Origin
Washington, IA
Morning in Washington on Saturday
Local time
6:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Washington, IA to Cedar Falls, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
56.1 mi
90 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Washington, IA
Paula Nardini
Cedar Falls, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Washington, IA to Cedar Falls, IA covers 56.1 miles and takes about 1h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 210th Street, Avenue of the Saints, State Highway 3 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18 miles on 210th Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.77 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 56.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (27%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 15m drive with frequent turns across 56.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
210th Street is the longest continuous segment at about 18 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 38.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Washington, IA to Cedar Falls, IA is easy. At 1h 15m with 27% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 38.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 39.1 miles (US 218; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 55.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
38.6 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
3
39.1 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
US 218; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Merge onto US 218; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
55.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward Waterloo Road, 18th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 184
Toward Waterloo Road, 18th Street
4
55.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
Waterloo Road
Turn right onto Waterloo Road
Navigation decision point
4
56 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
Main Street
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 210th Street | 18 mi | 24m |
| Avenue of the Saints | 16.3 mi | 19m |
| State Highway 3 | 15.1 mi | 20m |
| Central Avenue West | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| South Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| 230th Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Waterloo Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
210th Street
— 18 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Washington, IA and Cedar Falls, IA.
1
Start on IA 3
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 3
2
Continue on IA 3
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Central Avenue West
3
Continue on IA 3
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
State Highway 3
4
Continue on IA 3
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
210th Street
5
Continue on IA 3
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
South Street
6
Continue on IA 3
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
210th Street
7
Continue on IA 3; IA 14
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 3
8
Continue on IA 3
8.8 mi
·
11 min
·
210th Street
9
Continue on IA 3
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 3
10
Continue on IA 3
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
230th Street
11
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
12
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
16 mi
·
19 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 184
Toward Waterloo Road, 18th Street
14
Turn right onto Waterloo Road
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Waterloo Road
15
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
15 ft
·
0 sec
·
Main Street
16
Continue on Main Street
21 ft
·
0 sec
·
Main Street
17
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28 mi from Washington, IA · 39m 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 28 miles from Washington, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Cedar Falls, IA
The final approach into Cedar Falls, 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
$8.77 one way
$17.54 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.63 | $19.26 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.80 | $21.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.39 | $24.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.89 | $2.69 |
| Efficient EV | 14 | 0 | $4.91 | $2.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.4 | 0 | $7.85 | $3.59 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Cedar Falls, IA
Morning in Cedar Falls on Saturday
Local time
6:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
18 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
1h 15m 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 Washington, IA to Cedar Falls, IA covers 56.1 miles and takes about 1h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 210th Street, Avenue of the Saints, State Highway 3. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28 miles from Washington, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.77 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.
The drive from Washington, IA to Cedar Falls, IA is easy. At 1h 15m with 27% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 38.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 39.1 miles (US 218; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 55.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Washington, IA to Cedar Falls, IA 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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