Origin
Unicoi, TN
Night in Unicoi on Friday
Local time
9:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Unicoi, TN to Johnson City, TN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14m
Distance
10.5 mi
17 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 17m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 17m
8 PM
0h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Unicoi, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Johnson City, TN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 10.5-mile drive from Unicoi, TN, to Johnson City, TN, is a quick 14-minute trip perfect for a single day. With an estimated fuel cost of just $2, it’s an economical option for getting between these two Southeast Tennessee locations. The route is primarily highway-focused, making it a straightforward journey. You won't need to worry about overnight stays; this is easily accomplished in a single outing. Consider this a convenient connector rather than a destination in itself.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 10.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
Expect a predominantly highway experience on this route, with 82% of the drive utilizing major roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 8.4 miles along James H. Quillen Parkway, offering a consistent pace. You'll primarily navigate James H. Quillen Parkway, Unicoi Drive, and East Market Street. This highway-focused profile means fewer turns and more direct travel, making for a predictable drive.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
James H. Quillen Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 8.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on James H. Quillen Parkway and Unicoi Drive. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near SR 173.
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 14m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (SR 173): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
SR 173
Turn left onto SR 173
Navigation decision point
4
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
6
9.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 23
5
10.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
Buffalo Street
Turn left onto Buffalo Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
10.4 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| James H. Quillen Parkway | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| Unicoi Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Market Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| SR 173 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Buffalo Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
James H. Quillen Parkway
— 8.4 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Unicoi, TN and Johnson City, TN.
1
Start on SR 173
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Unicoi Drive
2
Turn left onto SR 173
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
SR 173
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
4
Merge onto I 26; US 19W; US 23
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
James H. Quillen Parkway
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 23
Use the slight right lane.
6
Continue on SR 91
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
East Market Street
7
Turn left onto Buffalo Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Buffalo Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Turn right
433 ft
·
31 sec
9
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.64 one way
$3.28 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.80 | $3.60 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.02 | $4.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.32 | $4.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.10 | $0.50 |
| Efficient EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.92 | $0.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.47 | $0.67 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Johnson City, TN
Night in Johnson City on Friday
Local time
9:57 PM
EDT
Current temp
44°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
21 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
14m 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 Unicoi, TN to Johnson City, TN covers 10.5 miles and takes about 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are James H. Quillen Parkway, Unicoi Drive, East Market Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 5.3 miles from Unicoi, TN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.64 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 straightforward 14m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (SR 173): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Unicoi, TN to Johnson City, TN 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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