Origin
Council Bluffs, IA
Late night in Council Bluffs on Sunday
Local time
5:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Council Bluffs, IA to Carter Lake, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
15m
Distance
6.7 mi
11 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 18m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Council Bluffs, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Carter Lake, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 6.7-mile drive from Council Bluffs, IA to Carter Lake, IA takes about 15 minutes to complete. It's a perfect candidate for a quick local excursion, easily manageable within a single day. You'll primarily navigate via I 480 West, 14th Street, and North 14th Street, making it a straightforward trip within the Midwest region. With an estimated fuel cost of just $1, this route is very budget-friendly. Given its brevity and the minimal fuel expense, there's no need to consider an overnight stay; you can easily fit this into any itinerary.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Broadway | 2.7 mi | 6m |
| North 11th Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| I 480 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Locust Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North 9th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North 14th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Izard Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West Broadway
— 2.7 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Council Bluffs, IA and Carter Lake, IA.
1
Start on West Broadway
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
West Broadway
Use the straight lane.
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 480 West, US 6 West
3
Merge onto I 480; US 6
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 480; US 6
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 3
Toward 14th Street, Old Market District, Creighton University
5
Turn right onto North 14th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North 14th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Turn right onto Izard Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Izard Street
7
Continue on North 11th Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North 11th Street
8
Turn right onto East Locust Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Locust Street
9
Turn left onto North 9th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North 9th Street
10
Arrive at destination
North 9th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 4.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Broadway
Depart onto West Broadway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 480 West, US 6 West
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 480 West, US 6 West
6
3.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward 14th Street, Old Market District, Creighton University
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 3
Toward 14th Street, Old Market District, Creigh...
5
4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
North 14th Street
Turn right onto North 14th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
4.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
Izard Street
Turn right onto Izard Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.05 one way
$2.09 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.15 | $2.30 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.29 | $2.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.48 | $2.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2 | 0 | $0.70 | $0.32 |
| Efficient EV | 1.7 | 0 | $0.59 | $0.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.94 | $0.43 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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
Carter Lake, IA
Late night in Carter Lake on Sunday
Local time
5:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°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
21 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
15m 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 on this route. With a highway share of 0%, you won't encounter any interstate cruising. The longest uninterrupted stretch isn't applicable here due to the short distance, but you should be prepared for frequent turns and changes in road surface as you transition between 14th Street and North 14th Street. This drive offers a very grounded, in-town feel rather than an open-road experience.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.7 mi on West Broadway.
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 early in the drive near West Broadway.
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 15m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Council Bluffs, IA and Carter Lake, IA, road signs point toward Old Market District and Creighton University.
Old Market District
3.7 mi in
|
~7m
Creighton University
3.7 mi in
|
~7m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
This is an easy same-day round trip, clocking in at just 6.7 miles and 15 minutes. You'll be back before you know it, with plenty of time left for other activities.
Family Friendly
With a short 15-minute drive and minimal highway use (11%), this route is definitely manageable for families with kids. The turn-heavy nature might require a co-pilot navigator, but the distance is perfect.
Solo Traveler
This 6.7-mile, 15-minute drive is a breeze for a solo traveler. It's so short, you might not even need to touch your fuel budget of $1.05.
EV Driver
At only 6.7 miles, this route is an absolute non-issue for any EV, easily completed on a single charge. You won't even need to think about finding a charger.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (11%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 2.7 miles on West Broadway. 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: near the start (West Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Carter Lake, IA 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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