Origin
Independence, IA
Night in Independence on Saturday
Local time
11:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Independence, IA to Dubuque, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
67.8 mi
109 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Independence, IA
Roger Ce
Dubuque, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 67.8-mile drive from Independence to Dubuque, Iowa, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 23 minutes, making it ideal for a single-day adventure. With 96% of the journey on highways, you'll spend most of your time on US 20. The estimated fuel cost is around $11, which is quite budget-friendly. This route sticks within the Midwest region, offering a consistent feel throughout. It’s a practical choice if you're looking for an efficient way to travel between these two Iowa towns without needing an overnight stop.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 20 | 65.1 mi | 1h 18m |
| 3rd Avenue Southeast | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| IA 946 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 1st Street East | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| White Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Locust Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| US 61 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 7th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 65.1 mi, about 1h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Independence, IA and Dubuque, IA.
1
Start on 5th Avenue Southeast
42 ft
·
9 sec
·
5th Avenue Southeast
2
Turn left onto IA 150; CR D22
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
1st Street East
3
Turn left onto IA 150
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
3rd Avenue Southeast
4
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
5
Merge onto US 20
65 mi
·
1 hr 18 min
·
US 20
6
Turn left onto IA 946
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Locust Street
Use the left lane.
7
Turn straight onto IA 946
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
IA 946
Toward IA 946
8
At end of road, turn left onto US 61; US 151
418 ft
·
13 sec
·
US 61; US 151
Use the left lane.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 189A
Toward White Street, Port of Dubuque
10
Continue on White Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
White Street
11
Turn left onto East 7th Street
284 ft
·
19 sec
·
East 7th Street
12
Turn left onto Central Avenue
31 ft
·
1 sec
·
Central Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.9 miles from Independence, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 65.1 miles.
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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 67.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 150; CR D22 / 1st Street East
Turn left onto IA 150; CR D22 / 1st Street East
Navigation decision point
6
67.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
US 61; US 151
At end of road, turn left onto US 61; US 151
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
67.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
Take the exit toward White Street, Port of Dubuque
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 189A
Toward White Street, Port of Dubuque
5
67.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
|
East 7th Street
Turn left onto East 7th Street
Navigation decision point
5
67.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
|
Central Avenue
Turn left onto Central Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.60 one way
$21.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.64 | $23.28 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.05 | $26.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.97 | $29.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.12 | $3.25 |
| Efficient EV | 17 | 0 | $5.93 | $2.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.1 | 0 | $9.49 | $4.34 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (67% 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
Dubuque, IA
Night in Dubuque on Saturday
Local time
11:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Partly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms
S 10 to 20 mph
82% chance
Live forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 16 at 9:20PM CDT until April 24 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 9:20PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
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
8 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 23m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of this 67.8-mile trip. You'll be on US 20 for the longest stretch, an uninterrupted 65.1 miles, which suggests a consistent pace for much of the drive. With 96% of the route on highways, this isn't a winding country road; it's designed for covering distance efficiently. The transition onto 3rd Avenue Southeast and IA 946 likely offers a brief change of pace before reaching your destination in Dubuque.
96% 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: 65.1 mi on US 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and 3rd Avenue Southeast. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IA 150; CR D22 / 1st Street East.
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 1h 23m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (IA 150; CR D22 / 1st Street East): Navigation decision point; at 67.3 miles (US 61; US 151): Lane positioning matters here; at 67.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Dubuque, IA
Full guide →Dubuque, founded in 1833, is the oldest city in Iowa. A port on the upper Mississippi River, it is situated along scenic bluffs facing the river, and has its roots in a mining and trading settlement established in the area by Quebec-born entrepreneur Julien Dubuque in 1788. The city's population is 57,686 (2000 Census), and the estimated population of the Dubuque metropolitan area is 93,072.
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 1h 23m. Total distance: 67.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 65.1 miles on US 20. 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: near the start (IA 150; CR D22 / 1st Street East): Navigation decision point; at 67.3 miles (US 61; US 151): Lane positioning matters here; at 67.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dubuque, IA 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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