Origin
Urbandale, IA
Late night in Urbandale on Saturday
Local time
2:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Urbandale, IA to Marshalltown, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
55 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
5 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Urbandale, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Marshalltown, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Urbandale to Marshalltown, you are facing a straightforward 55.1-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 1 minute. This trip is best suited as a quick day excursion, as it does not require an overnight stay to complete comfortably. You can expect to spend approximately $8 on fuel for the one-way trek. Since this route avoids major interstates entirely, it functions as a localized transition through the heart of the Midwest. It is an ideal option if you prefer a direct, no-fuss drive that gets you to your destination in just over an hour without the need for planned stops.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 55 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (19%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this 55.1-mile stretch. You will navigate primarily via 70th Street, Meredith Drive, and Merle Hay Road, which means the route features a 0% highway share. Because you are staying off the major arteries, the road requires your full attention as you transition between local roads. This path offers a consistent, hands-on driving experience that keeps you engaged with the local infrastructure throughout the entire hour-long duration.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Northeast Hubbell Road is the longest continuous segment at about 35.2 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,047 ft
815 ft
Total Climb
543 ft
Total Descent
546 ft
Highest Point
1,047 ft
~47.2 mi in
Elevation Range
232 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near Meredith Drive.
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 55 miles you will encounter 9 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 1.2 miles (Meredith Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles (I 80; I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Meredith Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Meredith Drive
Navigation decision point
5
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I-35 north, I-80 east
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-35 north, I-80 east
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 80; I 35
Merge onto I 80; I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
8.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
12.5 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 65
Take the exit onto US 65 toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
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 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Ma...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Urbandale, IA to Marshalltown, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Bondurant along the way.
Bondurant
12.5 mi in
|
~17m
|
via US 65
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast Hubbell Road | 35.2 mi | 41m |
| I 80 | 9 mi | 10m |
| West Lincolnway | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Marshalltown Boulevard | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Northeast Hubbell Avenue | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| 70th Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Meredith Drive | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| I 35 | 0.7 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Northeast Hubbell Road
— 35.2 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Urbandale, IA and Marshalltown, IA.
1
Start on Maryland Drive
13 ft
·
2 sec
·
Maryland Drive
2
Turn right onto 70th Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
70th Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto Meredith Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Meredith Drive
4
Turn left onto IA 28
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Merle Hay Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I-35 north, I-80 east
6
Merge onto I 80; I 35
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
I 80; I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 35; I 80
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 35; I 80
8
Continue on I 80; I 35
0.6 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 80; I 35
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
I 80
Use the slight left lane.
10
Take the exit onto US 65
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 65
Exit 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto US 65; IA 330
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Hubbell Avenue
12
Continue on US 65; IA 330
35 mi
·
41 min
·
Northeast Hubbell Road
13
Continue on Marshalltown Boulevard
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Marshalltown Boulevard
14
Continue on West Lincolnway
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
West Lincolnway
15
Continue on West Madison Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
West Madison Street
16
Turn left onto South 3rd Street
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
South 3rd Street
17
Turn right onto West Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
18
Turn left onto IA 14
103 ft
·
1 sec
·
North 3rd Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
IA 14
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.5 mi from Urbandale, IA · 35m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.5 miles from Urbandale, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Marshalltown, IA
The final approach into Marshalltown, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.60 one way
$17.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.44 | $18.88 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.58 | $21.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.14 | $24.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.77 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.81 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.70 | $3.52 |
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.
Destination
Marshalltown, IA
Late night in Marshalltown on Saturday
Local time
2:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Colfax, IA
28 mi in
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
16 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
1h 11m 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 Urbandale, IA to Marshalltown, IA covers 55 miles and takes about 1h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Northeast Hubbell Road, I 80, West Lincolnway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.5 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 $8.60 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 55 miles you will encounter 9 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 1.2 miles (Meredith Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles (I 80; I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Urbandale, IA to Marshalltown, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Bondurant along the way.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 815 ft to 1,047 ft elevation with about 543 ft of total climbing.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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