Origin
Maplewood, MN
Late night in Maplewood on Sunday
Local time
1:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Maplewood, MN to Bloomington, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
22.4 mi
36 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maplewood, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Bloomington, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Maplewood, MN to Bloomington, MN is 22.4 miles and takes about 31 minutes via I 494, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a quick, straightforward drive within the Midwest region, specifically between two locations in Minnesota. You'll primarily be on interstate highways, making it an efficient choice for getting from point A to point B without much fuss. Given its short duration, this trip is perfectly suited for a single day, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination. It's a practical option if you're looking for a no-nonsense commute or a brief hop between these Twin Cities suburbs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 17.3 mi | 21m |
| Century Avenue North | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| I 35W | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Innovation Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Lake Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 90th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 17.3 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maplewood, MN and Bloomington, MN.
1
Start on Innovation Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Innovation Boulevard
2
Turn right onto MN 120
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Century Avenue North
Use the straight lane.
3
Continue on Lake Road
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Lake Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 494 South
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 494
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494
12 mi
·
14 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 35W
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35W
Use the slight right lane.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 7B
Toward 90th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn left onto West 90th Street
207 ft
·
5 sec
·
West 90th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Arrive at destination
West 90th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 3 and 22.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 494 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 494 South
6
9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 494
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
20.7 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
7
22.2 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward 90th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 7B
Toward 90th Street
7
22.4 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
West 90th Street
Turn left onto West 90th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.33 one way
$6.67 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $3.59 | $7.18 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.00 | $7.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.95 | $9.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.35 | $1.08 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.96 | $0.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.43 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Bloomington, MN
Late night in Bloomington on Sunday
Local time
1:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
31m 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?
This drive is predominantly a highway-focused experience, with 83% of the journey taking place on major interstates. You'll spend most of your time on I 494, which forms the longest uninterrupted stretch at 17.3 miles. The route utilizes key arteries like I 494, Century Avenue North, and I 35W, indicating a fast-paced transit through the urban landscape. Expect smooth sailing on these well-maintained highways, designed for efficient travel rather than leisurely sightseeing. The character remains consistently that of a modern interstate drive throughout its relatively short mileage.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.3 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 494 and Century Avenue North. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 22.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9 miles (I 494): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Bloomington, MN
Full guide →Bloomington, Minnesota is a suburb of Minneapolis. It is near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP IATA) and home to the Mall of America, the United States' largest shopping mall. Bloomington has a population of 89,000 people (as of 2021). Bloomington was established as a post–World War II housing boom suburb connected to Minneapolis's urban street grid, and is served by two major freeways: Interstate 35W and Interstate 494.
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 31m. Total distance: 22.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.3 miles on I 494. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Bloomington, MN 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 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9 miles (I 494): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 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 Bloomington, MN 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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