Davenport to Prairie City is 148.1 miles and takes about 2h 51m via I 80 and US 6, with a fuel budget near $23 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip keeps you within the Midwest, traversing the state of Iowa for its entirety. Expect a straightforward drive that emphasizes efficient travel over extensive sightseeing. Given its relatively short duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing ample time for your destination. It’s a practical choice if you need to get from point A to point B without a lot of fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
74 miles from Davenport, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 27m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
66.8 mi
1h 11m
US 6
64.9 mi
1h 11m
State Highway 117
4.3 mi
6m
West Kimberly Road
2.9 mi
4m
Hickory Grove Road
2.5 mi
5m
Old Hwy 6
1.9 mi
3m
Marquette Street
1 mi
2m
County Highway F48 West
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 66.8 mi, about 1h 11m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,008 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,415
Quietest
2 AM
~146 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Davenport, IA and Prairie City, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Marquette Street
1.0 mi·2 min·Marquette Street
3
Turn left onto US 6 Hist
0.5 mi·1 min·West Locust Street
4
Turn slight right onto US 6 Hist
2.5 mi·5 min·Hickory Grove Road
5
At end of road, turn left onto US 6
2.9 mi·4 min·West Kimberly Road
6
Take the ramp onto US 6
65 mi·1 hr 11 min·US 6
7
Continue on I 80
67 mi·1 hr 11 min·I 80
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
Toward CR F48: Baxter
9
Turn left onto CR F48; US 6 Hist
1.9 mi·3 min·Old Hwy 6
10
Continue on CR F48; US 6 Hist
0.8 mi·1 min·Highway F48 West
11
Continue on CR F48; US 6 Hist
0.8 mi·1 min·County Highway F48 West
12
Turn left onto IA 117
0.4 mi·36 sec·South League Road
13
Continue on IA 117
4.3 mi·6 min·State Highway 117
14
Continue on North State Street
0.4 mi·35 sec·North State Street
15
Turn right onto East 5th Street
344 ft·15 sec·East 5th Street
16
Arrive at destination
East 5th Street
Trip Plan
With a drive time under three hours, you have the flexibility to depart at your leisure, but an early start ensures you arrive with plenty of daylight. Given the relatively short distance, you'll only encounter one designated stop point along the way, so plan your breaks strategically. The longest stretch without a major road change is 66.8 miles on I 80, so be sure to fuel up before you embark or at your last major access point. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you enter the final leg on State Highway 117, as services might be less frequent than on the interstate.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 74 miles from Davenport, IA, or about 1h 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 66.8 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 33 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 74 miles or 1h 27m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Prairie City, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Davenport, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Davenport, IA
This is one driving day of about 148.1 miles and 2h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Davenport, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 66.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Early stretch
4.5 mi from route
~11 min detour
$1 to $10
Coralville, Iowa
Hours: 10 am–9 pm
+13196255568
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 139.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|Marquette Street
Turn right onto Marquette Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip|~3m in|US 6 Hist / West Locust Street
Turn left onto US 6 Hist / West Locust Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.7 mi into trip|~10m in|US 6 / West Kimberly Road
At end of road, turn left onto US 6 / West Kimberly Road
Navigation decision point
4
139.2 mi into trip|~2h 37m in
Take the exit toward CR F48: Baxter
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward CR F48: Baxter
4
139.4 mi into trip|~2h 37m in|CR F48; US 6 Hist / Old Hwy 6
Turn left onto CR F48; US 6 Hist / Old Hwy 6
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.62 one way
$49.25 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg52 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$26.82
$53.64
premium
$5.18
$30.22
$60.44
diesel
$5.35
$31.19
$62.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
44.4
0
$15.55
$7.11
Efficient EV
37
0
$12.96
$5.92
EV Truck/SUV
59.2
0
$20.73
$9.48
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (67% 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 May 23, 2026
Origin
Davenport, IA
Afternoon
in Davenport on Wednesday
Local time
4:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Cloudy
E 0 to 5 mph5% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Prairie City, IA
Afternoon
in Prairie City on Wednesday
Local time
4:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers
SSE 3 to 7 mph27% chanceLive forecast
89°F
Tiffin, IA
74 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
2h 51m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 93% of the route utilizing major highways, primarily I 80 and US 6. You'll experience a significant stretch of uninterrupted driving on I 80, covering 66.8 miles at once. The character is largely that of steady highway travel, designed for covering ground efficiently. While it’s predominantly highway, there are moments where you'll transition to State Highway 117, offering a slight change in scenery and pace as you near your destination.
93% 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: 66.8 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and US 6. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Marquette Street.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Davenport, IA to Prairie City, IA is easy. At 2h 51m with 93% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Marquette Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 6 Hist / West Locust Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (US 6 / West Kimberly Road): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,005 ft587 ft
Total Climb
501 ft
Total Descent
161 ft
Highest Point
1,005 ft
~116.4 mi in
Elevation Range
417 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 Davenport, IA to Prairie City, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Cr F48: Baxter along the way.
Davenport is one of the Quad Cities, in Eastern Iowa. This Midwestern city on the bank of the Mississippi River has seen a great deal of action throughout history. Today Davenport offers visitors interesting museums, activities and culinary experiences. Being one of the Quad Cities, a side trip to another city is easily doable - just follow the color coded signs!
Top landmarks
•Sacred Heart Cathedral — cathedral church for the Catholic Diocese of Davenport
•Lock and Dam No. 15 — lock and dam on the Mississippi River between Rock Island, Illinois and Davenpor...
The longest stretch is about 66.8 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 22 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Marquette Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 6 Hist / West Locust Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (US 6 / West Kimberly Road): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Prairie City, IA before heading back.
