Origin
Washington, IA
Late night in Washington on Wednesday
Local time
5:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Washington, IA to West Des Moines, IA
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
2h 38m
Distance
118.9 mi
191 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 28m
★
6 AM
2h 38m
8 AM
2h 59m
10 AM
2h 46m
12 PM
2h 44m
3 PM
2h 47m
5 PM
2h 58m
8 PM
2h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Washington, IA
Wikimedia Commons
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Washington, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 118.9 miles and takes about 2h 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on A Avenue East, State Highway 92, State Highway 5 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 35.3 miles on A Avenue East. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.59 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
59.4 miles from Washington, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 25m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
The drive from Washington, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 118.9 miles and takes about 2h 38m, 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 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
A Avenue East is the longest continuous segment at about 35.3 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 around 0.3 miles in near West 5th Street.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 2h 38m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (West 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (IA 1; IA 92): Navigation decision point; at 3.6 miles (IA 92 / State Highway 92): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West 5th Street
Turn left onto West 5th Street
Navigation decision point
3
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
IA 1; IA 92
Turn right onto IA 1; IA 92
Navigation decision point
4
3.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
IA 92 / State Highway 92
Turn left onto IA 92 / State Highway 92
Navigation decision point
4
36.7 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
8
113.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 28m in
Take the exit toward IA 28: Norwalk, Martensdale
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 99
Toward IA 28: Norwalk, Martensdale
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| A Avenue East | 35.3 mi | 42m |
| State Highway 92 | 24.7 mi | 36m |
| State Highway 5 | 19.2 mi | 22m |
| IA-92 | 13.8 mi | 20m |
| East Jackson Street | 8.4 mi | 11m |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | 7.5 mi | 8m |
| IA 28 | 4.7 mi | 7m |
| IA 1 | 2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
A Avenue East
— 35.3 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Washington, IA and West Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on South Marion Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Marion Avenue
2
Turn left onto West 5th Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West 5th Street
3
Turn right onto IA 1; IA 92
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
IA 1; IA 92
4
Turn left onto IA 92
25 mi
·
36 min
·
State Highway 92
5
Continue on IA 92; IA 149
8.4 mi
·
11 min
·
East Jackson Street
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
7
Continue on IA 92
14 mi
·
20 min
·
IA-92
8
Continue on IA 92
35 mi
·
42 min
·
A Avenue East
9
Turn right
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
10
Continue on IA 5
19 mi
·
22 min
·
State Highway 5
11
Merge onto US 65; IA 5
7.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
12
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 99
Toward IA 28: Norwalk, Martensdale
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto IA 28
4.7 mi
·
7 min
·
IA 28
14
Turn left onto Vine Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Vine Street
15
Arrive at destination
Vine 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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 59.4 miles from Washington, IA, or about 1h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 35.3 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 80 miles or 1h 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.4 miles or 1h 25m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near West Des Moines, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Washington, 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 Washington, IA
This is one driving day of about 118.9 miles and 2h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Washington, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on A Avenue East for about 35.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 59.4 mi from Washington, IA · 1h 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
59 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 59.4 miles from Washington, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in West Des Moines, IA
The final approach into West 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 West 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
$18.59 one way
$37.18 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
42 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $20.41 | $40.82 |
| premium | $4.89 | $22.88 | $45.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $26.25 | $52.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 35.7 | 0 | $12.48 | $5.71 |
| Efficient EV | 29.7 | 0 | $10.40 | $4.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 47.6 | 0 | $16.65 | $7.61 |
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Destination
West Des Moines, IA
Late night in West Des Moines on Wednesday
Local time
5:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Indiana, IA
59 mi in
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
26 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
2h 38m 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 West Des Moines, IA covers 118.9 miles and takes about 2h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are A Avenue East, State Highway 92, State Highway 5. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 59.4 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 $18.59 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 2h 38m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (West 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (IA 1; IA 92): Navigation decision point; at 3.6 miles (IA 92 / State Highway 92): Navigation decision point.
The route from Washington, IA to West Des Moines, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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