Origin
Town Creek, AL
Afternoon in Town Creek on Saturday
Local time
2:11 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Town Creek, AL to Decatur, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
26.7 mi
43 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 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Town Creek, AL
Siarhei Nester
Decatur, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Town Creek to Decatur is 26.7 miles and takes about 34 minutes via Joe Wheeler Highway, US 72 Alternate, and 6th Avenue Northeast, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Southeast region, specifically Alabama, making it a straightforward local journey. You'll experience a mixed drive profile, suggesting a blend of different road types rather than a single monotonous highway. With only one day recommended for this route, it's perfect for a quick errand or a scenic detour without committing to an overnight stay. Consider this an easy, accessible drive for anyone in the area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Wheeler Highway | 17.6 mi | 20m |
| US 72 Alternate | 8.5 mi | 12m |
| 6th Avenue Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Lee Street Northeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Joe Wheeler Highway
— 17.6 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Town Creek, AL and Decatur, AL.
1
Start on US 72 Alternate; AL 20
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Joe Wheeler Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Continue on US 72 Alternate; AL 20
8.5 mi
·
12 min
·
US 72 Alternate; AL 20
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the exit
302 ft
·
6 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn slight right onto US 31
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
6th Avenue Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto Lee Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Lee Street Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn right
82 ft
·
6 sec
7
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 26.7 — 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
|
US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Joe Wheeler Highway
Depart onto US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Joe Wheeler Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
26.1 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
26.2 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Turn slight right onto US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
26.5 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
Lee Street Northeast
Turn right onto Lee Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
26.7 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.03 one way
$8.06 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $4.43 | $8.85 |
| premium | $4.56 | $4.79 | $9.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.90 | $11.79 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 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 | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
| Efficient EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.34 | $1.07 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
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
Decatur, AL
Afternoon in Decatur on Saturday
Local time
2:11 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°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
1 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
34m 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 drive offers a mixed experience, with about 32% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 17.6 miles along Joe Wheeler Highway, providing a good segment of consistent driving. The route progresses through various road types, likely transitioning from more rural or scenic stretches to busier urban or suburban roads as you approach Decatur. Expect a dynamic drive that keeps things interesting, avoiding the monotony of a pure interstate trip.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.6 mi on Joe Wheeler Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Joe Wheeler Highway.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 34m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Joe Wheeler Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 26.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.2 miles (US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 26.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.6 miles on Joe Wheeler Highway. 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 (US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / Joe Wheeler Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 26.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.2 miles (US 31 / 6th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Decatur, AL 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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