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Trip from Lee's Summit, MO to Buckner, MO

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

38m

Distance

25.6 mi

41 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 35m ★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Jackson and Cass counties in Missouri, United States

Lee's Summit, MO

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Buckner, MO, MO

Buckner, MO

Valeria Boltneva

Trip Overview

This 25.6-mile drive from Lee's Summit, MO, to Buckner, MO, is a quick 38-minute trip, making it a perfect candidate for a single day's excursion. With an estimated fuel cost of just $4, it's an economical option for exploring the Midwest. The route is primarily highway-focused, utilizing major arteries like I 470 and US 24. Given its short distance and straightforward nature, no overnight stays are necessary. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained roads, offering a smooth and efficient journey between these two Missouri towns.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 470 7 mi 8m
US 24 4.9 mi 6m
South Little Blue Parkway 4.6 mi 7m
MO 7 2.4 mi 3m
Southeast Douglas Street 2.2 mi 4m
MO 78 2 mi 2m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway 0.5 mi <1m
South Sibley Street 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 470 — 7 mi, about 8m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lee's Summit, MO and Buckner, MO.

1

Start on Southwest 3rd Street

0.3 mi · 40 sec · Southwest 3rd Street
2

Continue on Southeast 3rd Street

358 ft · 16 sec · Southeast 3rd Street
3

Turn left onto Southeast Douglas Street

2.2 mi · 4 min · Southeast Douglas Street
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward I 470 North: Independence, Saint Louis
5

Merge onto I 470

7.0 mi · 8 min · I 470
Toward I 470 North: Saint Louis
6

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 44 sec
Exit 16B Toward I 70 East: Saint Louis Use the slight right lane.
7

Merge onto I 70

0.5 mi · 37 sec · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 46 sec
Exit 17 Toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall Entrance Use the slight right lane.
9

Turn left onto South Little Blue Parkway

4.6 mi · 7 min · South Little Blue Parkway
10

Turn right onto MO 78

2.0 mi · 2 min · MO 78
11

Enter roundabout onto MO 7

0.1 mi · 12 sec · MO 7
12

Continue on MO 7

2.3 mi · 3 min · MO 7
13

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Toward US 24 East: Buckner
14

Merge onto US 24

4.9 mi · 6 min · US 24
15

Turn right onto MO BB

0.4 mi · 1 min · South Sibley Street
16

Turn right onto Washington Street

346 ft · 15 sec · Washington Street
17

Arrive at destination

Washington Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 11 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
2.6 mi into trip | ~5m in

Take the ramp toward I 470 North: Independence, Saint Louis

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 470 North: Independence, Saint Louis
4
2.8 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 470

Merge onto I 470 toward I 470 North: Saint Louis

Merge point - match speed before joining

Toward I 470 North: Saint Louis
7
9.8 mi into trip | ~14m in

Take the exit toward I 70 East: Saint Louis

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 16B Toward I 70 East: Saint Louis
8
10.7 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the exit toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall Entrance

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 17 Toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall E...
4
11 mi into trip | ~16m in | South Little Blue Parkway

Turn left onto South Little Blue Parkway

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.00 one way

$8.00 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $4.39 $8.79
premium $4.89 $4.93 $9.85
diesel $5.61 $5.65 $11.30

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.7 0 $2.69 $1.23
Efficient EV 6.4 0 $2.24 $1.02
EV Truck/SUV 10.2 0 $3.58 $1.64

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Lee's Summit, MO

Night in Lee's Summit on Saturday

Local time

11:14 PM

CDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Buckner, MO

Night in Buckner on Saturday

Local time

11:14 PM

CDT

Current temp

55°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

18 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

38m 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-centric experience for 82% of this route. The drive begins with a significant stretch on I 470, offering a taste of interstate travel. You'll encounter a continuous 7-mile segment on I 470, providing a good opportunity to maintain a steady pace. As you transition to US 24 and South Little Blue Parkway, the feel remains largely highway-oriented, with efficient travel being the focus. This route is designed for direct travel rather than leisurely cruising, with clear signage and generally good road conditions guiding you efficiently.

82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7 mi on I 470.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 470 and US 24. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 25.6 miles you will encounter 13 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 2.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles (I 470): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.

Between Lee's Summit, MO and Buckner, MO, road signs point toward Saint Louis and Mall Entrance.

Saint Louis

2.6 mi in | ~5m

Mall Entrance

10.7 mi in | ~15m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 25.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

38m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 7 miles on I 470. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 2.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles (I 470): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Buckner, MO 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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