Origin
Blue Grass, IA
Night in Blue Grass on Saturday
Local time
9:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Blue Grass, IA to Iowa City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
49.2 mi
79 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Blue Grass, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Blue Grass, IA to Iowa City, IA is 49.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via I 80, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Iowa, making it a straightforward connection between two points. You'll mostly be on interstate highway, so expect a direct and efficient journey. It’s a good option if you need to get from point A to B without a lot of fuss or a lengthy time commitment. Consider this a quick hop rather than an immersive road trip experience.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 37.4 mi | 40m |
| 70th Avenue | 5 mi | 8m |
| North Dodge Street | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| 200th Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Plainview Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 60th Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Blue Grass Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South Mississippi Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 37.4 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Blue Grass, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on West Garonne Street
67 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Garonne Street
2
Turn left onto CR Y40
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
South Mississippi Street
3
Continue on CR Y40
4.5 mi
·
7 min
·
70th Avenue
4
Continue on CR Y40
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
South Blue Grass Road
5
Continue on CR Y40
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
70th Avenue
6
Turn left onto CR F58; US 6 Hist
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
200th Street
7
Turn right onto CR Y40
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
60th Avenue
8
Continue on CR Y40
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Plainview Road
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
10
Merge onto I 80; US 6
37 mi
·
40 min
·
I 80; US 6
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
12
Turn left onto IA 1
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
North Dodge Street
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn right onto Church Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Church Street
14
Turn left onto North Gilbert Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Gilbert Street
15
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.6 miles from Blue Grass, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 46.4 — 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
|
CR Y40 / South Mississippi Street
Turn left onto CR Y40 / South Mississippi Street
Navigation decision point
4
6.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
CR F58; US 6 Hist / 200th Street
Turn left onto CR F58; US 6 Hist / 200th Street
Navigation decision point
4
8.5 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
4
46.1 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
4
46.4 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
IA 1 / North Dodge Street
Turn left onto IA 1 / North Dodge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.69 one way
$15.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.45 | $16.89 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.47 | $18.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.86 | $21.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.17 | $2.36 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.89 | $3.15 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Iowa City, IA
Night in Iowa City on Saturday
Local time
9:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
1h 3m 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 heavily focused on highway travel, with 76% of the route utilizing interstate. You'll spend a significant amount of time on I 80, including one uninterrupted stretch of 37.4 miles. Expect a fairly consistent driving experience for most of the journey, characterized by the speed and efficiency of interstate travel. The route transitions from 70th Avenue to North Dodge Street before merging onto I 80, indicating a brief period on local roads before settling into the highway.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.4 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and 70th Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR Y40 / South Mississippi Street.
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 1h 3m drive. You will face about 9 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 (CR Y40 / South Mississippi Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.1 miles (CR F58; US 6 Hist / 200th Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.5 miles: Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 49.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.4 miles on I 80. 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 (CR Y40 / South Mississippi Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.1 miles (CR F58; US 6 Hist / 200th Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.5 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Iowa City, 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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