Origin
Laurel, MS
Late night in Laurel on Tuesday
Local time
5:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Laurel, MS to Meridian, MS
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
57.1 mi
92 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Laurel, MS
Wikimedia Commons
Meridian, MS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Laurel, MS to Meridian, MS is 57.1 miles and takes about 1h 4m via Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway and I 59, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Mississippi, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Expect a route with frequent turns and a local feel, making it a straightforward, same-day trip. It's a practical option if you're looking for a quick transfer between these two Mississippi towns without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway | 50.8 mi | 54m |
| I 59 | 2 mi | 2m |
| 8th Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| US 11 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Chantilly Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Cross Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Teresa Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Sawmill Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway
— 50.8 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Laurel, MS and Meridian, MS.
1
Start on Yates Avenue
157 ft
·
8 sec
·
Yates Avenue
2
Turn right onto North 5th Avenue
264 ft
·
11 sec
·
North 5th Avenue
3
Turn right onto Sawmill Road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Sawmill Road
4
Continue on North Magnolia Street
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
North Magnolia Street
5
Turn right onto Teresa Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Teresa Street
6
Turn left onto US 11
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Cross Street
7
Turn right onto Chantilly Street
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Chantilly Street
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
9
Merge onto I 59
51 mi
·
54 min
·
Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 59
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
I 59
Toward I 59 North, I 20 East: Meridian, Tuscaloosa
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
Toward South US 11, North Mississippi 19: Philadelphia, Meridian Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto US 11
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
US 11
13
Turn right onto 8th Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
8th Street
14
Turn right onto 25th Avenue
272 ft
·
11 sec
·
25th Avenue
15
Arrive at destination
25th Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.6 miles from Laurel, MS, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 54.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North 5th Avenue
Turn right onto North 5th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Sawmill Road
Turn right onto Sawmill Road
Navigation decision point
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 59 / Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 59 / Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
52 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
I 59
Keep slight right at fork onto I 59 toward I 59 North, I 20 East: Meridian, Tuscaloosa
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 59 North, I 20 East: Meridian, Tuscalo...
7
54.1 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward South US 11, North Mississippi 19: Philadelphia, Meridian Airport
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.
Toward South US 11, North Mississippi 19: Phila...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.62 one way
$17.25 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $9.47 | $18.93 |
| premium | $4.56 | $10.25 | $20.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.61 | $25.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.1 | 0 | $6.00 | $2.74 |
| Efficient EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.00 | $2.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.8 | 0 | $7.99 | $3.65 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Meridian, MS
Late night in Meridian on Tuesday
Local time
5:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Partly Cloudy
SSW 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
85°F
Stonewall, MS
29 mi in
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
24 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
1h 4m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route presents a "turn-heavy local drive" profile, meaning you'll navigate a good number of intersections and changes in direction. With only a 6% highway share, the majority of your travel will be on local roads, including stretches of Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway and 8th Street, before a brief use of I 59. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 50.8 miles on Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway, offering a more continuous segment before the local road character returns. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that requires attention to navigation as you transition between different road types.
Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 50.8 mi on Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North 5th Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.1 miles you will encounter 12 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: near the start (North 5th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Sawmill Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (I 59 / Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Laurel, MS and Meridian, MS, road signs point toward Tuscaloosa, Mississippi 19: Philadelphia and Meridian Airport.
Tuscaloosa
52 mi in
|
~56m
|
via I 59
Mississippi 19: Philadelphia
54.1 mi in
|
~59m
Meridian Airport
54.1 mi in
|
~59m
About the Cities
Starting in Laurel, MS
Full guide →Laurel is a small city in the inland area of the Gulf Coast region of Mississippi. It's best known in American culture as the home base of husband-and-wife home renovation team Ben and Erin Napier, stars of the HGTV series Home Town.
Arriving in Meridian, MS
Full guide →Meridian is a city in Mississippi. It was a titan of commerce of sorts during the Reconstruction era and up through the Great Depression, even after General Tecumseh Sherman had torched it, due to its being a hub to five major rail lines and manufacturing during its golden age. It is now a treasure trove for some of the architecture preserved from that period. Meridian is also noted for being the location of the US v. Cecil Price court case, where several Ku Klux Klan members were charged for the abduction and murder of three Civil Rights workers in 1964 in nearby Neshoba County, an event analogously portrayed in the film Mississippi Burning.
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 1h 4m. Total distance: 57.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 50.8 miles on Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas 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 Meridian, MS 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: near the start (North 5th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Sawmill Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (I 59 / Lance Corporal Roy M Wheat Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Meridian, MS 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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