Origin
Columbia Heights, MN
Late night in Columbia Heights on Sunday
Local time
5:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia Heights, MN to Maple Grove, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
13.4 mi
22 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia Heights, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Maple Grove, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Columbia Heights, MN to Maple Grove, MN is 13.4 miles and takes about 18 minutes via I 694, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short hop within the Midwest region, specifically within Minnesota. Expect a straightforward drive primarily on interstate highways, making it a quick and efficient trip. It's a perfect option if you need to get from one side of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area to the other without a lot of fuss. Given its brevity, you can easily complete this journey in under an hour, including any minor delays.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 694 | 8.6 mi | 10m |
| University Avenue Northeast | 2 mi | 3m |
| I 494 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Bass Lake Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 694
— 8.6 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia Heights, MN and Maple Grove, MN.
1
Start on MN 47
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
University Avenue Northeast
2
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 694 West
Use the left lane.
3
Merge onto I 694
8.6 mi
·
10 min
·
I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 494 South
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Continue on I 494
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 494
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 26
Toward CR 10: Bass Lake Road
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn right onto CR 10
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Bass Lake Road
Use the right lane.
8
Arrive at destination
CR 10
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 12.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Turn left toward I 694 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 694 West
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 694
Merge onto I 694
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
10.9 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward I 494 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Toward I 494 South
7
12.6 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward CR 10: Bass Lake Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 26
Toward CR 10: Bass Lake Road
6
12.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
CR 10 / Bass Lake Road
Turn right onto CR 10 / Bass Lake Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.99 one way
$3.99 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.15 | $4.30 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.39 | $4.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.96 | $5.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4 | 0 | $1.41 | $0.64 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.17 | $0.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.88 | $0.86 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Maple Grove, MN
Late night in Maple Grove on Sunday
Local time
5:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°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
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
18m 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?
This route is heavily focused on highway driving, with 74% of the journey on interstates. You'll experience a typical highway-focused drive, characterized by relatively high speeds and efficient travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.6 miles on I 694, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of the trip. While it’s primarily interstate, you’ll also navigate sections of University Avenue Northeast and I 494, which maintain a similar, fast-paced character. This isn't a route for leisurely sightseeing; it's designed for getting you there quickly.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.6 mi on I 694.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 694 and University Avenue Northeast. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 18m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (I 694): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Columbia Heights, MN
Full guide →Columbia Heights and Fridley are suburbs of Minneapolis located in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota.
Arriving in Maple Grove, MN
Full guide →Maple Grove is a suburban city in the Twin Cities of Minnesota.
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 18m. Total distance: 13.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.6 miles on I 694. 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 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (I 694): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.9 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 Maple Grove, MN 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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