Clive, IA to Runnells, IA is 25.8 miles and takes about 40m via East University Avenue and John MacVicar Freeway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive keeps you within the Midwest region, entirely within Iowa. Expect a local driving experience with frequent turns, making it a quick and easy trip. It’s a straightforward journey suitable for a single day, offering a simple way to get from point A to point B without extensive planning.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
East University Avenue
9.5 mi
14m
John MacVicar Freeway
6.4 mi
8m
Southeast 116th Street
3.3 mi
5m
Northeast University Avenue
1.8 mi
2m
Northeast 112th Street
1.4 mi
2m
Southeast Camp Drive
0.9 mi
1m
73rd Street
0.6 mi
1m
Brown Street
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
East University Avenue
— 9.5 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clive, IA and Runnells, IA.
1
Start on Northwest 78th Street
0.2 mi·43 sec·Northwest 78th Street
2
Turn left onto University Avenue
0.3 mi·39 sec·University Avenue
3
Turn right onto 73rd Street
0.6 mi·1 min·73rd Street
Use the right lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward I-235 east
5
Merge onto I 235
6.4 mi·8 min·John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi·43 sec
Exit 10AToward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, State FairgroundsUse the slight right lane.
7
Turn straight onto IA 163
7.7 mi·12 min·East University Avenue
8
Continue on IA 163
1.8 mi·2 min·Northeast University Avenue
9
Continue on IA 163
1.7 mi·2 min·East University Avenue
10
Turn right onto Northeast 112th Street
1.4 mi·2 min·Northeast 112th Street
11
Continue on Southeast Camp Drive
0.9 mi·1 min·Southeast Camp Drive
12
Continue on Camp Drive
0.2 mi·19 sec·Camp Drive
13
Continue on Southeast 116th Street
3.3 mi·5 min·Southeast 116th Street
14
Continue on Brown Street
0.5 mi·57 sec·Brown Street
15
Turn left onto IA-316
78 ft·1 sec·East McKinney Street
16
Arrive at destination
IA-316
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 19.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|University Avenue
Turn left onto University Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|73rd Street
Turn right onto 73rd Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in|I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.7 mi into trip|~11m in
Take the exit toward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, State Fairgrounds
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 10A
Toward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, Sta...
4
19.5 mi into trip|~29m in|Northeast 112th Street
Turn right onto Northeast 112th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.81 one way
$7.62 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg9 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$4.21
$8.41
premium
$4.72
$4.79
$9.58
diesel
$4.80
$4.87
$9.74
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
7.7
0
$2.71
$1.24
Efficient EV
6.5
0
$2.26
$1.03
EV Truck/SUV
10.3
0
$3.61
$1.65
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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 Jul 13, 2026
Origin
Clive, IA
Night
in Clive on Monday
Local time
11:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Mostly Clear
SE 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 12 at 8:56PM CDT until July 17 at 12:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 12 at 8:41PM CDT until July 13 at 4:00PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
Destination
Runnells, IA
Night
in Runnells on Monday
Local time
11:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Clear
SE 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 12 at 8:56PM CDT until July 17 at 12:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 12 at 8:41PM CDT until July 13 at 4:00PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
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
1 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
40m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only 25% of the journey on highways. You'll navigate through a mix of local roads and some freeway sections, including East University Avenue, John MacVicar Freeway, and Southeast 116th Street. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.5 miles on East University Avenue. Be prepared for frequent changes in direction and speed as you transition between different types of roads.
Only 25% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.5 mi on East University Avenue.
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 0.2 miles in near University Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 40m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (73rd Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
952 ft797 ft
Total Climb
257 ft
Total Descent
282 ft
Highest Point
952 ft
~3.7 mi in
Elevation Range
155 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 Clive, IA to Runnells, IA, road signs begin pointing toward State Fairgrounds along the way.
State Fairgrounds
7.7 mi in|~11m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
The longest stretch is about 9.5 miles on East University Avenue. 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: at 0.2 miles (University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (73rd Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Runnells, IA before heading back.
