Origin
Garden City, MO
Late night in Garden City on Sunday
Local time
2:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Garden City, MO to Independence, 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 3m
Distance
44.7 mi
72 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Garden City, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Independence, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Garden City to Independence, Missouri, you are in for a straightforward 52-mile journey. Clocking in at approximately 54 minutes, this trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning there is no need to worry about overnight logistics. You can expect to spend about $8 on fuel for the trek, making it a very budget-friendly transit across the Midwest. The route relies on a combination of I-49 North, MO-291 North, and Southwest Jefferson Street. Because the duration is under an hour, it serves as an efficient connection between these two Missouri locations without requiring a major time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MO 7 | 11.9 mi | 13m |
| South Noland Road | 8.9 mi | 15m |
| MO 58 | 8.5 mi | 11m |
| MO 291 | 8.3 mi | 12m |
| US 50 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Blue Parkway | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| MO F | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Southwest Jefferson Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MO 7
— 11.9 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Garden City, MO and Independence, MO.
1
Start on Main Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Main Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto MO F
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
MO F
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
4
Merge onto MO 7
8.6 mi
·
9 min
·
MO 7
5
Take the exit onto MO 7
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
MO 7
Toward I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kansas City
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 160
Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
7
Keep slight right at fork
243 ft
·
6 sec
Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
8
Merge onto MO 291
8.3 mi
·
12 min
·
MO 291
9
Turn slight left onto MO 58; MO 291
8.5 mi
·
11 min
·
MO 58; MO 291
10
Continue on Southwest Jefferson Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Southwest Jefferson Street
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward US 50 West: Kansas City
12
Merge onto US 50
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
US 50
13
Continue on MO 350
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Blue Parkway
14
Turn right onto MO V
5.9 mi
·
9 min
·
South Noland Road
15
Continue on South Noland Road
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
South Noland Road
16
Turn left onto East Walnut Street
466 ft
·
22 sec
·
East Walnut Street
17
Turn right onto South Lynn Street
394 ft
·
22 sec
·
South Lynn Street
18
Turn left onto East Kansas Avenue
145 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Kansas Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
East Kansas Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.4 miles from Garden City, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 9.8 and 44.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
9.8 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
MO 7
Take the exit onto MO 7 toward I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kansas City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kan...
5
13.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 160
Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
6
13.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward MO 291 North: Lee's Summit
5
30.2 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward US 50 West: Kansas City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 50 West: Kansas City
5
44.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
South Lynn Street
Turn right onto South Lynn Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.99 one way
$13.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.67 | $15.35 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.60 | $17.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.87 | $19.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.69 | $2.15 |
| Efficient EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.91 | $1.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Independence, MO
Late night in Independence on Sunday
Local time
2:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Lee's Summit, MO
22 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 3m 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 mindless highway cruise on this route. While you will utilize sections of I-49 North and MO-291 North, the journey is characterized by frequent transitions rather than a high percentage of highway miles. You will not face any monotonous, long-distance stretches, as the road requires your active attention to navigate the local turns. This path offers a functional, hands-on driving experience that changes rhythm as you shift from interstate segments to the local streets of Independence. The lack of a single, extended highway stretch keeps the drive engaging as you navigate the regional landscape.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.9 mi on MO 7.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MO 7 and South Noland Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.8 miles in near MO 7.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.7 miles you will encounter 12 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: at 9.8 miles (MO 7): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 13.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 44.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.9 miles on MO 7. 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, MO 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 9.8 miles (MO 7): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 13.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Independence, 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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