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Trip from Urbandale, IA to Des Moines, IA

Drive Time

14m

Distance

8.1 mi

13 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$1

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 14m ★
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.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Urbandale, IA, IA

Urbandale, IA

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Downtown Des Moines, IA, IA

Des Moines, IA

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Trip Overview

The drive from Urbandale, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 8.1 miles and takes about 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on John MacVicar Freeway, 55th Street, Urbandale Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 3.8 miles on John MacVicar Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.23 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

4.1 miles from Urbandale, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 8m into the drive .

Drive Character

The drive from Urbandale, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 8.1 miles and takes about 14m, 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 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
John MacVicar Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 3.8 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

974 ft 867 ft

Total Climb

50 ft

Total Descent

107 ft

Highest Point

974 ft

~1.7 mi in

Elevation Range

107 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 70th Street.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 8.1 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: near the start (70th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Urbandale Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 3.2 miles: Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

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

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | 70th Street

Turn left onto 70th Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Urbandale Avenue

Keep slight left at fork onto Urbandale Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
3.2 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the ramp toward I-235 east

Navigation decision point

Toward I-235 east
5
3.5 mi into trip | ~7m in | I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway

Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.3 mi into trip | ~12m in

Take the exit toward East Village, East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 8B Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Pennsylva...

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Urbandale, IA to Des Moines, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Village along the way.

Village

7.3 mi in | ~12m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
John MacVicar Freeway 3.8 mi 5m
55th Street 0.8 mi 1m
Urbandale Avenue 0.8 mi 2m
56th Street 0.5 mi 1m
Merle Hay Road 0.5 mi 1m
Pennsylvania Avenue 0.4 mi <1m
Merklin Way 0.4 mi <1m
70th Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: John MacVicar Freeway — 3.8 mi, about 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Urbandale, IA and Des Moines, IA.

1

Start on Maryland Drive

13 ft · 5 sec · Maryland Drive
2

Turn left onto 70th Street

0.2 mi · 24 sec · 70th Street
3

Keep slight left at fork onto Urbandale Avenue

0.8 mi · 2 min · Urbandale Avenue
4

Turn right onto US 6; IA 28

0.5 mi · 1 min · Merle Hay Road
5

Continue on Merklin Way

0.4 mi · 44 sec · Merklin Way
6

Turn right onto 55th Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · 55th Street
7

Continue on 56th Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · 56th Street
8

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward I-235 east
9

Merge onto I 235

3.8 mi · 5 min · John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min
Exit 8B Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue

0.4 mi · 47 sec · Pennsylvania Avenue
12

Turn left onto East University Avenue

100 ft · 8 sec · East University Avenue
13

Arrive at destination

East University Avenue

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 4.1 miles from Urbandale, IA, or about 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 3.8 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 8.1 miles or 14m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 4.1 miles or 8m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 12m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Des Moines, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Urbandale, 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 Urbandale, IA

This is one driving day of about 8.1 miles and 14m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Urbandale, IA.
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 John MacVicar Freeway for about 3.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 4.1 mi from Urbandale, IA · 8m into the drive

Downtown West Des Moines, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

West Des Moines, IA

4 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

West Des Moines, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 8.1 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

West Des Moines, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 4.1 miles from Urbandale, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Des Moines, IA

The final approach into Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, 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

$1.23 one way

$2.46 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 3 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $1.36 $2.71
premium $4.80 $1.53 $3.06
diesel $5.64 $1.80 $3.60

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$1

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$26–$51

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 2.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 2.4 0 $0.85 $0.39
Efficient EV 2 0 $0.71 $0.32
EV Truck/SUV 3.2 0 $1.13 $0.52

Gas CO2

3 kg

EV CO2

1 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.

Forecast data refreshed 13 hours ago

Origin

Urbandale, IA

Afternoon in Urbandale on Sunday

Local time

3:30 PM

CDT

Current temp

57°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 15 mph 17% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 1:56AM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 11 at 9:34PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Des Moines, IA

Afternoon in Des Moines on Sunday

Local time

3:30 PM

CDT

Current temp

56°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 14 mph 16% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 1:56AM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 11 at 9:34PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

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

1 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

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 Urbandale, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 8.1 miles and takes about 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are John MacVicar Freeway, 55th Street, Urbandale Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.1 miles from Urbandale, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.23 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 8.1 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: near the start (70th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Urbandale Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 3.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Urbandale, IA to Des Moines, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Village along the way.

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Return Trip

Des Moines, IA to Urbandale, IA

Plan the drive back the other way.

8.8 mi 14m

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