Origin
Cahaba Heights, AL
Morning in Cahaba Heights on Tuesday
Local time
8:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cahaba Heights, AL to Hoover, AL
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
15m
Distance
9.4 mi
15 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Good
6 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cahaba Heights, AL
Muhammad Nabeel
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Cahaba Heights to Hoover, you are in for a quick 9.5-mile journey that typically takes about 15 minutes. This short commute is perfect for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays or complex planning. You will navigate primarily via Crosshaven Drive, Summit Boulevard, and I-459 South to reach your destination. With a fuel cost estimate of just $1, this is an incredibly budget-friendly way to move between these two Southeast locations. Whether you are running errands or heading to a meeting, the straightforward nature of this drive makes it a practical choice for anyone in the Birmingham metro area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John M. Harbert III Freeway | 5.2 mi | 5m |
| Montgomery Highway | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Summit Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Crosshaven Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Braddock Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| US 280 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Whispering Pines Circle | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Spruce Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
John M. Harbert III Freeway
— 5.2 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cahaba Heights, AL and Hoover, AL.
1
Start on this road
160 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto Crosshaven Drive
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Crosshaven Drive
3
Continue on Summit Boulevard
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Summit Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto US 280
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
US 280
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 459 South
6
Merge onto I 459
5.2 mi
·
5 min
·
John M. Harbert III Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 13B
Toward US 31: Hoover, Pelham
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
516 ft
·
12 sec
Toward US 31 North: Hoover
Use the right lane.
9
Turn straight onto US 31
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Montgomery Highway
10
Turn left onto Braddock Drive
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Braddock Drive
11
Turn right onto Spruce Drive
436 ft
·
25 sec
·
Spruce Drive
12
Turn left onto Whispering Pines Circle
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Whispering Pines Circle
13
Arrive at destination
Whispering Pines Circle
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 9.2 — 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
|
Crosshaven Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Crosshaven Drive
Navigation decision point
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 459 / John M. Harbert III Freeway
Merge onto I 459 / John M. Harbert III Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward US 31: Hoover, Pelham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13B
Toward US 31: Hoover, Pelham
8
7.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 31 North: Hoover
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward US 31 North: Hoover
5
9.2 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
Whispering Pines Circle
Turn left onto Whispering Pines Circle
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.42 one way
$2.84 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $1.56 | $3.12 |
| premium | $4.56 | $1.69 | $3.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.08 | $4.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.3 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 | 2.8 | 0 | $0.99 | $0.45 |
| Efficient EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.82 | $0.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.32 | $0.60 |
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
Hoover, AL
Morning in Hoover on Tuesday
Local time
8:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
15m 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 that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this route relies on local roads rather than long highway stretches, resulting in a 0% highway share. Because the distance is so short, there are no long, uninterrupted segments to worry about. You will find that the road surface and traffic patterns shift as you transition from local boulevards onto the I-459 connection. It is a functional, suburban route that requires your full attention on the curves rather than endurance for long-distance cruising.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.2 mi on John M. Harbert III Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Crosshaven Drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 9.4 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Crosshaven Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles (I 459 / John M. Harbert III Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
738 ft
476 ft
Total Climb
270 ft
Total Descent
336 ft
Highest Point
738 ft
~1.3 mi in
Elevation Range
261 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Cahaba Heights, AL to Hoover, AL, road signs begin pointing toward Pelham along the way.
Pelham
7.4 mi in
|
~11m
About the Cities
Arriving in Hoover, AL
Full guide →Founded 1850
Hoover is a city in the Birmingham urban area in Metropolitan Alabama, south of central Birmingham. While most nearby attractions in the area are in the city of Birmingham, Hoover is an important shopping/retail area.
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 15m. Total distance: 9.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.2 miles on John M. Harbert III Freeway. 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 Hoover, AL 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: near the start (Crosshaven Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles (I 459 / John M. Harbert III Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hoover, AL 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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