Lee's Summit, MO to Washington, MO is 211.9 miles and takes about 4h 7m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and MO 47, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Missouri, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. You'll be on a mix of highways and surface roads for the majority of this drive. With only one recommended stop and a duration under five hours, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
105.9 miles from Lee's Summit, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 58m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
118.5 mi
2h 11m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
MO 47
23.3 mi
35m
I 470
7 mi
8m
Southeast Douglas Street
2.2 mi
4m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
1.9 mi
2m
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
1m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
1.1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 118.5 mi, about 2h 11m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 11 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,880 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,333
Quietest
1 AM
~259 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Lee's Summit, MO and Washington, 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 16BToward I 70 East: Saint LouisUse the slight right lane.
32 mi·34 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
22 mi·24 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
11
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
12
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
13
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.9 mi·2 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
14
Continue on I 70; US 40
64 mi·1 hr 12 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·19 sec
Exit 193Toward MO 47: Warrenton, Hawk Point
16
Turn right onto MO 47
23 mi·35 min·MO 47
17
Turn right onto East 3rd Street
0.7 mi·2 min·East 3rd Street
18
Arrive at destination
West 3rd Street
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour drive time, leaving Lee's Summit in the morning will allow you to reach Washington with plenty of daylight. With only one stop suggested, you have flexibility in planning your break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially after leaving the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, as services may be more spread out on the surface roads. The $32 fuel estimate is based on the total distance, so plan accordingly.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 105.9 miles from Lee's Summit, MO, or about 1h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 118.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 47 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 105.9 miles or 1h 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Washington, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lee's Summit, MO so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lee's Summit, MO
This is one driving day of about 211.9 miles and 4h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Lee's Summit, MO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 118.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 187.7 — 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
4
95.8 mi into trip|~1h 47m in|I 70 / U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70 / U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
187.7 mi into trip|~3h 30m in
Take the exit toward MO 47: Warrenton, Hawk Point
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 193
Toward MO 47: Warrenton, Hawk Point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.29 one way
$62.59 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg74 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$34.55
$69.09
premium
$4.72
$39.34
$78.69
diesel
$4.80
$40.01
$80.02
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 74.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
63.6
0
$22.25
$10.17
Efficient EV
53
0
$18.54
$8.48
EV Truck/SUV
84.8
1
$29.67
$13.56
Gas CO2
74 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (66% 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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Lee's Summit, MO
Morning
in Lee's Summit on Sunday
Local time
6:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
91°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 6 mph25% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 3:26PM CDT until July 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:07PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
Destination
Washington, MO
Morning
in Washington on Sunday
Local time
6:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Partly Cloudy
W 0 to 5 mph14% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 3:26PM CDT until July 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:07PM CDT until July 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
91°F
Columbia, MO
106 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
19 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
4h 7m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is primarily surface roads, with only 14% of the drive on highways. You'll experience an 118.5-mile stretch on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a more rural cruising feel once you leave the main highway, with fewer exits and less dense traffic as you approach your destination.
Only 14% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 118.5 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.6 miles in.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 7m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,039 ft554 ft
Total Climb
457 ft
Total Descent
942 ft
Highest Point
1,039 ft
Elevation Range
484 ft
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 Lee's Summit, MO to Washington, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Hawk Point along the way.
Lee's Summit is a city in Missouri. It is the hometown of famous outlaw Cole Younger of the James-Younger Gang, and of Grammy Award-winning musician Pat Metheny.
The longest stretch is about 118.5 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Washington, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
