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Trip from East Independence, MO to La Monte, MO

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

Drive Time

1h 27m

Distance

70 mi

113 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 21m ★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m

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

Downtown East Independence, MO, MO

East Independence, MO

Momo King

Downtown La Monte, MO, MO

La Monte, MO

Anatolii Maks

Trip Overview

East Independence, MO to La Monte, MO is 70 miles and takes about 1 hour 27 minutes via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, MO 13, and US 50, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, making it a straightforward journey between two points in Missouri. The drive is characterized as a mixed experience, suggesting you'll encounter different types of roads rather than a single monotonous stretch. It's a short enough drive that you can easily complete it in a single day, allowing for flexibility in your departure time and potential for spontaneous stops.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway 32.3 mi 35m
MO 13 17.2 mi 21m
US 50 13.7 mi 15m
South Little Blue Parkway 1.7 mi 3m
South Jackson Drive 1.2 mi 2m
Holke Road 0.9 mi 1m
South Main Street 0.7 mi 1m
East Truman Road 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway — 32.3 mi, about 35m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between East Independence, MO and La Monte, 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 17 Toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall Entrance Use the left lane.
9

Continue on I 70

32 mi · 35 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Exit 49 Toward MO 13: Higginsville, Warrensburg
11

Turn right onto MO 13

12 mi · 15 min · MO 13
12

Enter roundabout onto MO 13

206 ft · 3 sec · MO 13
13

Continue on MO 13

5.1 mi · 6 min · MO 13
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 46 sec
Toward US 50 East: Sedalia, Jefferson City
15

Merge onto US 50

14 mi · 15 min · US 50
16

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec
17

Turn left

84 ft · 4 sec
18

Turn right onto MO 127

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Front Street
19

Turn left onto MO 127

0.7 mi · 1 min · South Main Street
20

Turn left onto West Pine Street

219 ft · 9 sec · West Pine Street
21

Arrive at destination

West Pine Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Lafayette County, Missouri, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Odessa, MO

35 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Odessa, MO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Higginsville, MO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 35 miles from East Independence, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 54.9 — 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
37.6 mi into trip | ~46m in

Take the exit toward MO 13: Higginsville, Warrensburg

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 49 Toward MO 13: Higginsville, Warrensburg
5
49.9 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in | MO 13

Enter roundabout onto MO 13

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

6
54.9 mi into trip | ~1h 8m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 50 East: Sedalia, Jefferson City

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 50 East: Sedalia, Jefferson City

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.94 one way

$21.89 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $12.02 $24.03
premium $4.89 $13.47 $26.94
diesel $5.61 $15.46 $30.91

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 24.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 21 0 $7.35 $3.36
Efficient EV 17.5 0 $6.13 $2.80
EV Truck/SUV 28 0 $9.80 $4.48

Gas CO2

24 kg

EV CO2

8 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 Apr 17, 2026

Origin

East Independence, MO

Night in East Independence on Saturday

Local time

11:17 PM

CDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

La Monte, MO

Night in La Monte on Saturday

Local time

11:17 PM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Mostly Cloudy

S 13 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 17 at 2:14AM CDT until April 18 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Springfield MO

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 17 at 1:42AM CDT until April 18 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO

72°F

Odessa, MO

35 mi in

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

6 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

1h 27m 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?

You'll experience a mixed drive on this route, with a significant portion, 47%, being highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 32.3 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. This means you'll have periods of faster travel before transitioning to other roads. Expect the character of the drive to change as you progress, moving from interstate-style highways to potentially more local or state routes as you approach your destination.

47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.3 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.

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 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Road.

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 70 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start (Main Road): Navigation decision point; at 5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

892 ft 731 ft

Total Climb

372 ft

Total Descent

342 ft

Highest Point

892 ft

~10 mi in

Elevation Range

161 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between East Independence, MO and La Monte, MO, road signs point toward Mall Entrance, Warrensburg and Jefferson City.

Mall Entrance

5 mi in | ~10m

Warrensburg

37.6 mi in | ~46m

Jefferson City

54.9 mi in | ~1h 8m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 27m. Total distance: 70 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 32.3 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. 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 (Main Road): Navigation decision point; at 5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.6 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 La Monte, MO 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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