The drive from West Burlington, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 102.1 miles and takes about 2h 2m 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, US 34, West Mount Pleasant Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 75.6 miles on Avenue of the Saints.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.96 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 West Burlington, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 1m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 2m. Total distance: 102.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 2m drive with frequent turns across 102.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 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 75.6 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 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Broadway Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 102.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 (Broadway Street): Navigation decision point; at 23.9 miles (US 34; IA 163): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 100.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Broadway Street
Turn right onto Broadway Street
Navigation decision point
5
23.9 mi into trip|~29m in|US 34; IA 163
Take the exit onto US 34; IA 163 toward US 218, IA 27 North: Iowa City, Fairfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 218, IA 27 North: Iowa City, Fairfiel...
5
100.3 mi into trip|~1h 58m in
Take the exit toward Glass Road, 32nd Street, Coldstream, 29th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.96 one way
$31.92 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg36 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$17.53
$35.05
premium
$4.89
$19.65
$39.30
diesel
$5.61
$22.54
$45.08
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 35.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.6
0
$10.72
$4.90
Efficient EV
25.5
0
$8.93
$4.08
EV Truck/SUV
40.8
0
$14.29
$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 13, 2026
Origin
West Burlington, IA
Morning
in West Burlington on Saturday
Local time
6:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 15 mph18% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:22AM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:22AM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Cedar Rapids, IA
Morning
in Cedar Rapids on Saturday
Local time
6:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 15 mph27% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:22AM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:22AM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
72°F
Riverside, IA
51 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
4 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 2m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from West Burlington, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 102.1 miles and takes about 2h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, US 34, West Mount Pleasant Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 51 miles from West Burlington, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.96 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 102.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 (Broadway Street): Navigation decision point; at 23.9 miles (US 34; IA 163): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 100.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from West Burlington, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Fairfield along the way.
