Origin
Adel, IA
Late night in Adel on Tuesday
Local time
4:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Adel, IA to West Des Moines, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
18.9 mi
30 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Adel, IA
Wikimedia Commons
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition from the small-town charm of Adel to the urban amenities of West Des Moines, this 22.6-mile trip is an ideal choice. Spanning just 25 minutes, the route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You will navigate primarily via Greene Street, 290th Street, and a brief connection to I-35 south. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $3, it is an incredibly economical way to traverse this part of the Midwest. Whether you are commuting or heading out for an afternoon of errands, the simplicity of the trip allows for maximum flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 290th Street | 11.8 mi | 16m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| 8th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| I 80 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Greene Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Ramp 72 I | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| I 35 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Vine Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
290th Street
— 11.8 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Adel, IA and West Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on US 169
16 ft
·
7 sec
·
Nile Kinnick Drive South
2
Turn left onto US 6
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Greene Street
3
Continue on US 6
12 mi
·
16 min
·
290th Street
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
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 3
Toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto 8th Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
8th Street
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto Vine Street
468 ft
·
12 sec
·
Vine Street
12
Arrive at destination
Vine Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 12.4 and 17.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
12.4 mi into trip
|
~18m 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
13.6 mi into trip
|
~20m 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
14 mi into trip
|
~20m 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
17.3 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
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 3
Toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
5
17.8 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
8th Street
Turn right onto 8th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.95 one way
$5.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.24 | $6.49 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.64 | $7.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.17 | $8.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.98 | $0.91 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.65 | $1.21 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
West Des Moines, IA
Late night in West Des Moines on Tuesday
Local time
4:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
2 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
28m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Since the highway share is 0%, you won't be spending your time locked into high-speed cruising; instead, you'll be navigating the local road network through the Iowa landscape. The transition from the rural feel of Adel to the busier corridors of West Des Moines happens quickly. Because there are no designated stops along the way, the drive maintains a steady, efficient pace from start to finish. You should be prepared for frequent maneuvering as you move between the local streets and the final interstate segment.
Only 22% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.8 mi on 290th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 12.4 miles in.
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 9 decision points packed into just 18.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.6 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14 miles (Ramp 72 I): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Adel, IA and West Des Moines, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines and Windsor Heights.
Des Moines
14 mi in
|
~20m
|
via Ramp 72 I
Windsor Heights
17.3 mi in
|
~24m
About the Cities
Arriving in West Des Moines, IA
Full guide →West Des Moines is a small city in Central Iowa, the largest suburb of Des Moines.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 18.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.8 miles on 290th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at West Des Moines, IA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 12.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.6 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14 miles (Ramp 72 I): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at West Des Moines, IA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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