Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
23 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Colonial Heights, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Richmond, VA
Wikimedia Commons
If you are looking for a quick and straightforward transit between Colonial Heights and Richmond, this 23-mile stretch is a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. Expect to spend about 33 minutes behind the wheel, making it an incredibly efficient way to move through the Southeast region of Virginia. With a modest fuel budget of $4, this route is as economical as it is fast. Because the drive is so short, there is no need for an overnight stay, allowing you the flexibility to complete your business or leisure travel and return home within hours. You will primarily navigate the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike, the Downtown Expressway, and Route 1 to complete your journey. It is a practical, no-nonsense connection that gets you from point A to point B without any unnecessary complexity.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike | 15.5 mi | 19m |
| Downtown Expressway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Route 1 | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Woods Edge Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Meadow Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Ellerslie Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Monument Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,510 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~450 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Colonial Heights, VA and Richmond, VA.
Start on this road
At end of road, turn left onto East Ellerslie Avenue
Turn right onto US 1; US 301; VA 144
Continue on US 1; US 301; VA 144
Turn right onto SR 620
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Continue on VA 195
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Keep slight right at fork
Turn right onto South Meadow Street
Turn right onto Monument Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Marcus-David Peters Circle
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto East Ellerslie Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto SR 620 / Woods Edge Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward VA 195 Toll: Downtown Expressway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Cash Toll, Meadow Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Meadow Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$3.40 one way
$6.79 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.12 | $3.73 | $7.46 |
| premium | $4.49 | $4.07 | $8.14 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $4.34 | $8.69 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.09
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.10 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.01 | $0.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.22 | $1.47 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Colonial Heights on Sunday
Local time
11:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
94°F
Smoke
Destination
Morning in Richmond on Sunday
Local time
11:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
94°F
Smoke
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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.
This 23-mile drive is heavily highway-focused, with roughly 81% of your travel occurring on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your time on the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike, which features the longest uninterrupted stretch of the trip at 15.5 miles. While the experience is dominated by high-speed interstate driving, the transition onto the Downtown Expressway and Route 1 provides a shift in the road's personality as you approach your destination. Do not expect winding backroads or leisurely scenic overlooks; instead, prepare for a functional, steady pace that prioritizes speed and directness. Navigating this route feels like a standard commute, requiring consistent attention to traffic flow as you transition between these primary roads.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike and Downtown Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Ellerslie Avenue.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 23 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Ellerslie Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (SR 620 / Woods Edge Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
414 ft
Total Descent
263 ft
Highest Point
213 ft
~23 mi in
Elevation Range
212 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Colonial Heights, VA to Richmond, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Cash Toll along the way.
Cash Toll
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Cafe
Near the end, right off the route
Richmond, VA
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteCafe
Near the end, right off the route
Richmond, VA
Hours: Mo-Su 07:00-19:00
Visit websiteCafe
Near the end, right off the route
Richmond, VA
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 10:00-17:00; PH,Su...
Visit websiteCafe
Near the end, right off the route
Richmond, VA
Hours: Mo-We 08:00-22:00; Th-Fr 08:00-23:00; Sa...
Visit websiteCafe
Near the end, right off the route
Richmond, VA
Hours: Mo-Fr 07:00-19:00;Sa 07:00-20:00;Su 08:0...
Visit websiteCafe
Near the end, right off the route
VA
Hours: Mo-Th 07:00-15:00; Fr-Su 07:00-16:00
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the end, right off the route
Richmond, VA
Cuisine: mexican
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the end, right off the route
Richmond, VA
Cuisine: sandwich
Hours: Mo-Su 11:00-14:30, 16:00-21:00
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Colonial Heights, VA
Cuisine: chinese
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the end, right off the route
Richmond, VA
Cuisine: american
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the end, right off the route
Richmond, VA
Cuisine: pizza
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the end, right off the route
Richmond, VA
Cuisine: seafood
Visit websiteViewpoint
Near the end, right off the route
Viewpoint
Near the end, right off the route
Viewpoint
Near the end, right off the route
Viewpoint
Near the end, right off the route
Viewpoint
Near the end, right off the route
Attraction
Near the end, short detour
Richmond, VA
Museum
Near the end, right off the route
Richmond, VA
Hours: Mo off; Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 12:00-17:0...
Visit websiteMemorial
Near the end, right off the route
Museum
Near the end, right off the route
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-17:00
Visit websiteMemorial
Near the end, right off the route
Memorial
Near the end, right off the route
Memorial
Near the end, right off the route
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
Top landmarks
Founded 1607
Richmond is the capital of Virginia. Richmond has a population of 227,000 (2020) and the adjacent counties of Henrico and Chesterfield combine to create a local population of more than 1.3 million people.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 23 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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