Origin
Columbia, MD
Morning in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
11:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, MD to Woodlawn, MD
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
39m
Distance
28.3 mi
46 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Woodlawn, MD
Phil Evenden
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward local commute, the 28.3-mile journey from Columbia to Woodlawn is an efficient way to navigate the Northeast region of Maryland. You can expect the drive to take approximately 39 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of just $5, this route is highly economical for those traveling between these two Maryland hubs. Because there are no mandatory stops required, you have the flexibility to complete the trip in one go without needing an overnight stay. It is a practical, no-fuss connection that relies entirely on local roads rather than long-haul interstates.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 18 mi | 22m |
| Columbia Pike | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Patuxent Freeway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Annapolis Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Clarksville Pike | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Gallatin Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 72nd Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 18 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MD and Woodlawn, 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
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Clarksville Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Town Center
5
Merge onto US 29
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Columbia Pike
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 16A
Toward MD 32 East: Fort Meade
Use the right lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward Shaker Drive, Eden Brook Drive
8
Merge onto MD 32
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Patuxent Freeway
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 13B
Toward I 95 South: Washington
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 95
18 mi
·
22 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 20B-A
Toward MD 450: Bladensburg, Lanham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
512 ft
·
12 sec
Toward MD 450 West: Bladensburg
Use the left / right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto MD 450
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Annapolis Road
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn right onto Gallatin Street
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Gallatin Street
15
Turn left onto 72nd Avenue
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
72nd Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
72nd Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 5 and 26.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward MD 32 East: Fort Meade
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 16A
Toward MD 32 East: Fort Meade
6
5.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Shaker Drive, Eden Brook Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Shaker Drive, Eden Brook Drive
7
7.8 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13B
Toward I 95 South: Washington
8
26.4 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward MD 450: Bladensburg, Lanham
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 20B-A
Toward MD 450: Bladensburg, Lanham
8
26.7 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 450 West: Bladensburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward MD 450 West: Bladensburg
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.69 one way
$9.38 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.14 | $10.28 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.49 | $10.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.25 | $12.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.48 | $1.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.96 | $1.81 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Woodlawn, MD
Morning in Woodlawn on Tuesday
Local time
11:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°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
3 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
39m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route maintains a 0% highway share. You will primarily navigate via MD 108 West, Clarksville Pike, and US 29 South, which keeps you off high-speed freeways and on more intimate surface streets. Since the entire drive is composed of local roads, you should prepare for frequent changes in direction and pace. This layout offers a consistent, hands-on driving experience that requires more attention than a standard highway trek. The nature of these roads means you will be managing consistent turns throughout the duration of your 39-minute transit.
72% 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: 18 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Columbia Pike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 28.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Columbia, MD to Woodlawn, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Lanham along the way.
Lanham
26.4 mi in
|
~35m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 28.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18 miles on I 95. 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 Woodlawn, 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: at 5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. 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 Woodlawn, 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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