Origin
Waterloo, IA
Late night in Waterloo on Saturday
Local time
5:24 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waterloo, IA to Washington, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
61.5 mi
99 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waterloo, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Washington, IA
Paula Nardini
Trip Overview
The drive from Waterloo, IA to Washington, IA covers 61.5 miles and takes about 1h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 210th Street, State Highway 3, Avenue of the Saints for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18 miles on 210th Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.13 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 61.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Waterloo, IA to Washington, IA covers 61.5 miles and takes about 1h 22m, 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 18 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?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Washington Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Waterloo, IA to Washington, IA is easy. At 1h 22m with 36% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (US 218): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 6.9 miles (US 218): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Washington Street
Turn right onto Washington Street
Navigation decision point
3
6.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 218
Take the exit onto US 218
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
6
6.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 218
Keep slight right at fork onto US 218 toward US 218 North, IA 27 North: Waverly
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 218 North, IA 27 North: Waverly
3
7.4 mi into trip
|
~10m 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
4
22.7 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
IA 3 / 230th Street
Turn left onto IA 3 / 230th Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 210th Street | 18 mi | 24m |
| State Highway 3 | 15.1 mi | 20m |
| Avenue of the Saints | 15 mi | 17m |
| US 218 | 7 mi | 9m |
| Central Avenue East | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| 230th Street | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| South Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Washington Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
210th Street
— 18 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterloo, IA and Washington, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
76 ft
·
6 sec
·
West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Washington Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Washington Street
3
Continue on US 218
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
US 218
4
Take the exit onto US 218
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
US 218
5
Keep slight right at fork onto US 218
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
US 218
Toward US 218 North, IA 27 North: Waverly
6
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
8
Turn left onto IA 3
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
230th Street
9
Continue on IA 3
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 3
10
Continue on IA 3
8.8 mi
·
11 min
·
210th Street
11
Continue on IA 3; IA 14
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 3
12
Continue on IA 3
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
210th Street
13
Continue on IA 3
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
South Street
14
Continue on IA 3
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
210th Street
15
Continue on IA 3
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
State Highway 3
16
Continue on IA 3
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Central Avenue East
17
Continue on IA 3
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 3
18
Arrive at destination
IA 3
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 30.8 mi from Waterloo, IA · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.8 miles from Waterloo, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Washington, IA
The final approach into Washington, 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
$9.13 one way
$18.26 round trip
$3.77/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $10.30 | $20.60 |
| premium | $4.65 | $11.27 | $22.54 |
| diesel | $5.30 | $12.84 | $25.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.5 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.46 | $2.95 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.38 | $2.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.6 | 0 | $8.61 | $3.94 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Washington, IA
Late night in Washington on Saturday
Local time
5:24 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 22m 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 Waterloo, IA to Washington, IA covers 61.5 miles and takes about 1h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 210th Street, State Highway 3, Avenue of the Saints. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 30.8 miles from Waterloo, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.13 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 Waterloo, IA to Washington, IA is easy. At 1h 22m with 36% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (US 218): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 6.9 miles (US 218): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Waterloo, IA to Washington, 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. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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