Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 8m
Distance
177.6 mi
286 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$28
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lenexa, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Minneha, KS
Tien Nguyen
The drive from Lenexa, KS to Minneha, KS covers 177.6 miles and takes about 3h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35, KS 96, East 21st Street North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 171 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.53 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
88.8 miles from Lenexa, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 33m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 171 mi | 2h 54m |
| KS 96 | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| East 21st Street North | 2 mi | 4m |
| Red Brush | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Lenexa Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| West 95th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Saddle Creek Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Steeplechase Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~761 veh/hr typical · worst 1,009
Quietest
2 AM
~68 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Lenexa, KS and Minneha, KS.
Start on this road
Turn right
Turn left onto Rosehill Road
Turn right onto Lenexa Drive
Continue on Lenexa Drive
Turn right onto West 95th Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 35; US 56; US 169
Continue on I 35; US 50; US 56; US 169
Continue on I 35; US 50; US 59
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto KS 96
Take the exit
Turn left onto East 21st Street North
Turn left onto Red Brush
At end of road, turn right onto East Wilson Estates Parkway
Turn left onto North Saddle Creek Street
Turn right onto East Steeplechase Street
Arrive at destination
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.
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 39 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 88.8 miles or 1h 33m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Minneha, KS than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Lenexa, KS 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 Lenexa, KS
This is one driving day of about 177.6 miles and 3h 8m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
89 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.
A short stop after about 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 88.8 miles from Lenexa, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 35 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 171 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 174.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Lenexa Drive
Navigation decision point
Take the ramp toward I 35 South, US 56 West, US 169 South: Wichita
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward US 54, US 400, KS 96
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward 21st Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$27.53 one way
$55.07 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $30.19 | $60.38 |
| premium | $4.93 | $34.46 | $68.91 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $39.15 | $78.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 62.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 53.3 | 0 | $18.65 | $8.52 |
| Efficient EV | 44.4 | 0 | $15.54 | $7.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 71 | 0 | $24.86 | $11.37 |
Gas CO2
62 kg
EV CO2
21 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Lenexa on Wednesday
Local time
3:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Minneha on Wednesday
Local time
3:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Partly Cloudy
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
177.6 mi in 3h 8m, mostly highway — 171 mi of that is on I 35.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and KS 96. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
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 177.6 miles you will encounter 14 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: Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Lenexa Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
729 ft
Total Descent
374 ft
Highest Point
1,547 ft
~114.2 mi in
Elevation Range
641 ft
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 8m. Total distance: 177.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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