Origin
Columbia, MD
Late night in Columbia on Sunday
Local time
12:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, MD to Braddock Heights, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
45.1 mi
73 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Braddock Heights, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Columbia, MD to Braddock Heights, MD is 45.1 miles and takes about 53 minutes via I 70 and Columbia Pike, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region and the state of Maryland, making it a straightforward local journey. It's a quick drive, perfect for a day trip or an easy commute. Expect mostly highway driving, so it's efficient but might not offer extensive scenic detours. Consider this route if you need a reliable and speedy connection between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 37.5 mi | 40m |
| Columbia Pike | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Old National Pike | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Clarksville Pike | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Maryland Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Schley Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 37.5 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MD and Braddock Heights, MD.
1
Start on this road
404 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
2
Turn straight onto MD 108
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Clarksville Pike
3
Continue on MD 108
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Clarksville Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward US 29 North: Baltimore
5
Merge onto US 29
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 25B
Toward I 70 West: Frederick
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 70
10 mi
·
10 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 70; US 40
12 mi
·
12 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 70; US 40
16 mi
·
17 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 49
Toward US 40 Alternate: Braddock Heights, Middletown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto US 40 ALT
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Old National Pike
12
Turn left onto Maryland Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Maryland Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto Schley Avenue
221 ft
·
11 sec
·
Schley Avenue
14
Turn right
62 ft
·
6 sec
15
Turn right
165 ft
·
12 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.5 miles from Columbia, MD, 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 0 and 44.6 — 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
Depart toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 29 / Columbia Pike
Merge onto US 29 / Columbia Pike
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
5.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward I 70 West: Frederick
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 25B
Toward I 70 West: Frederick
8
43.1 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward US 40 Alternate: Braddock Heights, Middletown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 49
Toward US 40 Alternate: Braddock Heights, Middl...
6
44.6 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
Maryland Avenue
Turn left onto Maryland Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.48 one way
$14.95 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.19 | $16.38 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.75 | $17.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.96 | $19.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.74 | $2.16 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.95 | $1.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18 | 0 | $6.31 | $2.89 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Braddock Heights, MD
Late night in Braddock Heights on Sunday
Local time
12:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
73°F
Mount Airy, MD
23 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
53m 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 drive is heavily focused on highways, with 83% of the route utilizing them. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on I 70, including a continuous stretch of 37.5 miles. This means you can expect a faster pace for most of the journey. While the primary roads include Columbia Pike and Old National Pike, the bulk of the mileage is on the interstate. The character is largely that of an efficient, high-speed transit between your starting and ending points.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.5 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Columbia Pike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
7/10
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 45.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles (US 29 / Columbia Pike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 45.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.5 miles on I 70. 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 Braddock Heights, MD 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: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles (US 29 / Columbia Pike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (5 total within detour distance). 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 Braddock Heights, MD 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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