The drive from Waterloo, IA to West Liberty, IA covers 102 miles and takes about 1h 58m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Avenue of the Saints, I 80, I 380 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 64.7 miles on Avenue of the Saints.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.95 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
51 miles from Waterloo, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 58m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 58m. Total distance: 102 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (26%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 58m drive with frequent turns across 102 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 64.7 miles.
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 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Washington Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 102 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (I 380): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.3 miles (I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key points
These 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
6
2.7 mi into trip|~4m in|I 380
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380 toward I-380 south, US 20, IA 27: Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Cedar Falls
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 south, US 20, IA 27: Cedar Rapids,...
6
9.3 mi into trip|~12m in|I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
4
74 mi into trip|~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward I 80
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 80
5
74.2 mi into trip|~1h 24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
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 Waterloo, IA to West Liberty, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Liberty along the way.
Liberty
95.1 mi in|~1h 48m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
64.7 mi
1h 11m
I 80
19.6 mi
21m
I 380
6.5 mi
7m
Garfield Avenue
5.7 mi
7m
Washington Street
2.7 mi
4m
North Columbus Street
0.7 mi
1m
East 3rd Street
0.2 mi
<1m
West 4th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 64.7 mi, about 1h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterloo, IA and West Liberty, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
76 ft·6 sec·West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Washington Street
2.7 mi·4 min·Washington Street
3
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
6.5 mi·7 min·I 380
Toward I-380 south, US 20, IA 27: Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Cedar Falls
4
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27
65 mi·1 hr 11 min·Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 80
6
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi·2 min
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
7
Merge onto I 80
20 mi·21 min·I 80
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·30 sec
Toward West Liberty
9
Turn right onto CR X40
5.7 mi·7 min·Garfield Avenue
10
Turn left onto US 6
0.7 mi·1 min·North Columbus Street
11
Turn right onto CR F62
0.2 mi·16 sec·East 3rd Street
12
Arrive at destination
CR F62
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 51 miles from Waterloo, IA, or about 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.7 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 22 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 51 miles or 58m 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 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near West Liberty, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Waterloo, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Waterloo, IA
This is one driving day of about 102 miles and 1h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Waterloo, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Avenue of the Saints for about 64.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 51 mi from Waterloo, IA
· 58m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.6
0
$10.71
$4.90
Efficient EV
25.5
0
$8.92
$4.08
EV Truck/SUV
40.8
0
$14.28
$6.53
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Waterloo, IA
Evening
in Waterloo on Friday
Local time
5:36 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
West Liberty, IA
Evening
in West Liberty on Friday
Local time
5:36 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
17 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 58m 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 West Liberty, IA covers 102 miles and takes about 1h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, I 80, I 380. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 51 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 $15.95 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 102 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (I 380): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.3 miles (I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Waterloo, IA to West Liberty, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Liberty along the way.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
