destination

East Independence, MO

Afternoon in East Independence on Monday

Local time

2:26 PM

CDT

Current temp

49°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

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 14m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Taos, MO to East Independence, MO covers 54 miles and takes about 1h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 29, MO 291, Alexander Doniphan Memorial Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27 miles from Taos, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.20 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 demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 54 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (MO 116 / Southeast 116 Highway): Navigation decision point; at 19.9 miles (I 29; I 435; US 71): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.2 miles (I 29; US 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Taos, MO to East Independence, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Liberty along the way.

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