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Trip from Crittenden, KY to Independence, KY

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

23m

Distance

15.2 mi

24 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 21m ★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Grant and Kenton counties in the U.S. state of Kentucky

Crittenden, KY

Wikimedia Commons

city in Kentucky, United States

Independence, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning a quick excursion through Northern Kentucky, the 15.2-mile journey from Crittenden to Independence is a straightforward option. You can expect to complete this trip in about 23 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day outing. With a fuel cost estimate of just $2, it is an incredibly budget-friendly drive. The route transitions through the Southeast region, utilizing a combination of I-75 and local roads like Walton Nicholson Pike and Madison Pike. Because of the short duration, there is no need to plan for overnight stays or complex itineraries. It is a practical, efficient connection between these two communities that offers a hassle-free travel experience.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 75 4.9 mi 5m
Walton Nicholson Pike 4.1 mi 6m
Madison Pike 2.6 mi 4m
Dixie Highway 0.6 mi <1m
School Road 0.5 mi 1m
North Main Street 0.4 mi 1m
Walton Nicholson Road 0.4 mi <1m
Stephenson Mill Road 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 75 — 4.9 mi, about 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Crittenden, KY and Independence, KY.

1

Start on US 25; KY 491

0.2 mi · 21 sec · South Main Street
2

Turn left onto KY 491

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Violet Road
3

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Toward I 75 North: Cincinnati
4

Merge onto I 75

4.9 mi · 5 min · I 75
5

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 34 sec
Exit 171 Toward KY 14, KY 16: Verona, Walton Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Turn right onto KY 14; KY 16

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Mary Grubbs Highway
7

Turn left onto School Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · School Road
Use the left lane.
8

Continue on Stephenson Mill Road

0.3 mi · 38 sec · Stephenson Mill Road
9

Continue on Old Beaver Road

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Old Beaver Road
10

At end of road, turn left onto US 25; KY 16

0.4 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
11

Continue on US 25; KY 16

0.6 mi · 59 sec · Dixie Highway
12

Turn left onto KY 16

0.4 mi · 35 sec · Walton Nicholson Road
Use the left lane.
13

Continue on KY 16

4.1 mi · 6 min · Walton Nicholson Pike
14

Turn left onto KY 17

1.3 mi · 2 min · Madison Pike
Use the left lane.
15

Turn left onto Sidney Drive

243 ft · 8 sec · Sidney Drive
16

Continue on Madison Pike

1.3 mi · 2 min · Madison Pike
17

Arrive at destination

KY 17 Business; KY 2045

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 12.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.4 mi into trip | ~0m in

Take the ramp toward I 75 North: Cincinnati

Navigation decision point

Toward I 75 North: Cincinnati
8
5.6 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the exit toward KY 14, KY 16: Verona, Walton

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 171 Toward KY 14, KY 16: Verona, Walton
6
6.1 mi into trip | ~7m in | School Road

Turn left onto School Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
8 mi into trip | ~12m in | KY 16 / Walton Nicholson Road

Turn left onto KY 16 / Walton Nicholson Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
12.5 mi into trip | ~18m in | KY 17 / Madison Pike

Turn left onto KY 17 / Madison Pike

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.38 one way

$4.75 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $2.61 $5.22
premium $4.89 $2.93 $5.85
diesel $5.61 $3.36 $6.71

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.6 0 $1.60 $0.73
Efficient EV 3.8 0 $1.33 $0.61
EV Truck/SUV 6.1 0 $2.13 $0.97

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.

Forecast as of Apr 12, 2026

Origin

Crittenden, KY

Late night in Crittenden on Sunday

Local time

12:21 AM

EDT

Current temp

82°F

Mostly Sunny

S 6 to 15 mph 3% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 9:33AM EDT by NWS Louisville KY

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 4:14AM EDT by NWS Louisville KY

Destination

Independence, KY

Late night in Independence on Sunday

Local time

12:21 AM

EDT

Current temp

82°F

Mostly Sunny

S 8 to 16 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 9:33AM EDT by NWS Louisville KY

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 4:14AM EDT by NWS Louisville KY

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

23m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive offers a mixed-road profile, alternating between the efficiency of the interstate and the pace of local thoroughfares. You will spend roughly 32% of your time on highways, with your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 4.9 miles on I-75. As you navigate away from the interstate, the character of the road shifts to the more localized feel of Walton Nicholson Pike and Madison Pike. This transition from high-speed transit to smaller arterial roads keeps the driving experience varied despite the short total distance. You will find that the route balances the necessity of quick highway travel with the accessibility of secondary roads.

32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.9 mi on I 75.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 15.2 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.1 miles (School Road): Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

950 ft 798 ft

Total Climb

226 ft

Total Descent

263 ft

Highest Point

950 ft

~8.2 mi in

Elevation Range

152 ft

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 Crittenden, KY to Independence, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Walton along the way.

Walton

5.6 mi in | ~6m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 15.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

23m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 4.9 miles on I 75. 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 0.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.1 miles (School Road): Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Independence, KY 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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