Origin
Altoona, IA
Late night in Altoona on Sunday
Local time
5:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Altoona, IA to West Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
15.6 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 24m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Altoona, IA
Wikimedia Commons
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning just 15.6 miles, this quick trip from Altoona to West Des Moines is a straightforward drive that takes approximately 26 minutes to complete. Because of the short distance, you can easily tackle this route as a simple day trip without needing an overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via the John MacVicar Freeway, Hubbell Avenue, and 8th Street Southwest to reach your destination within the same Midwest region. Budgeting about $2 for fuel should be more than enough to cover the entire journey. It is a practical, efficient route that serves as a seamless connection between these two Iowa communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John MacVicar Freeway | 6.9 mi | 9m |
| Hubbell Avenue | 3.3 mi | 6m |
| 8th Street Southwest | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| 63rd Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Guthrie Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Vine Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Broadway Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 1st Avenue South | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
John MacVicar Freeway
— 6.9 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Altoona, IA and West Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on 1st Avenue South
48 ft
·
3 sec
·
1st Avenue South
2
Turn right onto US 6 Hist
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
8th Street Southwest
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on US 6 Hist
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
East Broadway Avenue
4
Turn slight left onto US 6
3.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Hubbell Avenue
5
Turn right onto Guthrie Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Guthrie Avenue
6
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I-235 west
7
Merge onto I 235
6.9 mi
·
9 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 4
Toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto IA 28
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
63rd Street
10
Turn right onto Vine Street
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Vine Street
11
Arrive at destination
Vine Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 15.2 — 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.
4
6.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Turn left toward I-235 west
Navigation decision point
Toward I-235 west
5
6.9 mi into trip
|
~13m 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
13.8 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights
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 4
Toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights
4
15.2 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
Vine Street
Turn right onto Vine Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.44 one way
$4.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.68 | $5.36 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.00 | $6.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.44 | $6.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 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 | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
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
West Des Moines, IA
Late night in West Des Moines on Sunday
Local time
5:17 AM
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
26m 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 mixed driving experience that balances highway efficiency with local navigation. About 44% of your journey is spent on major highways, providing a quick pace before transitioning into local streets. You will encounter your longest stretch of uninterrupted driving during a 6.9-mile segment on the John MacVicar Freeway. As you progress, the road character shifts from the higher speeds of the freeway to the more controlled environment of Hubbell Avenue and 8th Street Southwest. This combination ensures you spend minimal time behind the wheel while moving through the heart of the area.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.9 mi on John MacVicar Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 6 Hist / 8th Street Southwest.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 26m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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 6.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 6.9 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
955 ft
814 ft
Total Climb
291 ft
Total Descent
420 ft
Highest Point
955 ft
~3.3 mi in
Elevation Range
142 ft
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 West Des Moines, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Windsor Heights along the way.
Windsor Heights
13.8 mi in
|
~22m
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 26m. Total distance: 15.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.9 miles on John MacVicar Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 6.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 6.9 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): 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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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