Origin
Webster City, IA
Late night in Webster City on Saturday
Local time
4:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Webster City, IA to Urbandale, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 31m
Distance
78.2 mi
126 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 25m
★
6 AM
1h 32m
8 AM
1h 46m
10 AM
1h 37m
12 PM
1h 35m
3 PM
1h 37m
5 PM
1h 45m
8 PM
1h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Webster City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Urbandale, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Webster City, IA to Urbandale, IA covers 78.2 miles and takes about 1h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35, US 20, Superior Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 60.8 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.23 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
39.1 miles from Webster City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 45m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 31m. Total distance: 78.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 31m highway drive covering 78.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and US 20. The longest continuous stretch is about 60.8 miles on I 35.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 60.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 20. 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 Superior Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 78.2 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 (Superior Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 14.5 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 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
|
Superior Street
Turn right onto Superior Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward US 20 East
Navigation decision point
Toward US 20 East
5
14.5 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
68.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council B...
8
75.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
Take the exit toward IA 28 South: Merle Hay Road, Saylorville Lake
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 131
Toward IA 28 South: Merle Hay Road, Saylorville...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Webster City, IA and Urbandale, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs and Davenport.
Council Bluffs
68.9 mi in
|
~1h 18m
|
via I 35
Davenport
68.9 mi in
|
~1h 18m
|
via I 35
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 60.8 mi | 1h 6m |
| US 20 | 11.9 mi | 13m |
| Superior Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| 70th Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Meredith Drive | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Merle Hay Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Briggs Woods Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 60.8 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Webster City, IA and Urbandale, IA.
1
Start on CR D20
60 ft
·
5 sec
·
2nd Street
2
Turn right onto Superior Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Superior Street
3
Continue on IA 17
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Briggs Woods Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward US 20 East
5
Merge onto US 20
12 mi
·
13 min
·
US 20
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
7
Merge onto I 35
54 mi
·
59 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
I 35
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 131
Toward IA 28 South: Merle Hay Road, Saylorville Lake
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn left onto IA 28
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Merle Hay Road
11
Turn right onto Meredith Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Meredith Drive
12
Turn left onto 70th Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
70th Street
13
Turn left onto Maryland Drive
13 ft
·
0 sec
·
Maryland Drive
14
Arrive at destination
Maryland Drive
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 39.1 miles from Webster City, IA, or about 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60.8 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 17 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.1 miles or 45m 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 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Urbandale, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Webster City, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Webster City, IA
This is one driving day of about 78.2 miles and 1h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Webster City, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 60.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 39.1 mi from Webster City, IA · 45m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 39.1 miles from Webster City, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 35 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 60.8 miles.
Arriving in Urbandale, IA
The final approach into Urbandale, 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
$12.23 one way
$24.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $13.42 | $26.85 |
| premium | $4.89 | $15.05 | $30.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.27 | $34.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.5 | 0 | $8.21 | $3.75 |
| Efficient EV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.84 | $3.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.3 | 0 | $10.95 | $5.00 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Urbandale, IA
Late night in Urbandale on Saturday
Local time
4:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°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
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 31m 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 Webster City, IA to Urbandale, IA covers 78.2 miles and takes about 1h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, US 20, Superior Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.1 miles from Webster City, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.23 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 78.2 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 (Superior Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 14.5 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Webster City, IA and Urbandale, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs and Davenport.
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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