Origin
Waukee, IA
Afternoon in Waukee on Thursday
Local time
1:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waukee, IA to Pleasant Hill, IA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
36m
Distance
22.3 mi
36 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waukee, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Pleasant Hill, IA
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Waukee, IA to Pleasant Hill, IA covers 22.3 miles and takes about 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on John MacVicar Freeway, Hickman Road, Dean Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.6 miles on John MacVicar Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.49 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 22.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Waukee, IA to Pleasant Hill, IA covers 22.3 miles and takes about 36m, 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 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
John MacVicar Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 9.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 6 / Hickman Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 22.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 6 / Hickman Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 6 / Hickman Road
Turn right onto US 6 / Hickman Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
5.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I-35 south, I-80 west
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I-35 south, I-80 west
6
7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
Ramp 72 I
Take the exit onto Ramp 72 I toward I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 72A
Toward I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines
8
17.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, State Fairgrounds
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 10A
Toward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, Sta...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Waukee, IA and Pleasant Hill, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines and State Fairgrounds.
Des Moines
7.4 mi in
|
~11m
|
via Ramp 72 I
State Fairgrounds
17.4 mi in
|
~25m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John MacVicar Freeway | 9.6 mi | 12m |
| Hickman Road | 5.6 mi | 9m |
| Dean Avenue | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| East University Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| I 80 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East 30th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Fairview Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Ramp 72 I | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
John MacVicar Freeway
— 9.6 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukee, IA and Pleasant Hill, IA.
1
Start on Ashworth Drive
139 ft
·
7 sec
·
Ashworth Drive
2
Turn right onto CR R22
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
6th Street
3
Turn right onto US 6
5.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Hickman Road
Use the left lane.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I-35 south, I-80 west
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 80; I 35
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 80; I 35
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto Ramp 72 I
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Ramp 72 I
Exit 72A
Toward I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 235
9.6 mi
·
12 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 10A
Toward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, State Fairgrounds
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn straight onto IA 163
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
East University Avenue
11
Turn right onto East 30th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 30th Street
12
Turn left onto Dean Avenue
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Dean Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on Fairview Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Fairview Drive
14
Turn right onto North Pleasant Hill Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Pleasant Hill Boulevard
15
Turn left onto Doanes Park Road
62 ft
·
4 sec
·
Doanes Park Road
16
Arrive at destination
Doanes Park Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.49 one way
$6.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.83 | $7.66 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.29 | $8.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.92 | $9.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.34 | $1.07 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.95 | $0.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.43 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Pleasant Hill, IA
Afternoon in Pleasant Hill on Thursday
Local time
1:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°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
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
36m 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 Waukee, IA to Pleasant Hill, IA covers 22.3 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are John MacVicar Freeway, Hickman Road, Dean Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.2 miles from Waukee, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.49 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 short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 22.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 6 / Hickman Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Waukee, IA and Pleasant Hill, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines and State Fairgrounds.
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