Origin
Imperial, MO
Late night in Imperial on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Imperial, MO to St. Louis, MO
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
30m
Distance
22.7 mi
37 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Imperial, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick commute or a simple day excursion within Missouri, the 22.8-mile journey from Imperial to St. Louis is an incredibly efficient trip. Expect to spend roughly 26 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day outing that requires no overnight stay. Navigating this route involves a blend of local paths including Old State Road and Imperial Main Street before transitioning onto I-55 North. With a fuel cost estimate of just $3, this is an exceptionally budget-friendly transit through the Midwest. It serves as a straightforward connection between these two points, offering a practical solution for travelers who value speed and simplicity over a lengthy road trip experience.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rosa Parks Highway | 12.5 mi | 15m |
| I 55 | 8 mi | 9m |
| South Tucker Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Gravois Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| White Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Imperial Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Old State Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Rosa Parks Highway
— 12.5 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Imperial, MO and St. Louis, MO.
1
Start on White Street
415 ft
·
23 sec
·
White Street
2
Turn left onto Old State Road
278 ft
·
14 sec
·
Old State Road
3
Turn right onto Imperial Main Street
373 ft
·
7 sec
·
Imperial Main Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 55 North: Saint Louis
5
Merge onto I 55
8.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I 55
6
Continue on I 55
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Rosa Parks Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 207A
Toward MO 30 East: Gravois Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn slight right onto Gravois Avenue
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Gravois Avenue
9
Continue on South Tucker Boulevard
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
South Tucker Boulevard
10
Turn right onto Market Street
86 ft
·
2 sec
·
Market Street
11
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 22.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Old State Road
Turn left onto Old State Road
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Imperial Main Street
Turn right onto Imperial Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 55 North: Saint Louis
Navigation decision point
Toward I 55 North: Saint Louis
7
20.9 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward MO 30 East: Gravois Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 207A
Toward MO 30 East: Gravois Avenue
4
22.7 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Market Street
Turn right onto Market Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.55 one way
$7.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.90 | $7.79 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.37 | $8.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.01 | $10.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
St. Louis, MO
Late night in St. Louis on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
30m 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 that demands your full attention as you transition between various road types. You will start by navigating local streets before merging onto I-55 North to cover the majority of the distance. Because the highway share is 0 percent of the total travel time in a technical sense, you should be prepared for frequent adjustments and varying speed limits throughout the transition. The route lacks long, monotonous stretches, instead favoring a more active driving experience that keeps you engaged. As you progress from the local roads of Imperial toward the urban environment of St. Louis, the road character shifts from suburban navigation to a more direct interstate approach.
35% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.5 mi on Rosa Parks Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 0.1 miles in near Old State Road.
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 30m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Old State Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Imperial Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
552 ft
424 ft
Total Climb
375 ft
Total Descent
351 ft
Highest Point
552 ft
~4.9 mi in
Elevation Range
128 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Imperial, MO
Full guide →St. Louis Area is the region around St. Louis, Missouri. It borders St. Louis Metro East (Illinois) along the Mississippi River. Within Missouri, it borders Southeast Missouri, Central Missouri, and Northeast Missouri.
Arriving in St. Louis, MO
Full guide →The Gateway City of St. Louis is the epitome of the modern Midwestern metropolis. Missouri's second-largest city is vibrant but laid-back, populous but navigable, historic but still relevant. The city's planners have created an aesthetically beautiful city, with plenty of green space amidst buildings both old and new, framed by the majestic Mississippi and Missouri rivers. And capping it all is the world's tallest man-made monument, the beautiful and iconic Gateway Arch. St. Louis is a city of culture and surprisingly inexpensive. Among American cities, only Washington, D.C. has more free attractions for tourists and residents alike. Hotels, restaurants, and even parking garages avoid the premium pricing common in other big cities. Although often overlooked, St. Louis can be an affordable, educational, and fun family getaway.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 22.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.5 miles on Rosa Parks Highway. 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Old State Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Imperial Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes — Gateway Arch National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at St. Louis, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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