Origin
Aurora, CO
Late night in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
2:45 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, CO to Centennial, CO
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
19m
Distance
13.9 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Centennial, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Aurora, CO to Centennial, CO is 13.9 miles and takes about 19 minutes via I 225 and South Valley Highway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Mountain West region, specifically in Colorado. Expect a straightforward drive that's ideal for a quick commute or a simple transfer between nearby locations. With only a 19-minute estimated travel time, this route offers maximum convenience for those needing to get from point A to point B without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 225 | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| South Valley Highway | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| East 6th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Dry Creek Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Vaughn Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Panorama Circle | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Chester Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Zion Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 225
— 8.3 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, CO and Centennial, CO.
1
Start on North Vaughn Street
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
North Vaughn Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto North Zion Street
509 ft
·
26 sec
·
North Zion Street
3
Turn left onto Vaughn Street
257 ft
·
18 sec
·
Vaughn Street
4
Turn left onto CO 30
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 225 South
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 225
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 225
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
9
Merge onto I 25
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 196
Toward Dry Creek Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto CR 46
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Dry Creek Road
12
Turn left onto South Chester Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Chester Street
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto East Panorama Circle
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
East Panorama Circle
14
Turn left
133 ft
·
11 sec
15
Turn right
472 ft
·
34 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 13.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Zion Street
At end of road, turn right onto North Zion Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 225 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 225 South
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 225
Merge onto I 225
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
9.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs
7
13.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward Dry Creek Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 196
Toward Dry Creek Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.09 one way
$4.19 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $2.22 | $4.43 |
| premium | $4.39 | $2.40 | $4.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.07 | $6.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.46 | $0.67 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.95 | $0.89 |
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
Centennial, CO
Late night in Centennial on Tuesday
Local time
2:45 AM
MDT
Current temp
58°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
22 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
19m 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 route features a mixed drive, with 60% of the journey on highways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on I 225, experiencing a faster pace of travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.3 miles on I 225. As you transition from the interstate to South Valley Highway and East 6th Avenue, the driving experience will likely become more suburban, with potential for increased local traffic and traffic signals.
60% 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: 8.3 mi on I 225.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near North Zion Street.
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 14 decision points packed into just 13.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 19m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (North Zion Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (I 225): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Aurora, CO
Full guide →Founded 1891
Aurora is a city of about 400,000 of the Denver Metropolitan Area in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies immediately east of Denver in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties. In 2008 it was named the "All American City."
Top landmarks
- • DeLaney Barn
- • Blanche A. Wilson House — house
- • Plains Conservation Center — park in Colorado, United States of America
Arriving in Centennial, CO
Full guide →Founded 2001
Centennial is a suburban city of about 106,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies in Arapahoe County southeast of Denver.
Top landmarks
- • Seventeen Mile House — historic site in Centennial, Colorado
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 19m. Total distance: 13.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.3 miles on I 225. 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 Centennial, CO 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 0.2 miles (North Zion Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (I 225): 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 Centennial, CO 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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