Origin
Fort Thomas, KY
Morning in Fort Thomas on Tuesday
Local time
6:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fort Thomas, KY to Independence, KY
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
25m
Distance
15.4 mi
25 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fort Thomas, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Independence, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Fort Thomas, KY to Independence, KY is 15.4 miles and takes about 25 minutes via Madison Pike and Ronald Reagan Highway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Southeast region, connecting two points in Kentucky. It's a very local drive, best suited for a quick hop rather than a destination in itself. Consider this route for its directness if you're looking to move between these two areas efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Madison Pike | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| Ronald Reagan Highway | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| KY 17 Business | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| I 471 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Grand Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Highland Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Tremont Avenue | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Alexandria Pike | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Madison Pike
— 5.2 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Thomas, KY and Independence, KY.
1
Start on KY 1120
346 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Fort Thomas Avenue
2
Turn right onto Tremont Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Tremont Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto KY 1892
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Grand Avenue
4
Turn left onto Highland Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Highland Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto US 27; KY 8
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Alexandria Pike
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 471 South
7
Merge onto I 471
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 471
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1B
Toward I 275 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 275
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 80
Toward KY 17: Independence, Covington
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto KY 17
5.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Madison Pike
Toward Independence
Use the left / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto KY 17 Business
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Pelly Road
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on KY 17 Business
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
KY 17 Business
14
Arrive at destination
KY 17 Business; KY 2045
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 8.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Highland Avenue
Turn left onto Highland Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
3.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward I 275 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward I 275 West
5
3.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 275 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Merge onto I 275 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
8.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward KY 17: Independence, Covington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 80
Toward KY 17: Independence, Covington
6
8.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
KY 17 / Madison Pike
Turn right onto KY 17 / Madison Pike toward Independence
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward Independence
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.41 one way
$4.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.64 | $5.29 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.96 | $5.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.40 | $6.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.35 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.16 | $0.99 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Independence, KY
Morning in Independence on Tuesday
Local time
6:12 AM
EDT
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
20 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
25m 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 with a 13% highway share. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be about 5.2 miles on Madison Pike. The route begins by navigating local roads before transitioning onto the Ronald Reagan Highway and then KY 17 Business. This mix means you'll experience both slower, more involved driving on local streets and quicker segments on the highway.
Only 13% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.2 mi on Madison Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near Highland Avenue.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 15.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (Highland Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (I 275 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Fort Thomas, KY to Independence, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Covington along the way.
Covington
8.4 mi in
|
~13m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 25m. Total distance: 15.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.2 miles on Madison Pike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Independence, KY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: at 1.1 miles (Highland Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (I 275 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Independence, KY 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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