Origin
Carrollton, KY
Morning in Carrollton on Tuesday
Local time
8:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carrollton, KY to Independence, KY
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
1h
Distance
48.5 mi
78 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carrollton, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Independence, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 48.5-mile drive from Carrollton, KY to Independence, KY can easily be completed in about 1 hour, making it a perfect day trip. With a highway share of 77%, you'll experience a predominantly highway-focused journey. Plan for an estimated fuel cost of $7 for this trip. Both your origin and destination are within the Southeast region, so you won't be crossing any major regional boundaries. This route is straightforward and efficient, ideal for those seeking a quick and uncomplicated transit between these two Kentucky locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 71 | 37.1 mi | 39m |
| Owenton Road | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| Mount Zion Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Bristow Road | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Independence Road | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Highland Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Park Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Madison Pike | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 71
— 37.1 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carrollton, KY and Independence, KY.
1
Start on US 42; KY 36
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Highland Avenue
2
Turn right onto KY 36; KY 227
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
Park Avenue
3
Continue on KY 36; KY 227
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Owenton Road
4
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
5
Merge onto I 71
32 mi
·
33 min
·
I 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 71
5.6 mi
·
5 min
·
I 71
Toward I 75 North, I 71 North: Cincinnati
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 178
Toward KY 536: Mount Zion Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
283 ft
·
6 sec
9
Continue on KY 536
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Mount Zion Road
Use the left lane.
10
Enter roundabout onto KY 536
122 ft
·
2 sec
·
Mount Zion Road
11
Continue on KY 536
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Mount Zion Road
12
Enter roundabout onto KY 536
108 ft
·
2 sec
·
Mount Zion Road
13
Continue on KY 536
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Mount Zion Road
14
Continue on KY 536
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Bristow Road
15
At end of road, turn left onto KY 2045
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Independence Road
16
At end of road, turn left onto KY 17 Business; KY 2045
371 ft
·
7 sec
·
Madison Pike
17
Arrive at destination
KY 17 Business; KY 2045
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 24.2 miles from Carrollton, KY, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 5 and 48.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 71
Merge onto I 71
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
36.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
I 71
Keep slight left at fork onto I 71 toward I 75 North, I 71 North: Cincinnati
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 North, I 71 North: Cincinnati
7
42.1 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward KY 536: Mount Zion Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 178
Toward KY 536: Mount Zion Road
5
47.1 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
KY 2045 / Independence Road
At end of road, turn left onto KY 2045 / Independence Road
Navigation decision point
5
48.4 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
KY 17 Business; KY 2045 / Madison Pike
At end of road, turn left onto KY 17 Business; KY 2045 / Madison Pike
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.58 one way
$15.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.33 | $16.65 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.33 | $18.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.71 | $21.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17 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 | 14.5 | 0 | $5.09 | $2.33 |
| Efficient EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.24 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.79 | $3.10 |
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
Independence, KY
Morning in Independence on Tuesday
Local time
8:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Warsaw, KY
24 mi in
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
20 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 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 highway-focused drive for most of this 48.5-mile trip, with 77% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 37.1 miles on I-71, offering a consistent pace. The journey transitions between I-71 and local roads like Owenton Road and Mount Zion Road, providing a mix of high-speed travel and more localized driving. This profile suggests a drive that is largely efficient, with brief sections that might feel more connected to the immediate surroundings.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.1 mi on I 71.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 71 and Owenton Road. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5 miles in near I 71.
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 48.5 miles you will encounter 10 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: at 5 miles (I 71): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 36.6 miles (I 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
898 ft
481 ft
Total Climb
784 ft
Total Descent
366 ft
Highest Point
898 ft
~48.5 mi in
Elevation Range
418 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 48.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.1 miles on I 71. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 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.
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 Independence, KY 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: at 5 miles (I 71): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 36.6 miles (I 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Independence, KY 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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