The drive from West Des Moines, IA to Independence, IA covers 140.5 miles and takes about 2h 59m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 20, Northeast Hubbell Road, Sanford Avenue for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 44.6 miles on US 20.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.97 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
70.2 miles from West Des Moines, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 31m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 59m. Total distance: 140.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from West Des Moines, IA to Independence, IA covers 140.5 miles and takes about 2h 59m, 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 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 44.6 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 0.6 miles in near Grand Avenue.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 140.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 21 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|Grand Avenue
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.2 mi into trip|~4m in|I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
11 mi into trip|~16m in
Take the exit toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
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 137A-B
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council B...
9
11.3 mi into trip|~16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 137A
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
8
15 mi into trip|~21m in|US 65
Take the exit onto US 65 toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
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 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Ma...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between West Des Moines, IA and Independence, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs, Davenport and Bondurant.
Council Bluffs
11 mi in|~16m
Davenport
11 mi in|~16m
Bondurant
15 mi in|~21m|via US 65
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 20
44.6 mi
51m
Northeast Hubbell Road
35.2 mi
41m
Sanford Avenue
15.9 mi
21m
John MacVicar Freeway
8.8 mi
11m
240th Street
6.3 mi
9m
Marsh Avenue
5.9 mi
8m
N Avenue
4.4 mi
6m
160th Street
4.3 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 44.6 mi, about 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Independence, IA.
1
Start on Vine Street
0.2 mi·32 sec·Vine Street
2
Turn left onto 4th Street
0.4 mi·55 sec·4th Street
3
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto 56th Street
0.6 mi·1 min·56th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I-235 east
6
Merge onto I 235
8.8 mi·11 min·John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Exit 137A-BToward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, DavenportUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·39 sec
Exit 137AToward I 80 East: DavenportUse the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 80
3.4 mi·3 min·I 80
10
Take the exit onto US 65
0.5 mi·1 min·US 65
Exit 142Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, BondurantUse the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto US 65; IA 330
1.2 mi·1 min·Northeast Hubbell Avenue
12
Continue on US 65; IA 330
35 mi·41 min·Northeast Hubbell Road
13
Turn left onto IA 330
5.9 mi·8 min·Marsh Avenue
14
Continue on IA 330
1.2 mi·1 min·South Main Street
15
Continue on IA 330
4.3 mi·5 min·160th Street
16
Turn left onto IA 14
16 mi·21 min·Sanford Avenue
17
Turn right onto IA 14; IA 175
6.3 mi·9 min·240th Street
18
Turn left onto M Avenue
1.5 mi·2 min·M Avenue
19
Continue on County Road T37
1.0 mi·1 min·County Road T37
20
Turn sharp right onto 210th Street
1.0 mi·1 min·210th Street
21
Turn left onto IA 14
4.4 mi·6 min·N Avenue
22
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·58 sec
Toward US 20 East: Waterloo
23
Merge onto US 20
29 mi·33 min·US 20
24
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20
16 mi·17 min·US 20
25
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
26
Turn left onto IA 150
324 ft·8 sec·Jamestown Avenue
27
Continue on IA 150
1.4 mi·2 min·3rd Avenue Southeast
28
Turn right onto IA 150; CR D22
0.1 mi·15 sec·1st Street East
29
Turn right onto 5th Avenue Southeast
42 ft·1 sec·5th Avenue Southeast
30
Arrive at destination
5th Avenue Southeast
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 70.2 miles from West Des Moines, IA, or about 1h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 44.6 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 31 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 70.2 miles or 1h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Independence, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving West Des Moines, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from West Des Moines, IA
This is one driving day of about 140.5 miles and 2h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from West Des Moines, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 20 for about 44.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 70.2 mi from West Des Moines, IA
· 1h 31m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
42.2
0
$14.75
$6.74
Efficient EV
35.1
0
$12.29
$5.62
EV Truck/SUV
56.2
0
$19.67
$8.99
Gas CO2
49 kg
EV CO2
16 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 18, 2026
Origin
West Des Moines, IA
Late night
in West Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
1:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
37°F
Mostly Cloudy
NNW 10 to 14 mph6% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Independence, IA
Late night
in Independence on Saturday
Local time
1:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
33 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
2h 59m 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 Des Moines, IA to Independence, IA covers 140.5 miles and takes about 2h 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 20, Northeast Hubbell Road, Sanford Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 70.2 miles from West Des Moines, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.97 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 140.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between West Des Moines, IA and Independence, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs, Davenport and Bondurant.
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.
