Origin
Independence, MO
Night in Independence on Saturday
Local time
11:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Independence, MO to Chillicothe, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 51m
Distance
87.9 mi
141 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 43m
★
6 AM
1h 51m
8 AM
2h 8m
10 AM
1h 57m
12 PM
1h 55m
3 PM
1h 58m
5 PM
2h 7m
8 PM
1h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Independence, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Chillicothe, MO
Valeria Boltneva
Trip Overview
This 87.9-mile journey from Independence, MO, to Chillicothe, MO, is a straightforward drive perfect for a single day. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 51 minutes on the road, primarily utilizing the Chicago-Kansas City Expressway and MO 291. With a fuel cost estimated at $13, this trip keeps expenses low. The route remains within the Midwest, offering a consistent regional experience. Given its short duration and efficient highway focus, this drive is ideally suited for a day trip, allowing for a relaxed pace without the need for an overnight stop.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.9 miles from Independence, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 58m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Kansas City Expressway | 70.5 mi | 1h 18m |
| MO 291 | 8.3 mi | 11m |
| Lightburne Street | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| West US Highway 24 | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| South Washington Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| North Noland Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Leonard Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| MO 110 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
— 70.5 mi, about 1h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Independence, MO and Chillicothe, MO.
1
Start on East Kansas Avenue
145 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Kansas Avenue
2
Turn left onto South Lynn Street
406 ft
·
19 sec
·
South Lynn Street
3
Turn right onto East Lexington Avenue
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
East Lexington Avenue
4
Turn left onto North Noland Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Noland Road
5
Turn right onto US 24
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
West US Highway 24
6
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward MO 291 North: Liberty
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto MO 291
8.3 mi
·
11 min
·
MO 291
8
Turn slight right
409 ft
·
8 sec
9
Turn slight right onto South Leonard Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Leonard Street
10
Continue on Lightburne Street
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Lightburne Street
11
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
12
Merge onto I 35; MO 110
34 mi
·
36 min
·
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
13
Take the exit onto MO 110
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
MO 110
Exit 54
Toward US 36, MO 110 East, I 35 Business: Cameron, Hamilton
14
Turn right onto US 36; MO 110
37 mi
·
42 min
·
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward US 36 Business, US 65: Chillicothe, Carrollton
16
Turn left onto US 65; US 36 Business
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
South Washington Street
Toward US 65 North, US 36 Business: Chillicothe
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn right onto Jackson Street
322 ft
·
15 sec
·
Jackson Street
18
Turn left onto Locust Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Locust Street
19
Arrive at destination
Locust Street
Trip Plan
For this relatively short 1 hour and 51-minute drive, flexibility is key. You can easily depart anytime, but consider leaving mid-morning to avoid potential rush hour traffic around Independence. There are no designated stops mentioned, so plan your own breaks as needed, perhaps around the halfway point or when you feel the need to stretch. With a fuel cost around $13, refueling before you leave Independence is a good idea to ensure a smooth journey. Keep an eye out for the transition from the expressway to MO 291 as a key point where road conditions might change.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 43.9 miles from Independence, MO, or about 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 19 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.9 miles or 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chillicothe, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Independence, MO so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Independence, MO
This is one driving day of about 87.9 miles and 1h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Independence, MO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway for about 70.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
44 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 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 43.9 miles from Independence, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Chicago-Kansas City Expressway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 70.5 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 86.2 — 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
|
South Lynn Street
Turn left onto South Lynn Street
Navigation decision point
7
3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Turn left toward MO 291 North: Liberty
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward MO 291 North: Liberty
6
49 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
MO 110
Take the exit onto MO 110 toward US 36, MO 110 East, I 35 Business: Cameron, Hamilton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 54
Toward US 36, MO 110 East, I 35 Business: Camer...
5
86.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 46m in
Take the exit toward US 36 Business, US 65: Chillicothe, Carrollton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 36 Business, US 65: Chillicothe, Carr...
8
86.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 47m in
|
US 65; US 36 Business / South Washington Street
Turn left onto US 65; US 36 Business / South Washington Street toward US 65 North, US 36 Business: Chillicothe
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 65 North, US 36 Business: Chillicothe
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.74 one way
$27.48 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
31 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $15.09 | $30.18 |
| premium | $4.89 | $16.92 | $33.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $19.41 | $38.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 26.4 | 0 | $9.23 | $4.22 |
| Efficient EV | 22 | 0 | $7.69 | $3.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 35.2 | 0 | $12.31 | $5.63 |
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 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
Chillicothe, MO
Night in Chillicothe on Saturday
Local time
11:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
1 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
1h 51m 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 drive is predominantly a highway-focused experience, with 92% of the route on major roads. You'll encounter the Chicago-Kansas City Expressway for a significant portion, including a continuous stretch of 70.5 miles. This means you can expect a steady pace for most of your journey. While the majority is highway, you will transition onto local roads like Lightburne Street as you approach your destination in Chillicothe, offering a slight change in scenery and pace before arrival.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.5 mi on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway and MO 291. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Lynn 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 51m 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: near the start (South Lynn Street): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 49 miles (MO 110): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Independence, MO to Chillicothe, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Hamilton along the way.
Hamilton
49 mi in
|
~1h 3m
|
via MO 110
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 51m. Total distance: 87.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 70.5 miles on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway. 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 (South Lynn Street): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 49 miles (MO 110): 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 Chillicothe, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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