Origin
Blaine, MN
Morning in Blaine on Sunday
Local time
9:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Blaine, MN to Columbia Heights, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
10 mi
16 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 15m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Blaine, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Columbia Heights, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 10-mile trip from Blaine to Columbia Heights, MN, will only take about 16 minutes to complete. It's a straightforward drive, perfect for a single day trip with no need for an overnight stay. You'll primarily navigate Central Avenue Northeast and University Avenue Northeast, with a brief stint on I-694. The estimated fuel cost is a very reasonable $1, making it an economical option for a short journey within the Midwest. Given its brevity and local feel, this route is best suited for a quick errand or a short hop between communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Central Avenue Northeast | 6.3 mi | 9m |
| University Avenue Northeast | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| I 694 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Central Avenue Northeast
— 6.3 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Blaine, MN and Columbia Heights, MN.
1
Start on MN 65
26 ft
·
8 sec
·
Central Avenue Northeast
2
Continue on MN 65
6.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Central Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on MN 65
300 ft
·
5 sec
·
Central Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 694 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 694
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
I 694
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 37
Toward MN 47: University Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn left onto MN 47
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
University Avenue Northeast
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Continue on MN 47
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
University Avenue Northeast
9
Arrive at destination
MN 47
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 7.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast
Continue onto MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
6.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 694 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 694 West
3
6.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 694
Merge onto I 694
Merge point - match speed before joining
8
7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward MN 47: University Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 37
Toward MN 47: University Avenue
4
7.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
MN 47 / University Avenue Northeast
Turn left onto MN 47 / University Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.49 one way
$2.98 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $1.60 | $3.21 |
| premium | $4.53 | $1.78 | $3.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.21 | $4.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3 | 0 | $1.05 | $0.48 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.88 | $0.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4 | 0 | $1.40 | $0.64 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Columbia Heights, MN
Morning in Columbia Heights on Sunday
Local time
9:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°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
19 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
16m 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 turn-heavy local drive on this route, with a highway share of only 1%. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.3 miles along Central Avenue Northeast. This drive is characterized by its frequent turns and local road feel, rather than long, open highway stretches. You'll likely experience a more urban or suburban driving environment throughout the 10-mile journey.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.3 mi on Central Avenue Northeast.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast.
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 16m drive. You will face about 5 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 (MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.8 miles (I 694): Merge point - match speed before joining.
About the Cities
Arriving in Columbia Heights, MN
Full guide →Columbia Heights and Fridley are suburbs of Minneapolis located in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota.
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 16m. Total distance: 10 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.3 miles on Central Avenue Northeast. 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 (MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.8 miles (I 694): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Columbia Heights, MN 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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