Louisiana, MO to East Independence, MO is 209 miles and takes about 4h 10m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and US 54, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Missouri, moving through the Midwest region. It's a straightforward, single-day trip that should feel familiar if you've driven through the heartland before. With a recommended single day for completion, it’s a manageable distance for most drivers looking for a direct connection between these two points.
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
104.5 miles from Louisiana, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
72.9 mi
1h 22m
US 54
69.9 mi
1h 29m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
Georgia Street
2 mi
3m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
2 mi
2m
South Little Blue Parkway
1.6 mi
3m
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
1m
South Jackson Drive
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 72.9 mi, about 1h 22m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 14 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,198 veh/hr typical
Quietest
1 AM
~311 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 102 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 Louisiana, MO and East Independence, MO.
1
Start on Tennessee Street
35 ft·7 sec·Tennessee Street
2
Turn left onto North 7th Street
296 ft·15 sec·North 7th Street
3
Turn right onto US 54 Business
2.0 mi·3 min·Georgia Street
4
Continue on US 54 BUS; MO NN
0.7 mi·1 min·US 54 BUS; MO NN
5
At end of road, turn left onto US 54
19 mi·24 min·US 54
6
Keep slight left at fork onto US 54
14 mi·19 min·US 54
7
Enter roundabout onto US 54; MO 19
241 ft·3 sec·US 54; MO 19
8
Continue on US 54; MO 19
8.1 mi·11 min·US 54; MO 19
9
Enter roundabout onto US 54
62 ft·0 sec·US 54
10
Continue on US 54
10 mi·13 min·US 54
11
Turn left onto US 54
18 mi·20 min·US 54
Toward US 54 West: Jefferson City
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·15 sec
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Columbia
13
Merge onto I 70; US 40
19 mi·23 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
14
Continue on I 70; US 40
2.0 mi·2 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
15
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
16
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
17
Continue on I 70; US 40
54 mi·58 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
18
Continue on I 70; US 40
52 mi·56 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Exit 17Toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall EntranceUse the slight right lane.
20
Turn right onto South Little Blue Parkway
1.6 mi·3 min·South Little Blue Parkway
21
Turn left onto East R.D. Mize Road
0.2 mi·37 sec·East R.D. Mize Road
22
Turn right onto South Jackson Drive
1.2 mi·2 min·South Jackson Drive
23
Turn straight onto Holke Road
0.9 mi·2 min·Holke Road
24
Turn left onto East Truman Road
0.7 mi·1 min·East Truman Road
25
Turn right onto Main Road
0.3 mi·1 min·Main Road
26
Turn right onto East 9th Street South
79 ft·3 sec·East 9th Street South
27
Arrive at destination
East 9th Street South
Trip Plan
This 209-mile trip is easily doable in a single day, so you have flexibility with your departure time. Aiming to leave in the morning will give you ample time to reach your destination without feeling rushed, and you'll likely only need one stop for gas or a quick break. The fuel cost is estimated at $33, so plan accordingly. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 72.9 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, so consider a quick stretch break just before or after that segment.
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 104.5 miles from Louisiana, MO, or about 2h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.9 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 46 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 104.5 miles or 2h 12m 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 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near East Independence, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Louisiana, 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 Louisiana, MO
This is one driving day of about 209 miles and 4h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Louisiana, 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 72.9 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 209 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|North 7th Street
Turn left onto North 7th Street
Navigation decision point
5
54.6 mi into trip|~1h 14m in|US 54
Turn left onto US 54 toward US 54 West: Jefferson City
Navigation decision point
Toward US 54 West: Jefferson City
5
72.7 mi into trip|~1h 34m in
Take the exit toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Columbia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Columbia
8
203.8 mi into trip|~3h 59m 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...
5
209 mi into trip|~4h 10m in|East 9th Street South
Turn right onto East 9th Street South
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.86 one way
$69.73 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg73 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$37.89
$75.78
premium
$5.26
$43.27
$86.55
diesel
$6.18
$50.84
$101.69
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 73.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
62.7
0
$21.95
$10.03
Efficient EV
52.3
0
$18.29
$8.36
EV Truck/SUV
83.6
1
$29.26
$13.38
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
24 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Louisiana, MO
Morning
in Louisiana on Tuesday
Local time
7:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Sunny
SE 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
East Independence, MO
Morning
in East Independence on Tuesday
Local time
7:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Partly Sunny
SSE 6 mph3% chanceLive forecast
80°F
Columbia, MO
105 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
2 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 10m 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?
About 35% of this 209-mile route is on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. You'll experience a longest stretch of 72.9 miles on this highway before transitioning to other roads. Expect a mix of highway cruising and surface street driving, with the highway portion likely offering more consistent speeds. The transition between major highway and surface roads will be noticeable as you navigate through towns and access points.
35% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 72.9 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North 7th Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 10m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 54.6 miles (US 54): Navigation decision point; at 72.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Louisiana (French: La Louisiane) is a state in the South of the United States that is known for its culture that dominates in the New Orleans part of the state. The state of Louisiana is bordered to the west by Texas, to the north by Arkansas, to the east by the state of Mississippi, and to the south by the Gulf of Mexico.
Top landmarks
•Bethel Chapel AME Church — church building in Missouri, United States of America
•Louisiana Chicago & Alton Railroad Depot — railway station in Louisiana, the United States of America
•Georgia Street Historic District — historic district in Missouri, United States
The longest stretch is about 72.9 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 21 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.
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: near the start (North 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 54.6 miles (US 54): Navigation decision point; at 72.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.4 hours — manageable with a long break at East Independence, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
