Origin
Fairbank, IA
Morning in Fairbank on Tuesday
Local time
10:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairbank, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
54.9 mi
88 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
5 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairbank, IA
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Fairbank, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA is 54.9 miles and takes about 1h 9m via Avenue of the Saints, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip entirely within Iowa's Midwest region. You'll be navigating local roads for the entirety of this journey, so expect a more connected-to-the-landscape feel rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. It's a short enough drive that you can easily depart in the morning and arrive with plenty of time to spare.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 32 mi | 34m |
| Baxter Avenue | 10.6 mi | 14m |
| Benson Shady Grove Avenue | 7.1 mi | 9m |
| 32nd Street Northeast | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| South Black Hawk Buchanan Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Main Street East | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Walnut Street South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 32 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairbank, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA.
1
Start on IA 281
69 ft
·
6 sec
·
4th Street South
2
Turn left onto IA 281
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Main Street East
3
Turn left onto IA 281
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Walnut Street South
4
Continue on CR V62
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Baxter Avenue
5
Enter roundabout onto CR V62
136 ft
·
2 sec
·
Baxter Avenue
6
Continue on CR V62
9.0 mi
·
12 min
·
Baxter Avenue
7
Continue on V62
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
8
At end of road, turn left onto CR D22
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
South Street
9
Turn right onto V65
7.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Benson Shady Grove Avenue
10
Continue on CR V65
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
South Black Hawk Buchanan Avenue
11
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
12
Merge onto I 380; IA 27
32 mi
·
34 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
14
Keep slight left at fork
121 ft
·
4 sec
15
Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
32nd Street Northeast
16
Turn right onto Crystal Drive Northeast
184 ft
·
10 sec
·
Crystal Drive Northeast
17
Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast
177 ft
·
7 sec
·
Crystal Drive Northeast
18
Continue on Tiperary Drive Northeast
428 ft
·
18 sec
·
Tiperary Drive Northeast
19
Arrive at destination
Tiperary Drive Northeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.5 miles from Fairbank, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 53.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 281 / Main Street East
Turn left onto IA 281 / Main Street East
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 281 / Walnut Street South
Turn left onto IA 281 / Walnut Street South
Navigation decision point
4
2.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
CR V62 / Baxter Avenue
Enter roundabout onto CR V62 / Baxter Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
12.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
CR D22 / South Street
At end of road, turn left onto CR D22 / South Street
Navigation decision point
5
53.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.58 one way
$17.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.42 | $18.85 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.57 | $21.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.12 | $24.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.76 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.80 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.69 | $3.51 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Cedar Rapids, IA
Morning in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday
Local time
10:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
43°F
Urbana, IA
27 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
18 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 9m 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 characterized by frequent turns, making it a dynamic local experience rather than a monotonous highway stretch. With a 0% highway share, you'll be on surface streets and county roads for the full 54.9 miles. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is 32 miles along Avenue of the Saints. Be prepared for a driving pace that is more in tune with rural and town speeds, with changes in road type and conditions as you move from one area to the next.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
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 IA 281 / Main Street East.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 9m 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 (IA 281 / Main Street East): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (IA 281 / Walnut Street South): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (CR V62 / Baxter Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
About the Cities
Arriving in Cedar Rapids, IA
Full guide →Cedar Rapids is a city in Eastern Iowa. In 2016, it was the second largest city in Iowa by population and is home to about 137,000 residents. Largely known as an industrial, working class city, Cedar Rapids has begun to grow and expand employment opportunities in the service sector, attracting new residents to the area. While out of the way of most major travel routes and destinations, a stop in Cedar Rapids may uncover a great taste of the Midwest. Typical Iowa hospitality is not lost here.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 54.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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 (IA 281 / Main Street East): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (IA 281 / Walnut Street South): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (CR V62 / Baxter Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cedar Rapids, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Cedar Rapids, IA
More from Fairbank, IA
More trips to Cedar Rapids, IA
Explore more options from Fairbank, IA or browse trips ending in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.