Origin
Ankeny, IA
Evening in Ankeny on Wednesday
Local time
6:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ankeny, IA to Roland, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
35.6 mi
57 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ankeny, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Roland, IA
TStudio
Trip Overview
Ankeny to Roland is 35.6 miles and takes about 44 minutes via I 35, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Iowa, traversing the Midwest region. It's a straightforward drive primarily on the interstate, making it an easy option for a quick connection between these two communities. You'll find this route convenient if you're looking for minimal travel time with a predictable driving experience.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 29.8 mi | 32m |
| 130th Street | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| West 1st Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| West Maple Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Southwest Walnut Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Southwest 3rd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Maple Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 29.8 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ankeny, IA and Roland, 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
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
West 1st Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
5
Merge onto I 35
30 mi
·
32 min
·
I 35
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward CR E18: Roland, McCallsburg
7
Turn right onto CR E18
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
130th Street
8
Continue on CR E18
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
West Maple Street
9
Arrive at destination
CR E18
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 32.1 — 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
3
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining
5
31.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward CR E18: Roland, McCallsburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CR E18: Roland, McCallsburg
3
32.1 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
CR E18 / 130th Street
Turn right onto CR E18 / 130th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.59 one way
$11.18 round trip
$3.99/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.39 | $6.15 | $12.30 |
| premium | $5.00 | $7.01 | $14.02 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $8.36 | $16.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
| Efficient EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.98 | $2.28 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Roland, IA
Evening in Roland on Wednesday
Local time
6:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°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
18 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
44m 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 mostly highway, with 84% of the 35.6 miles on I 35. You'll experience a long stretch of 29.8 miles on I 35 before transitioning to surface streets. Expect this to feel like rural cruising for the majority of the trip, with fewer exits once you leave the interstate. The final portion of the drive will be on local roads as you approach Roland.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.8 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and 130th Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Southwest Walnut Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Ankeny, IA to Roland, IA is easy. At 44m with 84% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
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 2 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,044 ft
873 ft
Total Climb
321 ft
Total Descent
289 ft
Highest Point
1,044 ft
~25.4 mi in
Elevation Range
171 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.
Between Ankeny, IA and Roland, IA, road signs point toward Cr E18: Roland and Mccallsburg.
Cr E18: Roland
31.8 mi in
|
~37m
Mccallsburg
31.8 mi in
|
~37m
About the Cities
Arriving in Roland, IA
Full guide →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 44m. Total distance: 35.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.8 miles on I 35. 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 (Southwest Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Roland, 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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