Origin
Eldridge, IA
Night in Eldridge on Saturday
Local time
9:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eldridge, IA to Iowa City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
56.9 mi
92 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eldridge, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Eldridge, IA to Iowa City, IA is 56.9 miles and takes about 1h 8m via US 61, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive stays within Iowa, moving you from one part of the Midwest to another. It’s a short enough trip that you can easily complete it in a single day, making it ideal for a quick transfer or a brief excursion. Expect a route that is predominantly highway, so you'll be covering ground efficiently. Consider this a simple, direct connection between your starting and ending points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 61 | 52.5 mi | 57m |
| North Dodge Street | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| East Leclaire Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Gilbert Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North 1st Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Church Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Donahue Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North 2nd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 61
— 52.5 mi, about 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eldridge, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on North 2nd Street
73 ft
·
5 sec
·
North 2nd Street
2
Turn right onto Donahue Street
312 ft
·
12 sec
·
Donahue Street
3
Turn right onto North 1st Street
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
North 1st Street
4
Turn left onto East Leclaire Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Leclaire Road
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
6
Merge onto US 61
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
US 61
7
Take the exit onto US 61
49 mi
·
53 min
·
US 61
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
9
Turn left onto IA 1
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
North Dodge Street
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn right onto Church Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Church Street
11
Turn left onto North Gilbert Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Gilbert Street
12
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.5 miles from Eldridge, IA, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 56.2 — 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
|
Donahue Street
Turn right onto Donahue Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North 1st Street
Turn right onto North 1st Street
Navigation decision point
4
53.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
4
54.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
IA 1 / North Dodge Street
Turn left onto IA 1 / North Dodge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
56.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
Church Street
Turn right onto Church Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.90 one way
$17.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.77 | $19.53 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.95 | $21.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.56 | $25.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.97 | $2.73 |
| Efficient EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.98 | $2.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.8 | 0 | $7.97 | $3.64 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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.
Destination
Iowa City, IA
Night in Iowa City on Saturday
Local time
9:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
50°F
Wilton, IA
28 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
23 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 8m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 92% of the journey taking place on major roads. You’ll spend a significant portion of your time on US 61, experiencing an uninterrupted stretch of 52.5 miles. The route primarily utilizes US 61, North Dodge Street, and East Leclaire Road, suggesting a consistent, high-speed travel experience. This means you'll likely encounter smooth sailing for most of the trip, with minimal slowdowns or complex navigation. It’s designed for getting from point A to point B with efficiency.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 52.5 mi on US 61.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 61 and North Dodge Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Donahue Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 8m drive. You will face about 9 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 (Donahue Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 53.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 56.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 52.5 miles on US 61. 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 (Donahue Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 53.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Iowa City, IA 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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