Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
50 mi
81 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
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
Ramsey, MN
Tom Fisk
Lakeville to Ramsey is 50 miles and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes via MN 100 and I-35W, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive within Minnesota, connecting two points in the Midwest region. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, making it a quick trip for most drivers. Consider this route if you need an efficient way to get from one part of the Twin Cities metro area to another without extensive planning.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 100 | 12.2 mi | 15m |
| I 35W | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| US 169 | 6.2 mi | 9m |
| Bottineau Boulevard | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| US 10 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| I 35 | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| Ramsey Boulevard Northwest | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| I 494 | 2 mi | 2m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 54 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,469 veh/hr typical · worst 5,179
Quietest
2 AM
~233 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 84 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Lakeville, MN and Ramsey, 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 left at fork onto I 35W
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
Take the exit
Merge onto MN 100
Take the exit
Merge onto CR 81
Continue on CR 81
Take the exit
Merge onto US 169
Turn left onto West Main Street
Enter roundabout onto West Main Street
Continue on West Main Street
Enter roundabout
Continue
Merge onto US 10; US 169
Take the exit
Enter roundabout onto CR 56
Continue on CR 56
Turn left onto Jaspar Street Northwest
Turn left onto 160th Lane Northwest
Turn straight
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 25 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 44.2 — 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
Take the exit toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MN 100
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CR 81 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Enter roundabout toward US 10 West, US 169 North
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$8.42 one way
$16.83 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.75 | $9.34 | $18.69 |
| premium | $5.29 | $10.40 | $20.81 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $12.17 | $24.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15 | 0 | $5.25 | $2.40 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20 | 0 | $7.00 | $3.20 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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 Sunday
Local time
8:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Evening in Ramsey on Sunday
Local time
8:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°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 68% of the drive on roads like MN 100 and I-35W. You'll experience a stretch of 12.2 miles on MN 100 before transitioning to other main roads. Expect to encounter a significant number of exits and merges as you navigate through populated areas. The remaining portion of the drive will likely involve more surface street driving as you approach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 100 and I 35W. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50 miles you will encounter 25 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
358 ft
Total Descent
447 ft
Highest Point
1,082 ft
~3.6 mi in
Elevation Range
364 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lakeville, MN to Ramsey, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 81 North along the way.
Cr 81 North
Founded 1850
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 50 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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