Origin
Ankeny, IA
Night in Ankeny on Saturday
Local time
11:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ankeny, IA to Pleasantville, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
38.9 mi
63 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ankeny, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Pleasantville, IA
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Ankeny to Pleasantville is 38.9 miles and takes about 49 minutes via IA 5, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward trip primarily on highways connecting two points within Iowa's Midwest region. Given its brief duration, it's an ideal option for a quick day trip or a convenient leg of a longer journey across the state. You'll find the 61% highway share makes for efficient travel, getting you to your destination with minimal fuss. Consider this route if you're looking for a simple, low-commitment drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| IA 5 | 16.2 mi | 18m |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | 10.7 mi | 12m |
| I 35 | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| I 80 | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| West 1st Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| West Jasper Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| County Highway G40 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Southwest Walnut Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
IA 5
— 16.2 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ankeny, IA and Pleasantville, IA.
1
Start on Southwest 3rd Street
48 ft
·
4 sec
·
Southwest 3rd Street
2
Turn right onto Southwest Walnut Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Southwest Walnut Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto West 1st Street
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
West 1st Street
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I-35 south: Des Moines
5
Merge onto I 35
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
I 35
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
2 min
Exit 137A
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
8
Merge onto I 80
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
I 80
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 141
Toward US 65 South: Altoona, Des Moines
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto US 65
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward IA 5 South: Carlisle
12
Continue on IA 5
16 mi
·
18 min
·
IA 5
13
Turn left onto CR G40
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
County Highway G40
14
Continue on CR G40
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
West Jasper Street
15
Turn left onto South Washington Street
94 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Washington Street
16
Arrive at destination
South Washington Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 38.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.5 miles from Ankeny, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Southwest Walnut Street
Turn right onto Southwest Walnut Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West 1st Street
At end of road, turn right onto West 1st Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
6.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council B...
8
10.2 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward US 65 South: Altoona, 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 141
Toward US 65 South: Altoona, Des Moines
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.08 one way
$12.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.68 | $13.35 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.49 | $14.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.59 | $17.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.08 | $1.87 |
| Efficient EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.40 | $1.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.45 | $2.49 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Pleasantville, IA
Night in Pleasantville on Saturday
Local time
11:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Altoona, IA
19 mi in
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
18 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
49m 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 predominantly highway-focused, with 61% of the journey on faster roads like IA 5 and I 35. Expect a significant portion of your travel to be on the Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway, offering a consistent pace. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 16.2 miles on IA 5, providing a good period of steady driving without frequent exits. While not overwhelmingly varied, the highway-centric profile means you'll experience efficient travel for the majority of this short trip.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.2 mi on IA 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on IA 5 and Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Southwest Walnut Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 38.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Southwest Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (I 35): 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.
Between Ankeny, IA and Pleasantville, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs, Davenport and Des Moines.
Council Bluffs
6.6 mi in
|
~9m
|
via I 35
Davenport
6.6 mi in
|
~9m
|
via I 35
Des Moines
10.2 mi in
|
~15m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 38.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.2 miles on IA 5. 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 Pleasantville, 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 (Southwest Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (I 35): 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 Pleasantville, 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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