Kearney to Macy is 218.1 miles and takes about 4h 25m via Highway 30 and I 80, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Nebraska, traversing the Great Plains region for its entirety. It's a largely straightforward drive that should be manageable for most drivers in a single day. Expect a mix of highway cruising and surface road travel as you make your way east. This trip is ideal if you're looking for a direct connection between these two points without extensive detours.
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
109.1 miles from Kearney, NE
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Highway 30
60.6 mi
1h 10m
I 80
40.8 mi
40m
Highway 77
28.7 mi
32m
Road D
18.8 mi
20m
US 77
16.8 mi
19m
US Highway 30
10.4 mi
12m
Highway 94
4.6 mi
5m
South Locust Street
4.4 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Highway 30
— 60.6 mi, about 1h 10m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~824 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,188
Quietest
3 AM
~106 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 94 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 Kearney, NE and Macy, NE.
1
Start on Central Avenue
51 ft·3 sec·Central Avenue
2
Turn right onto West 24th Street
0.1 mi·32 sec·West 24th Street
3
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue
2.2 mi·4 min·2nd Avenue
4
Turn left
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward I 80 East
5
Merge onto I 80
41 mi·40 min·I 80
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward Grand Island
7
Turn left onto South Locust Street
4.4 mi·5 min·South Locust Street
8
Turn right onto US 34; N-2; I 80 Alt
2.4 mi·3 min·Highway 34
9
Turn left onto Husker Highway
0.7 mi·58 sec·Husker Highway
10
Continue on South Gunbarrel Road
4.0 mi·5 min·South Gunbarrel Road
11
Turn right onto US 30
18 mi·21 min·Highway 30
12
Continue on US 30
0.9 mi·1 min·G Street
13
Continue on US 30
0.6 mi·1 min·16th Street
14
Continue on US 30
26 mi·31 min·Highway 30
15
Continue on US 30
10 mi·12 min·US Highway 30
16
Continue on US 30
2.8 mi·3 min·South 9th Street
17
Turn left onto US 30; US 81
1.0 mi·1 min·US 30; US 81
18
Turn right onto 8th Street
2.0 mi·3 min·8th Street
19
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue
1.0 mi·1 min·3rd Avenue
20
Turn right onto US 30
4.0 mi·5 min·23rd Street
21
Continue on US 30
19 mi·20 min·Road D
Use the left lane.
22
Turn left onto County Road 19
1.0 mi·2 min·County Road 19
23
Turn right onto Road S
4.0 mi·9 min·Road S
24
Turn right onto Road 5
0.2 mi·31 sec·Road 5
25
Turn left onto US 30
17 mi·18 min·Highway 30
26
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
27
Turn left onto Highway 77
7.8 mi·8 min·Highway 77
28
Take the exit onto US 77
17 mi·19 min·US 77
Toward US 77
29
Enter roundabout onto US 77
190 ft·3 sec·Charde Avenue
30
Continue on US 77
1.6 mi·3 min·Charde Avenue
31
Continue on US 77
21 mi·24 min·Highway 77
Use the straight lane.
32
Turn right onto N-94
4.6 mi·5 min·Highway 94
33
Turn right onto US 75
2.7 mi·3 min·Highway 75
34
Turn right onto Main Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Main Street
35
Turn right onto Skunk Hollow Drive
39 ft·1 sec·Skunk Hollow Drive
36
Arrive at destination
Skunk Hollow Drive
Trip Plan
Aim to depart Kearney in the morning to take advantage of the full daylight hours for your 4h 25m drive. With a fuel cost estimated at $33, it's a good idea to fill up before you leave, especially as the longest stretch without services is over 60 miles. Since this is a one-day trip, you have flexibility, but planning a stop around the halfway point near Lincoln could be beneficial. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you transition from I 80 to Highway 77, as services might become less frequent.
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 109.1 miles from Kearney, NE, or about 2h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60.6 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 48 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 109.1 miles or 2h 7m 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 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Macy, NE than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kearney, NE 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 Kearney, NE
This is one driving day of about 218.1 miles and 4h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Kearney, NE.
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 Highway 30 for about 60.6 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 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 50.7 — 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|West 24th Street
Turn right onto West 24th Street
Navigation decision point
4
2.3 mi into trip|~5m in
Turn left toward I 80 East
Navigation decision point
Toward I 80 East
4
43.4 mi into trip|~46m in
Take the exit toward Grand Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Grand Island
4
48.3 mi into trip|~53m in|US 34; N-2; I 80 Alt / Highway 34
Turn right onto US 34; N-2; I 80 Alt / Highway 34
Navigation decision point
4
50.7 mi into trip|~56m in|Husker Highway
Turn left onto Husker Highway
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.81 one way
$67.63 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$37.08
$74.15
premium
$4.93
$42.31
$84.63
diesel
$5.60
$48.08
$96.15
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: 76.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65.4
0
$22.90
$10.47
Efficient EV
54.5
0
$19.08
$8.72
EV Truck/SUV
87.2
1
$30.53
$13.96
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% 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 Aug 22, 2026
Origin
Kearney, NE
Evening
in Kearney on Wednesday
Local time
6:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Mostly Sunny
E 5 to 10 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Macy, NE
Evening
in Macy on Wednesday
Local time
6:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Sunny
NNW 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
69°F
Columbus, NE
109 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
4h 25m 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?
This drive is primarily highway, with 77% of the 218.1 miles on faster roads. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 60.6 miles on Highway 30 before transitioning. Expect about 1.5 hours of driving on surface roads, primarily Highway 77, as you approach your destination. The frequent exits on I 80 will provide plenty of opportunities for services and potential breaks.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
36 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 60.6 mi on Highway 30.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 30 and I 80. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 24th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 25m drive. You will face about 19 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 (West 24th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 43.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,151 ft1,114 ft
Total Climb
248 ft
Total Descent
1,285 ft
Highest Point
2,151 ft
Elevation Range
1,037 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 Kearney, NE to Macy, NE, road signs begin pointing toward Grand Island along the way.
The longest stretch is about 60.6 miles on Highway 30. 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.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through NE can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 24th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 43.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Macy, NE, but most travelers stay overnight.
