Davenport, IA to Red Oak, IA is 283.9 miles and takes about 5h 37m via I 80 and US 6, with a fuel budget near $44 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, traversing Iowa for its entirety. Given the relatively short duration and predominantly highway profile, this route is best suited for a single-day drive. You'll find the drive straightforward, connecting two points within the same state without significant logistical hurdles. Plan for a day of efficient travel across the heartland.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
142 miles from Davenport, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 41m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
164.3 mi
2h 58m
US 6
65.3 mi
1h 12m
110 Street
14 mi
20m
550th Street
10 mi
14m
White Pole Road
9 mi
13m
650th Street
6.5 mi
9m
East 7th Street
3.5 mi
6m
West Kimberly Road
2.9 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 164.3 mi, about 2h 58m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,933 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,316
Quietest
2 AM
~175 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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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 Red Oak, 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
102 mi·1 hr 51 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
62 mi·1 hr 7 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: OmahaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto US 6
0.4 mi·48 sec·US 6
Toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
10
Turn left onto US 6; US 71
6.5 mi·9 min·650th Street
11
Turn right onto US 6; US 71
3.5 mi·6 min·East 7th Street
12
Continue on US 6; IA 83
0.1 mi·20 sec·White Pole Road
13
Continue on US 6
0.6 mi·1 min·West 7th Street
14
Continue on US 6
0.8 mi·1 min·Southwest 7th Street
15
Continue on US 6
8.9 mi·13 min·White Pole Road
16
Turn left onto IA 48
5.3 mi·7 min·550th Street
17
Continue on IA 48
1.0 mi·1 min·Adair Street
18
Continue on IA 48
4.8 mi·7 min·550th Street
19
Continue on IA 48
0.9 mi·1 min·M Avenue
20
Continue on IA 48
14 mi·20 min·110 Street
21
Turn left onto West Hammond Street
0.4 mi·1 min·West Hammond Street
22
Turn right onto North 7th Street
300 ft·15 sec·North 7th Street
23
Turn right onto East Reed Street
329 ft·14 sec·East Reed Street
24
Arrive at destination
East Reed Street
Trip Plan
For this 5-hour drive, leaving Davenport in the morning is ideal to ensure you arrive in Red Oak with plenty of daylight. With only one recommended stop, you can be flexible with your timing. The primary highway, I 80, offers ample services, so you shouldn't have trouble finding fuel. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you approach the end of the 164.3-mile stretch on I 80, as services can sometimes be spaced out on longer highway segments. This is a trip you can comfortably complete in one day, allowing for a relaxed pace.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 142 miles from Davenport, IA, or about 2h 41m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 164.3 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 62 miles or 1h 14m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 142 miles or 2h 41m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Red Oak, 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 283.9 miles and 5h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 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 164.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 283.9 — 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
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
7
174.5 mi into trip|~3h 16m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Omaha
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 West: Omaha
5
236.7 mi into trip|~4h 23m in|US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
5
283.9 mi into trip|~5h 36m in|East Reed Street
Turn right onto East Reed Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.20 one way
$94.40 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg99 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$51.41
$102.83
premium
$5.18
$57.93
$115.86
diesel
$5.35
$59.80
$119.60
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 99.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
85.2
1
$29.81
$13.63
Efficient EV
71
0
$24.84
$11.36
EV Truck/SUV
113.6
1
$39.75
$18.17
Gas CO2
99 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Davenport, IA
Afternoon
in Davenport on Wednesday
Local time
3:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Partly Cloudy
E 5 mph13% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Red Oak, IA
Afternoon
in Red Oak on Wednesday
Local time
3:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Partly Cloudy
E 2 mph6% chanceLive forecast
67°F
Mitchellville, IA
142 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
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
5h 37m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
With 81% of this route on highways, expect long stretches of consistent cruising. The longest continuous segment is 164.3 miles on I 80. After that, you'll transition to US 6 and 110 Street, which will offer a change of pace with more local traffic and potentially more frequent exits. The shift from interstate speeds to surface roads will be noticeable as you get closer to Red Oak.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 164.3 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and US 6. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Marquette Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 37m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Marquette Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (US 6 / West Kimberly Road): Navigation decision point; at 174.5 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,352 ft587 ft
Total Climb
936 ft
Total Descent
474 ft
Highest Point
1,352 ft
~223.1 mi in
Elevation Range
765 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 Red Oak, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Audubon 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 164.3 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 34 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.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 34 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Marquette Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (US 6 / West Kimberly Road): Navigation decision point; at 174.5 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.6 hours each way, a round trip means 11.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Red Oak, IA before the return drive.
