Origin
Altoona, IA
Night in Altoona on Saturday
Local time
11:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Altoona, IA to Urbandale, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
23m
Distance
15.4 mi
25 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Altoona, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Urbandale, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Altoona, IA to Urbandale, IA is 15.4 miles and takes about 23 minutes via I 80, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically in Iowa. It's a straightforward drive that's ideal for a quick commute or a brief hop between nearby towns. You'll find the journey mostly on major roadways, making it simple to navigate even if you're not familiar with the area. Consider this a convenient connector rather than a destination drive in itself.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 8.1 mi | 9m |
| 8th Street Southwest | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| 70th Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Meredith Drive | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Merle Hay Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 1st Avenue South | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Maryland Drive | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 8.1 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Altoona, IA and Urbandale, IA.
1
Start on 1st Avenue South
48 ft
·
3 sec
·
1st Avenue South
2
Turn right onto US 6 Hist
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
8th Street Southwest
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
4
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
this road
5
Merge onto US 65
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
6
Take the exit
1.2 mi
·
1 min
Exit 84
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
7
Merge onto I 80
8.1 mi
·
9 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
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.
9
Turn left onto IA 28
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Merle Hay Road
10
Turn right onto Meredith Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Meredith Drive
11
Turn left onto 70th Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
70th Street
12
Turn left onto Maryland Drive
13 ft
·
0 sec
·
Maryland Drive
13
Arrive at destination
Maryland Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 6 Hist / 8th Street Southwest
Turn right onto US 6 Hist / 8th Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 84
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
5
4.4 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
12.5 mi into trip
|
~16m 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...
4
13.5 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
Meredith Drive
Turn right onto Meredith Drive
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.41 one way
$4.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.64 | $5.29 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.96 | $5.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.40 | $6.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.35 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.16 | $0.99 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Night in Urbandale on Saturday
Local time
11:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°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
23m 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?
This drive is a mixed bag, with 53% of it on highways like I 80, offering a taste of both faster travel and local road cruising. You'll encounter stretches like the 8.1 miles on I 80, where you can maintain steady speeds. The route transitions between the interstate and roads like 8th Street Southwest and 70th Street, meaning you'll experience varying traffic patterns and speed limits. Expect a functional drive that prioritizes directness over scenic detours.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.1 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 6 Hist / 8th Street Southwest.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 15.4 miles you will encounter 9 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 (US 6 Hist / 8th Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 4.4 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
On the drive from Altoona, IA to Urbandale, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Saylorville Lake along the way.
Saylorville Lake
12.5 mi in
|
~16m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 15.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.1 miles on I 80. 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 Urbandale, 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: near the start (US 6 Hist / 8th Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 4.4 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Urbandale, 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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