East Independence, MO to Ellisville, MO is 223.1 miles and takes about 4h 22m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Missouri, taking you from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. Most of the route follows major highways, making for a straightforward trip. With a recommended one-day drive time and a moderate fuel cost, this is a practical option for a quick hop between cities.
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
111.6 miles from East Independence, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
135.3 mi
2h 34m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
Avenue of the Saints
19.1 mi
23m
Clarkson Road
4.5 mi
8m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
1.9 mi
2m
South Little Blue Parkway
1.7 mi
3m
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
1m
South Jackson Drive
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 135.3 mi, about 2h 34m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 34 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,930 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,487
Quietest
1 AM
~260 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 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 East Independence, MO and Ellisville, MO.
1
Start on East 9th Street South
79 ft·8 sec·East 9th Street South
2
Turn left onto Main Road
0.3 mi·1 min·Main Road
3
Turn left onto East Truman Road
0.7 mi·1 min·East Truman Road
4
Turn right onto Holke Road
0.9 mi·1 min·Holke Road
5
Turn straight onto South Jackson Drive
1.2 mi·2 min·South Jackson Drive
6
Turn left onto East R.D. Mize Road
0.2 mi·37 sec·East R.D. Mize Road
7
Turn right onto South Little Blue Parkway
1.7 mi·3 min·South Little Blue Parkway
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·38 sec
Exit 17Toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall EntranceUse the left lane.
9
Continue on I 70
53 mi·56 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
10
Continue on I 70; US 40
32 mi·34 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
22 mi·24 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
12
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
13
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
14
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.9 mi·2 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
15
Continue on I 70; US 40
81 mi·1 hr 35 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
16
Take the exit onto US 40
0.3 mi·33 sec·US 40
Exit 210AToward I 64 East, US 40 East, US 61 South: Chesterfield
17
Merge onto I 64; US 40; US 61
19 mi·23 min·Avenue of the Saints
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi·57 sec
Exit 19BToward MO 340: Olive Boulevard, Clarkson RoadUse the slight right lane.
19
Turn slight right
183 ft·6 sec
Toward MO 340
20
Turn straight onto MO 340
4.5 mi·8 min·Clarkson Road
21
Turn right onto MO 100
0.2 mi·45 sec·Manchester Road
22
Turn uturn onto MO 100
425 ft·8 sec·Manchester Road
23
Arrive at destination
MO 100
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour, 22-minute drive, leaving in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight and avoid potential rush hour traffic. Since it's a single-day trip, you have flexibility with your departure time. There's one recommended stop noted, so plan for a brief break around the halfway point, perhaps after completing the 135.3-mile stretch on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is $35 for the 223.1-mile journey.
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 111.6 miles from East Independence, MO, or about 2h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 135.3 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 49 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 111.6 miles or 2h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ellisville, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving East Independence, MO 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 East Independence, MO
This is one driving day of about 223.1 miles and 4h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from East Independence, MO.
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 Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 135.3 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 and 223 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Main Road
Turn left onto Main Road
Navigation decision point
8
5 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the ramp toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall Entrance
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Exit 17
Toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall E...
6
198.5 mi into trip|~3h 48m in|US 40
Take the exit onto US 40 toward I 64 East, US 40 East, US 61 South: Chesterfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 210A
Toward I 64 East, US 40 East, US 61 South: Ches...
8
217.9 mi into trip|~4h 12m in
Take the exit toward MO 340: Olive Boulevard, Clarkson Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 19B
Toward MO 340: Olive Boulevard, Clarkson Road
8
223 mi into trip|~4h 22m in|MO 100 / Manchester Road
Turn uturn onto MO 100 / Manchester Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.22 one way
$74.43 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg78 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.62
$40.61
$81.21
premium
$5.25
$46.14
$92.28
diesel
$6.28
$55.13
$110.25
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
66.9
0
$23.43
$10.71
Efficient EV
55.8
0
$19.52
$8.92
EV Truck/SUV
89.2
1
$31.23
$14.28
Gas CO2
78 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
East Independence, MO
Night
in East Independence on Saturday
Local time
10:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Partly Sunny
S 6 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Ellisville, MO
Night
in Ellisville on Saturday
Local time
10:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Sunny
SE 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
52°F
Centralia, MO
112 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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 22m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Gateway Arch National Park
National Park
Gateway Arch National Park commemorates President Jefferson’s vision of a continental nation, the individuals and cultural groups who helped shape its history, St. Louis’ role in westward expansion, a...
22 mi from route
~54 min detour
$19
near mile 223.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend most of your time on surface roads, as the highway share is only 100%. The longest continuous stretch on a main road is 135.3 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Expect a driving experience with frequent changes in speed and scenery as you transition between highway cruising and navigating local routes. The profile is mostly surface roads, so be prepared for potential traffic signals and intersections.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 135.3 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
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 Main Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 22m 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: near the start (Main Road): Navigation decision point; at 5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 198.5 miles (US 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 135.3 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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: near the start (Main Road): Navigation decision point; at 5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 198.5 miles (US 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Gateway Arch National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Ellisville, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
