Origin
Leeds, AL
Late night in Leeds on Sunday
Local time
5:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Leeds, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
73.5 mi
118 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Leeds, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Tuscaloosa, AL
Kelly
Trip Overview
Leeds, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL is 73.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 25 minutes via I 20 and John M. Harbert III Freeway, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip entirely within Alabama, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Given its short duration and focus on major highways, it's an efficient drive, ideal if you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss. Plan for a quick journey, as there are no recommended overnight stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 36.2 mi | 38m |
| John M. Harbert III Freeway | 28.4 mi | 30m |
| Parkway Drive | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| I 359 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard North | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Ashville Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| University Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 36.2 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Leeds, AL and Tuscaloosa, AL.
1
Start on Ashville Road
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Ashville Road
2
Turn right onto US 78
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Parkway Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I-20 West: Birmingham
Use the slight right lane.
4
Merge onto I 20
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
I 20
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 136
Toward I 459: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 459 South: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa
7
Merge onto I 459
28 mi
·
30 min
·
John M. Harbert III Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 20; I 59; US 11; AL 5
34 mi
·
36 min
·
I 20; I 59; US 11; AL 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 71B
Toward I 359 North, I 69 North: Tuscaloosa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 359; US 11; AL 69
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
I 359; US 11; AL 69
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 359; AL 69
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 359; AL 69
13
Continue on US 43; AL 69
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard North
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Turn right onto University Boulevard
284 ft
·
10 sec
·
University Boulevard
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left
168 ft
·
12 sec
Use the left lane.
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
37 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.7 miles from Leeds, AL, 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 5.8 and 73.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
5.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 459: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden
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 136
Toward I 459: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden
6
6.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 459 South: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 459 South: Montgomery, Tuscaloosa
8
35.3 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 20 West, I 59 South: Tuscaloosa
8
70.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
Take the exit toward I 359 North, I 69 North: Tuscaloosa
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 71B
Toward I 359 North, I 69 North: Tuscaloosa
7
73.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.10 one way
$22.20 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $12.19 | $24.37 |
| premium | $4.56 | $13.19 | $26.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.23 | $32.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.1 | 0 | $7.72 | $3.53 |
| Efficient EV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.43 | $2.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.4 | 0 | $10.29 | $4.70 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Tuscaloosa, AL
Late night in Tuscaloosa on Sunday
Local time
5:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 25m 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?
Expect a highway-focused drive for this trip, with 95% of the route utilizing major roadways like I 20 and John M. Harbert III Freeway. You'll experience a long stretch of 36.2 miles on I 20 without needing to exit, making for a consistent pace. The Parkway Drive portion offers a slight variation, but the overall feel is that of a swift transit on well-maintained highways. This drive is designed for efficiency rather than winding scenic byways.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.2 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and John M. Harbert III Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 73.5 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: at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
On the drive from Leeds, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL, road signs begin pointing toward Gadsden along the way.
Gadsden
5.8 mi in
|
~9m
About the Cities
Arriving in Tuscaloosa, AL
Full guide →Tuscaloosa is a city of over 100,000 people (2020) in Metropolitan Alabama and home of the University of Alabama.
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 25m. Total distance: 73.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.2 miles on I 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 11 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 Tuscaloosa, AL 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 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tuscaloosa, AL 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 NPS for national parks. 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
Continue From Tuscaloosa, AL
More from Leeds, AL
More trips to Tuscaloosa, AL
Explore more options from Leeds, AL or browse trips ending in Tuscaloosa, AL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AL road trips.