Origin
Independence, KY
Morning in Independence on Tuesday
Local time
6:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Independence, KY to Villa Hills, KY
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
21m
Distance
11.5 mi
18 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Independence, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Villa Hills, KY
Ahmet ÇÖTÜR
Trip Overview
This straightforward 11.5-mile journey from Independence to Villa Hills, KY, is a quick trip that can easily be completed in about 21 minutes. It's ideal as a single-day excursion, especially given its short distance and modest estimated fuel cost of around $2. The route predominantly uses state highways and local roads, offering a mixed driving experience. Since both the origin and destination are within the Southeast region of Kentucky, you won't be crossing any major geographic or regional boundaries. Plan for a simple drive with no overnight stays required.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| KY 17 | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| Buttermilk Pike | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| Orphanage Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Madison Pike | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Collins Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| KY 17 Business | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Dixie Highway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Amsterdam Road | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
KY 17
— 5.4 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Independence, KY and Villa Hills, KY.
1
Start on KY 17 Business; KY 2045
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Madison Pike
2
Continue on KY 17 Business
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
KY 17 Business
3
Turn left onto KY 17
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
KY 17
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto KY 371
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Orphanage Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto US 25; US 42; US 127; KY 371
479 ft
·
16 sec
·
Dixie Highway
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Turn right onto KY 371
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Buttermilk Pike
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on KY 371
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Collins Road
Use the right lane.
8
At end of road, turn right onto Amsterdam Road
31 ft
·
0 sec
·
Amsterdam Road
9
Arrive at destination
Amsterdam Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 11.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
KY 17
Turn left onto KY 17
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
6.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
KY 371 / Orphanage Road
Turn left onto KY 371 / Orphanage Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
8.6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
US 25; US 42; US 127; KY 371 / Dixie Highway
Turn left onto US 25; US 42; US 127; KY 371 / Dixie Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
8.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
KY 371 / Buttermilk Pike
Turn right onto KY 371 / Buttermilk Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
11.4 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
Amsterdam Road
At end of road, turn right onto Amsterdam Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.80 one way
$3.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.97 | $3.95 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.21 | $4.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.54 | $5.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.21 | $0.55 |
| Efficient EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.01 | $0.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.61 | $0.74 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Villa Hills, KY
Morning in Villa Hills on Tuesday
Local time
6:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°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
20 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
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?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with approximately 50% of the travel occurring on highway segments. Your longest continuous stretch without a turn will be about 5.4 miles along KY 17. The drive progresses through a combination of main roads, including KY 17, Buttermilk Pike, and Orphanage Road, suggesting a blend of faster-paced sections and more residential or local thoroughfares. This isn't a monotonous drive; it offers some variety as you navigate between these different road types.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.4 mi on KY 17.
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 1.4 miles in near KY 17.
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 21m 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 1.4 miles (KY 17): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.8 miles (KY 371 / Orphanage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles (US 25; US 42; US 127; KY 371 / Dixie Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 11.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.4 miles on KY 17. 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 1.4 miles (KY 17): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.8 miles (KY 371 / Orphanage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles (US 25; US 42; US 127; KY 371 / Dixie Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Villa Hills, KY 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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