Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
22.7 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hoover, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Leeds, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Hoover, AL to Leeds, AL is 22.7 miles and takes about 31 minutes via John M. Harbert III Freeway and I 20, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Alabama, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Given its proximity and predominantly highway profile, it's a straightforward connection for local travel or as part of a larger itinerary. You'll find it's a quick drive, making it easy to fit into any schedule without needing an overnight stay.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John M. Harbert III Freeway | 13 mi | 13m |
| Parkway Drive Southwest | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| I 20 | 2.5 mi | 2m |
| I 65 | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Montgomery Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ashville Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Deo Dara Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Whispering Pines Circle | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 102 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,899 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~212 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Hoover, AL and Leeds, AL.
Start on Whispering Pines Circle
Turn right onto Deo Dara Drive
Turn left onto Old Columbiana Road
Turn right
Turn left
At end of road, turn right
Turn slight left
Turn left onto US 31
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 65
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 459
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 20
Take the exit
Turn straight onto US 78
Turn left onto Ashville Road
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 19.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 459: Atlanta, Gadsden, Tuscaloosa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 459 North: Atlanta, Gadsden
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 20: Birmingham, Atlanta
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 20 East: Atlanta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 78: Leeds
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$3.33 one way
$6.65 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.13 | $3.69 | $7.38 |
| premium | $4.49 | $4.01 | $8.02 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $5.00 | $10.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Hoover on Wednesday
Local time
7:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
96°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Evening in Leeds on Wednesday
Local time
7:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
93°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route is mostly highway, with 86% of the drive on major roads like the John M. Harbert III Freeway and I 20. You'll experience a longest stretch of 13 miles on the John M. Harbert III Freeway before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a high density of exits and merges as you navigate this primarily highway corridor. The final portion of the drive will involve more local traffic and lower speed limits.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on John M. Harbert III Freeway and Parkway Drive Southwest. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 22.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
365 ft
Total Descent
322 ft
Highest Point
715 ft
~16.2 mi in
Elevation Range
250 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hoover, AL and Leeds, AL, road signs point toward Gadsden, Tuscaloosa and Atlanta.
Gadsden
Tuscaloosa
Atlanta
Founded 1850
Hoover is a city in the Birmingham urban area in Metropolitan Alabama, south of central Birmingham. While most nearby attractions in the area are in the city of Birmingham, Hoover is an important shopping/retail area.
Founded 1887
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 22.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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