Origin
Lauderdale, MN
Late night in Lauderdale on Friday
Local time
1:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lauderdale, MN to Plymouth, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
16.9 mi
27 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lauderdale, MN
Tom Fisk
Plymouth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lauderdale to Plymouth is 16.9 miles and takes about 24 minutes via Olson Memorial Highway and I-35W, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Minnesota, connecting two spots in the Midwest region. Expect a mix of highway speeds and surface streets, making it a practical option for a quick commute or a short errand run. With no planned stops and a brief duration, this route offers flexibility for your day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Olson Memorial Highway | 6 mi | 8m |
| I 35W | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| MN 55 | 2 mi | 2m |
| I 394 | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| MN 100 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Northeast Industrial Boulevard | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Northeast Broadway Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| MN 280 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Olson Memorial Highway
— 6 mi, about 8m
Traffic on I-394
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,755 veh/hr typical
Quietest
3 AM
~163 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
29.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 84 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 Lauderdale, MN and Plymouth, MN.
1
Start on MN 280
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
MN 280
2
Take the exit onto Broadway Street
463 ft
·
12 sec
·
Broadway Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on Northeast Broadway Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Northeast Broadway Street
4
Turn right onto Northeast Industrial Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Industrial Boulevard
5
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 35W South
6
Merge onto I 35W
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
133 ft
·
2 sec
Exit 17B
Toward I 35W South, I 94 West: 11th Avenue
9
Keep slight right at fork
417 ft
·
7 sec
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West
Use the slight left lane.
11
Continue on MN 55
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
MN 55
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West, MN 55 West
12
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 231A
Toward I 394 West, US 12 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 394
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
I 394
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
Exit 5B-A
Toward MN 100 South, MN 100 North: Park Place-Xenia
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward MN 100 North
16
Merge onto MN 100
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
·
MN 100
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward MN 55 West, MN 55 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward MN 55 West
Use the left lane.
19
Merge onto MN 55
6.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Olson Memorial Highway
Use the left lane.
20
Arrive at destination
MN 55
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 4.6 and 10.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
4.6 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
9
4.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West
8
6.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 394 West, US 12 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 231A
Toward I 394 West, US 12 West
8
9.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward MN 100 South, MN 100 North: Park Place-Xenia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5B-A
Toward MN 100 South, MN 100 North: Park Place-X...
8
10.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MN 55 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward MN 55 West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.68 one way
$5.35 round trip
$4.02/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $2.85 | $5.70 |
| premium | $4.85 | $3.23 | $6.45 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $3.73 | $7.45 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.77 | $0.81 |
| Efficient EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.37 | $1.08 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Plymouth, MN
Late night in Plymouth on Friday
Local time
1:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
15 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
24m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with 46% of the route on highways. You'll experience a 6-mile stretch on Olson Memorial Highway. The transition from highway to surface roads will be noticeable as you approach your destination. Be prepared for frequent intersections and traffic lights as you navigate the urban and suburban landscape.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6 mi on Olson Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 17 decision points packed into just 16.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Lauderdale, MN
Full guide →Arriving in Plymouth, MN
Full guide →Founded 1852
Plymouth is a city located in the heart of Minnesota. This city is a place that has a good solid community and friendly people. Plymouth has a lot to offer both its residents and its travelers. They are known for having affordable housing, low crime rates and most importantly an active outdoor culture. Plymouth was also Money Magazine's best place to live in 2008. If Plymouth was ranked as the number one place to live, it must be a really great place to travel to as well.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 16.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6 miles on Olson Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Plymouth, 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 4.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Plymouth, MN before heading back.
How this page is built
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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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