The drive from Urbandale, IA to Red Oak, IA covers 114.9 miles and takes about 2h 29m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, 110 Street, 550th Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 61.6 miles on I 80.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.96 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.
Midpoint
57.5 miles from Urbandale, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 5m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 29m. Total distance: 114.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The drive from Urbandale, IA to Red Oak, IA covers 114.9 miles and takes about 2h 29m, 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 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 61.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 70th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 29m drive. You will face about 12 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 (70th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Roseland Drive): Navigation decision point; at 6.2 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 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
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Roseland Drive
Turn right onto Roseland Drive
Navigation decision point
5
6.2 mi into trip|~10m in|I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
67.8 mi into trip|~1h 16m in|US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
5
114.9 mi into trip|~2h 29m in|East Reed Street
Turn right onto East Reed Street
Navigation decision point
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 Red Oak, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Audubon along the way.
Audubon
67.8 mi in|~1h 16m|via US 6
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
61.6 mi
1h 6m
110 Street
14 mi
20m
550th Street
10 mi
14m
White Pole Road
9 mi
13m
650th Street
6.5 mi
9m
East 7th Street
3.5 mi
6m
John MacVicar Freeway
3.3 mi
4m
73rd Street
1.6 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 61.6 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Urbandale, IA and Red Oak, IA.
1
Start on Maryland Drive
13 ft·5 sec·Maryland Drive
2
Turn left onto 70th Street
348 ft·9 sec·70th Street
3
Turn right onto Roseland Drive
0.2 mi·1 min·Roseland Drive
4
Turn left onto 72nd Street
0.6 mi·1 min·72nd Street
5
Turn straight onto 73rd Street
1.6 mi·2 min·73rd Street
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·42 sec
Toward I-235 west
7
Merge onto I 235
3.3 mi·4 min·John MacVicar Freeway
8
Merge onto I 80
62 mi·1 hr 6 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto US 6
0.4 mi·48 sec·US 6
Toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
10
Turn left onto US 6; US 71
6.5 mi·9 min·650th Street
11
Turn right onto US 6; US 71
3.5 mi·6 min·East 7th Street
12
Continue on US 6; IA 83
0.1 mi·20 sec·White Pole Road
13
Continue on US 6
0.6 mi·1 min·West 7th Street
14
Continue on US 6
0.8 mi·1 min·Southwest 7th Street
15
Continue on US 6
8.9 mi·13 min·White Pole Road
16
Turn left onto IA 48
5.3 mi·7 min·550th Street
17
Continue on IA 48
1.0 mi·1 min·Adair Street
18
Continue on IA 48
4.8 mi·7 min·550th Street
19
Continue on IA 48
0.9 mi·1 min·M Avenue
20
Continue on IA 48
14 mi·20 min·110 Street
21
Turn left onto West Hammond Street
0.4 mi·1 min·West Hammond Street
22
Turn right onto North 7th Street
300 ft·15 sec·North 7th Street
23
Turn right onto East Reed Street
329 ft·14 sec·East Reed Street
24
Arrive at destination
East Reed Street
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 57.5 miles from Urbandale, IA, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 61.6 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 25 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.5 miles or 1h 5m 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 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Red Oak, 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 114.9 miles and 2h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Urbandale, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 61.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 57.5 mi from Urbandale, IA
· 1h 5m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.96 one way
$35.93 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg40 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$19.72
$39.45
premium
$4.89
$22.11
$44.22
diesel
$5.61
$25.37
$50.74
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.5
0
$12.06
$5.52
Efficient EV
28.7
0
$10.05
$4.60
EV Truck/SUV
46
0
$16.09
$7.35
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 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 as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Urbandale, IA
Evening
in Urbandale on Friday
Local time
8:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Red Oak, IA
Evening
in Red Oak on Friday
Local time
8:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°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
24 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
2h 29m 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 Red Oak, IA covers 114.9 miles and takes about 2h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, 110 Street, 550th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 57.5 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 $17.96 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 2h 29m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (70th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Roseland Drive): Navigation decision point; at 6.2 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Urbandale, IA to Red Oak, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Audubon along the way.
