Origin
Excelsior Springs, MO
Late night in Excelsior Springs on Sunday
Local time
2:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Excelsior Springs, MO to Lee's Summit, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
36.6 mi
59 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Excelsior Springs, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Lee's Summit, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel between Excelsior Springs and Lee's Summit, you are in for a short, straightforward trip across the Missouri heartland. Spanning 42.3 miles, this drive typically takes about 49 minutes to complete. Because of the manageable distance, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stay. You can expect to spend roughly $6 on fuel for the journey, making it a very budget-friendly commute within the Midwest. While it is a simple connection between two regional hubs, knowing the layout of the local roads will help you navigate the transition smoothly.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MO 291 | 18.9 mi | 26m |
| MO 210 | 7.7 mi | 9m |
| MO JJ | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Saint Louis Avenue | 3.2 mi | 7m |
| MO H | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Southeast 3rd Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Southwest 3rd Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Thompson Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MO 291
— 18.9 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Excelsior Springs, MO and Lee's Summit, MO.
1
Start on South Thompson Avenue
105 ft
·
11 sec
·
South Thompson Avenue
2
Turn sharp right onto MO 10
136 ft
·
7 sec
·
Saint Louis Avenue
3
Continue on MO 10
3.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Saint Louis Avenue
4
Continue on MO H
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
MO H
5
Turn left onto MO JJ
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
MO JJ
6
Turn right onto MO 210
7.7 mi
·
9 min
·
MO 210
7
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward MO 291 South: Independence
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto MO 291
16 mi
·
22 min
·
MO 291
9
Keep slight left at fork onto MO 291
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
MO 291
Exit 10B
Toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
10
Turn right onto Southeast 3rd Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Southeast 3rd Street
11
Continue on Southwest 3rd Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Southwest 3rd Street
12
Arrive at destination
Southwest 3rd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Excelsior Springs, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 32.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MO 10 / Saint Louis Avenue
Turn sharp right onto MO 10 / Saint Louis Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
4.5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
MO JJ
Turn left onto MO JJ
Navigation decision point
6
16.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Turn left toward MO 291 South: Independence
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward MO 291 South: Independence
3
16.5 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
MO 291
Merge onto MO 291
Merge point - match speed before joining
8
32.9 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
MO 291
Keep slight left at fork onto MO 291 toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 10B
Toward MO 291 South: Harrisonville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.72 one way
$11.44 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.28 | $12.57 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.04 | $14.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.08 | $16.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.84 | $1.76 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.20 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.12 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Lee's Summit, MO
Late night in Lee's Summit on Sunday
Local time
2:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
19 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
55m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features a zero percent highway share. You will spend the duration navigating winding paths, starting on Saint Louis Avenue before transitioning onto MO 291 South and eventually Southeast 3rd Street. Because the longest stretch of road is effectively zero miles on Saint Louis Avenue, you should remain alert for frequent turns throughout the entire 49-minute trip. The personality of this drive is strictly local, offering a hands-on experience behind the wheel that requires your full attention compared to a monotonous highway trek.
73% 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: 18.9 mi on MO 291.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MO 291 and MO 210. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MO 10 / Saint Louis Avenue.
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 55m drive. You will face about 6 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 (MO 10 / Saint Louis Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 4.5 miles (MO JJ): Navigation decision point; at 16.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 36.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.9 miles on MO 291. 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 (MO 10 / Saint Louis Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 4.5 miles (MO JJ): Navigation decision point; at 16.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lee's Summit, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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