The drive from Independence, MO to Villa Ridge, MO covers 216.8 miles and takes about 4h 15m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, MO 47 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly surface roads.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 118.5 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.61 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
108.4 miles from Independence, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 59m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
118.5 mi
2h 11m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
MO 47
23.4 mi
35m
MO 100
6.8 mi
9m
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
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 118.5 mi, about 2h 11m
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
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Villa Ridge, MO.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 184 — 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
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|South Noland Road
Turn right onto South Noland Road
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
6
184 mi into trip|~3h 25m in
Take the exit toward MO 47: Warrenton, Hawk Point
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 193
Toward MO 47: Warrenton, Hawk Point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.61 one way
$67.23 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$36.86
$73.71
premium
$4.93
$42.06
$84.13
diesel
$5.60
$47.79
$95.58
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: 75.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65
0
$22.76
$10.41
Efficient EV
54.2
0
$18.97
$8.67
EV Truck/SUV
86.7
1
$30.35
$13.88
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Sep 1, 2026
Origin
Independence, MO
Late night
in Independence on Wednesday
Local time
3:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Villa Ridge, MO
Late night
in Villa Ridge on Wednesday
Local time
3:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
91°F
Columbia, MO
108 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
2 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
4h 15m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
216.8 mi in 4h 15m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 14% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 118.5 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 4h 15m drive. You will face about 11 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 0.2 miles (South Noland Road): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,034 ft487 ft
Total Climb
506 ft
Total Descent
879 ft
Highest Point
1,034 ft
Elevation Range
547 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 Villa Ridge, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Hawk Point 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
The longest stretch is about 118.5 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 0.2 miles (South Noland Road): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Villa Ridge, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
