Origin
Gresham, NE
Late night in Gresham on Sunday
Local time
12:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gresham, NE to McCool Junction, NE
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
29.9 mi
48 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gresham, NE
Gaby Lopez
McCool Junction, NE
Jan van der Wolf
Trip Overview
This short 29.9-mile drive from Gresham to McCool Junction, Nebraska, is perfect for a single-day trip, taking about 36 minutes to complete. You'll primarily be on Highway 69 and I-80, with a brief stint on South Lincoln Avenue. With a fuel cost estimated at $5, this is an economical journey. The route stays within the Great Plains region, offering a consistent landscape. Given its brevity, there are no planned stops, and you can easily fit this into any schedule. It's a straightforward drive, ideal for a quick transit or a short scenic excursion within the state.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 69 | 8.7 mi | 10m |
| I 80 | 6.4 mi | 6m |
| South Lincoln Avenue | 5.1 mi | 5m |
| Road S | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| Highway 34 | 3 mi | 3m |
| Strickler Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| S-93F | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Elm Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 69
— 8.7 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gresham, NE and McCool Junction, NE.
1
Start on Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
Elm Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto N-69
8.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Highway 69
3
Turn right onto US 34; I 80 Alt
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 34
4
Turn left onto L-93B; I 80 Alt
231 ft
·
6 sec
·
Road S
5
Continue on L-93B; I 80 Alt
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Strickler Street
6
Continue on L-93B; I 80 Alt
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Road S
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward NE 93B Link: Waco
8
Merge onto I 80
6.4 mi
·
6 min
·
I 80
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward US 81: York, Geneva
10
Turn left onto US 81; I 80 Alternate
5.1 mi
·
5 min
·
South Lincoln Avenue
11
Turn left onto S-93F
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
S-93F
12
Turn right onto West M Street
21 ft
·
0 sec
·
West M Street
13
Arrive at destination
West M Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 29.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
N-69 / Highway 69
At end of road, turn left onto N-69 / Highway 69
Navigation decision point
3
9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
US 34; I 80 Alt / Highway 34
Turn right onto US 34; I 80 Alt / Highway 34
Navigation decision point
4
17.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the ramp toward NE 93B Link: Waco
Navigation decision point
Toward NE 93B Link: Waco
5
24 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward US 81: York, Geneva
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 81: York, Geneva
4
29.9 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
West M Street
Turn right onto West M Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.67 one way
$9.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.13 | $10.26 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.75 | $11.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.60 | $13.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.62 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.91 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
McCool Junction, NE
Late night in McCool Junction on Sunday
Local time
12:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
36m 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 highway-focused drive for this 29.9-mile journey, with 61% of the route utilizing major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.7 miles on Highway 69, offering a chance to settle into a steady pace. While the majority is on highways, including I-80, the inclusion of South Lincoln Avenue suggests a brief transition to a more local road feel as you approach your destination. This mix provides a dynamic driving experience without being overly complex, keeping your travel time to a brisk 36 minutes.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.7 mi on Highway 69.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 69 and I 80. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near N-69 / Highway 69.
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 36m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (N-69 / Highway 69): Navigation decision point; at 9 miles (US 34; I 80 Alt / Highway 34): Navigation decision point; at 17.3 miles: Navigation decision point.
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 Gresham, NE to McCool Junction, NE, road signs begin pointing toward Geneva along the way.
Geneva
24 mi in
|
~29m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 29.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.7 miles on Highway 69. 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.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through NE can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (N-69 / Highway 69): Navigation decision point; at 9 miles (US 34; I 80 Alt / Highway 34): Navigation decision point; at 17.3 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at McCool Junction, NE 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
·