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.
Main Roads
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
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 12.1 mi, about 15m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,163 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~180 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
23.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 35 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 Lakeville, MN and Birchwood, MN.
1
Start on 207th Street West
22 ft·5 sec·207th Street West
2
Turn right onto Holyoke Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·Holyoke Avenue
3
Enter roundabout onto CR 50
198 ft·3 sec·202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
4
Continue on CR 50
0.5 mi·50 sec·202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
5
Continue on CR 5
0.7 mi·1 min·Kenwood Trail / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
6
Continue on CR 5
1.6 mi·2 min·Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
7
Enter roundabout onto CR 5
125 ft·2 sec·Kenwood Trail
8
Continue on CR 5
1.2 mi·2 min·Kenwood Trail
Use the right lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 35 NorthUse the right lane.
10
Merge onto I 35
2.6 mi·2 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
11 mi·11 min·I 35E
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Exit 99A-BToward I 494 West, I 494 East
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 99AToward I 494 EastUse the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 494
12 mi·15 min·I 494
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on I 694
6.5 mi·8 min·I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi·45 sec
Exit 51Toward MN 120: Century AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn right onto MN 120
0.8 mi·1 min·North Century Avenue
Use the right lane.
18
Continue on MN 120
1.0 mi·2 min·East County Line Road
19
Turn right onto Cedar Street
0.4 mi·54 sec·Cedar Street
20
Continue on Cedar Street
298 ft·14 sec·Cedar Street
21
Turn right onto Wildwood Avenue
56 ft·8 sec·Wildwood Avenue
22
Turn left
90 ft·6 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 15
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.
6
4.5 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 35 North
6
7.3 mi into trip|~10m in|I 35E
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
18.1 mi into trip|~22m in
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
Exit 99A-B
Toward I 494 West, I 494 East
8
18.4 mi into trip|~23m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 494 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 99A
Toward I 494 East
7
37.7 mi into trip|~47m in
Take the exit toward MN 120: Century Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 51
Toward MN 120: Century Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.05 one way
$12.11 round trip
$3.82/gal25.4 MPG avg14 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.12
$6.54
$13.07
premium
$4.60
$7.30
$14.60
diesel
$4.80
$7.61
$15.22
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, 2026-07-13.
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 4, 2026
Origin
Lakeville, MN
Afternoon
in Lakeville on Sunday
Local time
12:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
E 0 to 5 mph38% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 4 at 6:30AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 4 at 2:57AM CDT until July 4 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Destination
Birchwood, MN
Afternoon
in Birchwood on Sunday
Local time
12:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
E 5 mph42% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 4 at 6:30AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 4 at 2:57AM CDT until July 4 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
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
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 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.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.1 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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.
Driving Effort9/10
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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.1 miles on I 494. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Birchwood, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Birchwood, MN before heading back.
