Origin
Bloomington, IN
Late night in Bloomington on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bloomington, IN to Spencer, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
17.3 mi
28 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bloomington, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Spencer, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick excursion in the Midwest, the 17.3-mile trip from Bloomington to Spencer is an ideal candidate for a simple day trip. You can expect to reach your destination in about 30 minutes, making it a highly efficient transition between these two Indiana towns. Navigating this route involves primarily local roads, including North Walnut Street, West State Road 45 46 Bypass, and State Road 46. With a fuel budget of just $3, this is an incredibly affordable drive that fits easily into a casual afternoon. Since the entire journey is local, you do not need to worry about splitting the trip or booking overnight accommodations. It is a straightforward, no-fuss drive that gets you from point A to point B without any unnecessary complexity.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Road 46 | 7.8 mi | 11m |
| West State Road 45 46 Bypass | 5.7 mi | 10m |
| North Walnut Street | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| East Morgan Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East 7th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South Indiana Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Temperance Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
State Road 46
— 7.8 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IN and Spencer, IN.
1
Start on this road
99 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto South Indiana Avenue
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Indiana Avenue
3
Turn left onto East 7th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East 7th Street
4
Turn right onto North Walnut Street
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North Walnut Street
5
Turn left onto SR 45; SR 46
159 ft
·
8 sec
·
West State Roade 45 46 Bypass
6
Continue on SR 45; SR 46
5.7 mi
·
10 min
·
West State Road 45 46 Bypass
7
Turn slight right onto SR 46
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East Main Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Merge onto SR 46
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
West Temperance Street
9
Continue on SR 46
7.8 mi
·
11 min
·
State Road 46
10
Continue on SR 46
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Morgan Street
11
Turn left onto North Main Street
120 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Main Street
12
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.2 — 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
|
South Indiana Avenue
Turn right onto South Indiana Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East 7th Street
Turn left onto East 7th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
North Walnut Street
Turn right onto North Walnut Street
Navigation decision point
3
7.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
SR 46 / East Main Street
Turn slight right onto SR 46 / East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
17.2 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
North Main Street
Turn left onto North Main Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.70 one way
$5.41 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.97 | $5.94 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.33 | $6.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.82 | $7.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.11 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Spencer, IN
Late night in Spencer on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
EDT
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
3 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
30m 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 rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features zero highway miles. Your time behind the wheel will be spent navigating local infrastructure, with the longest uninterrupted stretch lasting only 7.8 miles on State Road 46. Because the route relies entirely on local roads, you will experience a more intimate feel than you would on a major highway. The path requires your full attention as you transition between the various connectors that link the two cities. It is a practical, functional drive that prioritizes direct access over long-distance cruising.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.8 mi on State Road 46.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 South Indiana Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 30m 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 (South Indiana Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (East 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (North Walnut Street): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
830 ft
564 ft
Total Climb
244 ft
Total Descent
449 ft
Highest Point
830 ft
~4.9 mi in
Elevation Range
266 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Bloomington, IN
Full guide →Bloomington is a city of 86,000 people (2019) in Southern Indiana. Bloomington is home to the flagship campus of Indiana University (IU) and therefore also the IU Hoosiers sports teams. As it is the largest city in the region, it serves as the de facto employment, service, and shopping center for several adjacent counties.
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 30m. Total distance: 17.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.8 miles on State Road 46. 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 (South Indiana Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (East 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (North Walnut Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Spencer, IN 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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