Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
40.3 mi
65 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakeville, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Birchwood, MN
Tom Fisk
Lakeville to Birchwood is 40.3 miles and takes about 53 minutes via I-494, I-35E, and I-694, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Minnesota, connecting two points in the Midwest region. Since it's primarily highway driving, expect a straightforward commute rather than a scenic exploration. With no planned stops, this route is ideal for a quick transfer or a segment of a larger road trip, easily completed in under an hour.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 12.1 mi | 15m |
| I 35E | 10.9 mi | 11m |
| I 694 | 6.5 mi | 8m |
| I 35 | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Kenwood Trail | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| East County Line Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Century Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,136 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~180 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
23×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 88 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Lakeville, MN and Birchwood, MN.
Start on 207th Street West
Turn right onto Holyoke Avenue
Enter roundabout onto CR 50
Continue on CR 50
Continue on CR 5
Continue on CR 5
Enter roundabout onto CR 5
Continue on CR 5
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 494
Continue on I 694
Take the exit
Turn right onto MN 120
Continue on MN 120
Turn right onto Cedar Street
Continue on Cedar Street
Turn right onto Wildwood Avenue
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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.
A short stop after about 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 20.1 miles from Lakeville, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 37.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 35 North
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 494 West, I 494 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 494 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MN 120: Century Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$6.38 one way
$12.76 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $6.80 | $13.59 |
| premium | $4.85 | $7.69 | $15.38 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $8.88 | $17.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.23 | $1.93 |
| Efficient EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Lakeville on Saturday
Local time
8:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Evening in Birchwood on Saturday
Local time
8:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This route is mostly highway, with 80% of the 40.3 miles spent on major interstates. You'll experience a longest stretch of 12.1 miles on I-494 before transitioning to other freeways. Expect a consistent flow of traffic and numerous exits as you navigate through the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. The highway portion will likely feel like a continuous drive with relatively few slowdowns until you approach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 494 and I 35E. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 40.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
436 ft
Total Descent
442 ft
Highest Point
1,043 ft
~31.7 mi in
Elevation Range
297 ft
Founded 1850
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 40.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Lakeville, MN or browse trips ending in Birchwood, MN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MN road trips.
