Blue Springs, MO to Union, MO is 205.3 miles and takes about 4h 1m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and MO 47, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Missouri, taking you from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. With only one recommended stop and a profile that's mostly surface roads, it's a straightforward drive. You'll spend most of your time on local roads, so expect a more relaxed pace than a pure interstate trip. This route is ideal for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
102.6 miles from Blue Springs, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 52m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
114.7 mi
2h 7m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
MO 47
29.9 mi
45m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
1.9 mi
2m
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
1m
North Church Street
0.7 mi
1m
Southwest 15th Street
0.5 mi
1m
Northwest R D Mize Road
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 114.7 mi, about 2h 7m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,519 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,054
Quietest
2 AM
~189 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Blue Springs, MO and Union, MO.
1
Start on Southwest 15th Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Southwest 15th Street
2
Turn right onto Northwest R D Mize Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Northwest R D Mize Road
3
Turn left onto MO 7
0.4 mi·1 min·MO 7
4
Turn slight right onto MO 7
84 ft·2 sec·MO 7
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward I 70 East: Columbia
6
Merge onto I 70
49 mi·52 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7
Continue on I 70; US 40
32 mi·34 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
22 mi·24 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
9
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
10
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
11
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.9 mi·2 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
12
Continue on I 70; US 40
64 mi·1 hr 12 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·19 sec
Exit 193Toward MO 47: Warrenton, Hawk Point
14
Turn right onto MO 47
30 mi·45 min·MO 47
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn right onto MO A
206 ft·7 sec·East Independence Drive
16
Turn left onto North Church Street
0.7 mi·1 min·North Church Street
17
Turn right onto East Park Avenue
0.2 mi·30 sec·East Park Avenue
18
Turn left
62 ft·4 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this is a manageable 4-hour drive, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving in the morning will give you ample daylight to complete the 205.3 miles. The route has only one recommended stop, but you can easily add more as needed given the surface road nature. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as you move onto MO 47, as services might be more spread out than on major interstates. The estimated fuel cost is $32, so plan accordingly.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 102.6 miles from Blue Springs, MO, or about 1h 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 114.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 45 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 102.6 miles or 1h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Union, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Blue Springs, MO so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Blue Springs, MO
This is one driving day of about 205.3 miles and 4h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Blue Springs, MO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 114.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 205.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|Northwest R D Mize Road
Turn right onto Northwest R D Mize Road
Navigation decision point
6
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 70 East: Columbia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 70 East: Columbia
4
82.5 mi into trip|~1h 30m in|I 70 / U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70 / U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
174.3 mi into trip|~3h 13m in
Take the exit toward MO 47: Warrenton, Hawk Point
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 193
Toward MO 47: Warrenton, Hawk Point
5
205.3 mi into trip|~4h 1m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.83 one way
$63.66 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg72 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$34.90
$69.80
premium
$4.93
$39.83
$79.66
diesel
$5.60
$45.25
$90.51
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61.6
0
$21.56
$9.85
Efficient EV
51.3
0
$17.96
$8.21
EV Truck/SUV
82.1
1
$28.74
$13.14
Gas CO2
72 kg
EV CO2
24 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.
Forecast as of Aug 13, 2026
Origin
Blue Springs, MO
Afternoon
in Blue Springs on Friday
Local time
2:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Partly Cloudy
SSE 3 to 7 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued August 13 at 2:46AM CDT until August 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued August 13 at 2:44AM CDT until August 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Destination
Union, MO
Afternoon
in Union on Friday
Local time
2:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
SE 1 mph19% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued August 13 at 2:46AM CDT until August 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued August 13 at 2:44AM CDT until August 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
67°F
Centralia, MO
103 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
6 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
4h 1m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll encounter 15% highway driving, meaning the majority of your 205.3 miles will be on surface roads. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway accounts for the longest continuous stretch at 114.7 miles. After this highway segment, you'll transition to MO 47 and other surface roads. Expect a less developed feel compared to a high-speed interstate, with more opportunities to notice the local landscape.
Only 15% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 114.7 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
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 around 0.5 miles in near Northwest R D Mize Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 1m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Northwest R D Mize Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 82.5 miles (I 70 / U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
974 ft490 ft
Total Climb
404 ft
Total Descent
848 ft
Highest Point
974 ft
Elevation Range
484 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Blue Springs, MO to Union, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Hawk Point along the way.
The longest stretch is about 114.7 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 25 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Northwest R D Mize Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 82.5 miles (I 70 / U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Union, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
