Origin
Gretna, VA
Late night in Gretna on Sunday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gretna, VA to Roanoke, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
53.9 mi
87 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gretna, VA
ᛟᛞᚨᛚᚹ ᚨᚱᚲᛟᚾᛊᚲᛁ
Roanoke, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Gretna, VA to Roanoke, VA is 53.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 21 minutes via Old Franklin Turnpike, West Gretna Road, and Jubal Early Highway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Southeast region, primarily in Virginia. Expect a mixed drive that isn't overly long, making it a solid option for a single-day excursion. It’s a straightforward journey that doesn't require extensive planning, allowing for a relaxed pace.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Old Franklin Turnpike | 15.6 mi | 21m |
| West Gretna Road | 13.7 mi | 18m |
| Jubal Early Highway | 9.5 mi | 12m |
| VA 122 | 7.1 mi | 10m |
| JAE Valley Road | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| 9th Street Southeast | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Riverland Road Southeast | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| Mount Pleasant Boulevard Southeast | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Old Franklin Turnpike
— 15.6 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gretna, VA and Roanoke, VA.
1
Start on SR 792
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Northside Drive
2
Continue on SR 1307
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Center Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto SR 1309
347 ft
·
10 sec
·
Huffmond Street
4
Turn right onto SR 792
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Henry Street
5
At end of road, turn left onto SR 1302
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Leftwich Street
6
At end of road, turn right onto VA 40
14 mi
·
18 min
·
West Gretna Road
7
Continue on VA 40
16 mi
·
21 min
·
Old Franklin Turnpike
8
Turn right onto VA 122
7.1 mi
·
10 min
·
VA 122
9
Turn left onto VA 116
9.5 mi
·
12 min
·
Jubal Early Highway
10
Continue on VA 116
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
JAE Valley Road
11
Continue on VA 116
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Mount Pleasant Boulevard Southeast
12
Continue on VA 116
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Riverland Road Southeast
13
Enter roundabout onto VA 116
184 ft
·
6 sec
·
Riverland Road Southeast
14
Continue on VA 116
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Riverland Road Southeast
15
Turn right onto 9th Street Southeast
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
9th Street Southeast
16
Turn left onto VA 24
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
Jamison Avenue Southeast
17
Continue on VA 24
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Elm Avenue Southeast
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn right onto VA 116
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Jefferson Street
19
Turn left onto Kirk Avenue Southwest
379 ft
·
22 sec
·
Kirk Avenue Southwest
20
Turn left
115 ft
·
13 sec
21
Turn left
132 ft
·
9 sec
22
Arrive at destination
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 26.9 miles from Gretna, VA, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 53.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
SR 1309 / Huffmond Street
At end of road, turn left onto SR 1309 / Huffmond Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
SR 1302 / Leftwich Street
At end of road, turn left onto SR 1302 / Leftwich Street
Navigation decision point
5
50.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
|
VA 116 / Riverland Road Southeast
Enter roundabout onto VA 116 / Riverland Road Southeast
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
53.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
53.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.43 one way
$16.86 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $9.22 | $18.43 |
| premium | $4.70 | $9.98 | $19.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.90 | $23.80 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.09
Old Franklin Turnpike
(15.6 mi)
$1.09
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 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 | 16.2 | 0 | $5.66 | $2.59 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.72 | $2.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.55 | $3.45 |
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
Roanoke, VA
Late night in Roanoke on Sunday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Rocky Mount, VA
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
11 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 21m 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 route offers a mixed drive experience, with 42% of it on highways. You'll encounter stretches on roads like Old Franklin Turnpike, West Gretna Road, and Jubal Early Highway. The longest continuous segment you'll navigate is 15.6 miles on Old Franklin Turnpike. This suggests a blend of faster-paced travel and potentially more local road sections as you progress towards Roanoke.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.6 mi on Old Franklin Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near SR 1309 / Huffmond Street.
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 21m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (SR 1309 / Huffmond Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (SR 1302 / Leftwich Street): Navigation decision point; at 50.9 miles (VA 116 / Riverland Road Southeast): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 53.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.6 miles on Old Franklin Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.09 in tolls one way, starting with Old Franklin Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 0.3 miles (SR 1309 / Huffmond Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (SR 1302 / Leftwich Street): Navigation decision point; at 50.9 miles (VA 116 / Riverland Road Southeast): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Roanoke, VA 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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