Independence, MO to Troy, MO is 202.9 miles and takes about 3h 53m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and other roads, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Missouri, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a drive that primarily uses surface roads, offering a more grounded travel experience compared to constant highway speeds. With only one recommended stop and a manageable duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
101.4 miles from Independence, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 52m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
124 mi
2h 18m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
MO J
11.2 mi
15m
South Noland Road
3.1 mi
5m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
2.6 mi
3m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
1.9 mi
2m
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
1m
Clifton J. Scott Memorial Highway
1.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 124 mi, about 2h 18m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 34 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,364 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,943
Quietest
2 AM
~294 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Independence, MO and Troy, MO.
32 mi·34 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
22 mi·24 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
11
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
12
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
13
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.9 mi·2 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
14
Continue on I 70; US 40
70 mi·1 hr 19 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Exit 199Toward MO H: Wright City
16
Turn right onto Wildcat Drive
166 ft·9 sec·Wildcat Drive
17
At end of road, turn left onto MO H
1.0 mi·2 min·Veterans Memorial Parkway
18
Turn left onto MO F; MO J
389 ft·10 sec·North Elm Street
19
Continue on MO J
0.2 mi·26 sec·MO J
20
Continue on MO J
11 mi·15 min·MO J
21
At end of road, turn right onto Boone Street
0.7 mi·1 min·Boone Street
22
At end of road, turn left onto Main Street
192 ft·10 sec·Main Street
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto East Wood Street
155 ft·11 sec·East Wood Street
24
Turn left
128 ft·9 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 3-hour, 53-minute drive, consider departing in the morning to allow ample time for any unexpected delays. Since this is a single-day trip covering 202.9 miles, you have flexibility in pacing your journey. The route has a fuel cost estimate of around $32, so be sure to factor that into your budget. Keep an eye out for the transition onto MO J, as this marks a shift from high-speed highway to surface roads where traffic patterns will change.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 101.4 miles from Independence, MO, or about 1h 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 124 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 45 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 101.4 miles or 1h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Troy, 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.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Independence, MO
This is one driving day of about 202.9 miles and 3h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Independence, MO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 124 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 202.8 — 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|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
6
3.3 mi into trip|~6m in
Turn left toward I 70 East: Columbia, Saint Louis
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70 East: Columbia, Saint Louis
5
189.5 mi into trip|~3h 32m in
Take the exit toward MO H: Wright City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 199
Toward MO H: Wright City
7
202.8 mi into trip|~3h 52m in|Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.85 one way
$67.69 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.62
$36.93
$73.86
premium
$5.25
$41.96
$83.92
diesel
$6.28
$50.13
$100.27
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.9
0
$21.30
$9.74
Efficient EV
50.7
0
$17.75
$8.12
EV Truck/SUV
81.2
1
$28.41
$12.99
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Independence, MO
Late night
in Independence on Thursday
Local time
4:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Partly Sunny
SE 1 to 6 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Troy, MO
Late night
in Troy on Thursday
Local time
4:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
67°F
Columbia, MO
101 mi in
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
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
3h 53m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a 100% highway share, meaning you'll be on highways for the entire 202.9 miles. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 124 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. As you transition away from the main highway, expect to navigate through areas with a higher density of exits and local traffic.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 124 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Lynn Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 53m drive. You will face about 15 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 0.1 miles (East Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,034 ft540 ft
Total Climb
581 ft
Total Descent
1,076 ft
Highest Point
1,034 ft
Elevation Range
495 ft
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 Troy, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Mo H: Wright City along the way.
Independence, known as the Queen City of the Trails, is a city in western Missouri just east of Kansas City with a population of approximately 110,000. Independence's founding predates that of Kansas City, and it was home to U.S. President Harry S. Truman and the legendary actress Ginger Rogers, as well as the starting point of three of America's great Westward Trails: the Santa Fe Trail, the California Trail, and the Oregon Trail. The city also hosts numerous historical sites related to the Community of Christ (formerly RLDS), Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormons"), American Civil War and Western history.
While offering a full range of entertainment and lodging options for visitors, Independence generally tends to be more "quiet" than its larger neighbor to the west.
Top landmarks
•Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Harry S. Truman, located in I...
•Temple Lot — Geographical location important in Latter Day Saint history
•Harry S. Truman National Historic Site — national Historic Site of the United States in Missouri
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.
Top landmarks
•Downtown Troy Historic District — historic district in Troy, Missouri, United States
The longest stretch is about 124 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 27 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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 3.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Troy, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
