Origin
Independence, MO
Night in Independence on Saturday
Local time
11:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Independence, MO to Kansas City, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
10.7 mi
17 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Independence, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Kansas City, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Independence and Kansas City, Missouri, is a straightforward 10.7-mile journey that typically takes about 19 minutes. Because this is a short trip within the Midwest, you can easily complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via East 23rd Street South, East 23rd Trafficway, and the George Brett Super Highway. With an estimated fuel cost of just $2, this is an incredibly economical route to manage. Whether you are commuting or just exploring the local area, the brevity of the drive offers significant flexibility for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East 23rd Street South | 3 mi | 5m |
| East 23rd Trafficway | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| George Brett Super Highway | 2 mi | 2m |
| East 23rd Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| South Noland Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East 13th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| I 670 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Walnut Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East 23rd Street South
— 3 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Independence, MO and Kansas City, MO.
1
Start on East Kansas Avenue
145 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Kansas Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Lynn Street
394 ft
·
22 sec
·
South Lynn Street
3
Turn left onto East Walnut Street
466 ft
·
25 sec
·
East Walnut Street
4
Turn right onto South Noland Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Noland Road
5
Turn right onto MO 78
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
East 23rd Street South
6
Continue on MO 78
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
East 23rd Trafficway
7
Continue on East 23rd Street
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
East 23rd Street
8
Take the ramp onto Askew Avenue
109 ft
·
3 sec
·
Askew Avenue
9
Turn slight left
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 70 West, US 24 West, US 40 West
10
Merge onto I 70; US 24; US 40
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
George Brett Super Highway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 670; I 70 Alt
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
I 670; I 70 Alt
Exit 2L
Toward I 670 West, I 70 Alternate, I 35 South: Topeka, Wichita
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 2P
Toward 13th Street, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on East 13th Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
East 13th Street
14
Turn right onto Oak Street
454 ft
·
13 sec
·
Oak Street
15
Arrive at destination
Oak Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.6 — 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 right onto South Lynn Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Walnut Street
Turn left onto East Walnut Street
Navigation decision point
9
9.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 670; I 70 Alt
Keep slight left at fork onto I 670; I 70 Alt toward I 670 West, I 70 Alternate, I 35 South: Topeka, Wichita
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2L
Toward I 670 West, I 70 Alternate, I 35 South:...
9
10.2 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward 13th Street, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2P
Toward 13th Street, Downtown
5
10.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
Oak Street
Turn right onto Oak Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.67 one way
$3.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.84 | $3.67 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.06 | $4.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.36 | $4.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.7 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 | 3.2 | 0 | $1.12 | $0.51 |
| Efficient EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.94 | $0.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.50 | $0.68 |
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
Kansas City, MO
Night in Kansas City on Saturday
Local time
11:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Sunny
SSW 3 to 10 mph
2% chance
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
10 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
19m 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 turn-heavy local driving experience rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. Only 2% of this 10.7-mile route takes place on a highway, meaning you will spend most of your time navigating local surface streets. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 3-mile segment on East 23rd Street South. Because the route relies heavily on local thoroughfares, you will experience a stop-and-go pace that contrasts sharply with long-haul highway driving. It is a practical, utilitarian connection between these two Missouri cities.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3 mi on East 23rd Street South.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Lynn Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 10.7 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Lynn Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.9 miles (I 670; I 70 Alt): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,043 ft
775 ft
Total Climb
307 ft
Total Descent
444 ft
Highest Point
1,043 ft
~0.8 mi in
Elevation Range
268 ft
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 Kansas City, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Wichita along the way.
Wichita
9.9 mi in
|
~18m
|
via I 670; I 70 Alt
About the Cities
Arriving in Kansas City, MO
Full guide →Kansas City is a major Midwestern metropolitan area that spreads across the border of Missouri and Kansas. It is a city that tends to hide itself from tourists. Reputed to have more boulevards than Paris and more fountains than any other city in the world except for Rome, it can be a beautiful city, too. It is unique in that it is split down the middle by the state line of Kansas and Missouri.
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 19m. Total distance: 10.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (2%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3 miles on East 23rd Street South. 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 0.1 miles (East Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.9 miles (I 670; I 70 Alt): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kansas City, 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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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