Origin
Meadows, AR
Morning in Meadows on Tuesday
Local time
7:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Meadows, AR to Van Buren, AR
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
15m
Distance
9.8 mi
16 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 18m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 14m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Meadows, AR
Yakup Tuğ
Van Buren, AR
Tomás Asurmendi
Trip Overview
Meadows, AR to Van Buren, AR is 9.8 miles and takes about 15m via I 40 and Alma Highway, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Southeast region, making it a straightforward connection between two points in Arkansas. It's a quick drive, perfect for when you need to get from one place to the other without a lot of fuss. You'll spend most of your time on major roads, so expect an efficient journey. This route is ideal for a quick errand or a connecting leg to a larger trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| Collum Lane West | 1 mi | 3m |
| Alma Highway | 1 mi | 1m |
| US 71 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| I 49 | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 4.3 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Meadows, AR and Van Buren, AR.
1
Start on this road
492 ft
·
36 sec
·
this road
2
Continue on Collum Lane West
1.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Collum Lane West
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
4
Merge onto I 49
0.8 mi
·
49 sec
·
I 49
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 40 West: Van Buren, Fort Smith
6
Merge onto I 40; US 71
4.3 mi
·
4 min
·
I 40; US 71
7
Take the exit onto US 71
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 71
Toward I 540 South, US 71 South: Fort Smith
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward US 64 West: Van Buren
9
Turn straight onto US 64; US 71B
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Alma Highway
10
Continue on US 64; US 71B
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Main Street
11
Continue on East Main Street
198 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Main Street
12
Arrive at destination
AR 59
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 7.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
3
1.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 49
Merge onto I 49
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 40 West: Van Buren, Fort Smith
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 West: Van Buren, Fort Smith
5
6.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
US 71
Take the exit onto US 71 toward I 540 South, US 71 South: Fort Smith
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 540 South, US 71 South: Fort Smith
4
7.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward US 64 West: Van Buren
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 64 West: Van Buren
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.48 one way
$2.96 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $1.62 | $3.25 |
| premium | $4.56 | $1.76 | $3.52 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.16 | $4.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.03 | $0.47 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.86 | $0.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.63 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Destination
Van Buren, AR
Morning in Van Buren on Tuesday
Local time
7:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
15m 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 offers a mixed experience, with about 60% of the journey on highways like I 40. You'll encounter stretches of faster driving interspersed with local road segments. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 4.3 miles on I 40, providing a good opportunity to maintain speed. As you transition from the interstate, expect the road to become more local, with potential for traffic lights and lower speed limits on roads like Alma Highway and Collum Lane West. It's a functional drive designed for direct travel.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.3 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 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 9.8 miles you will encounter 6 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 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (I 49): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Meadows, AR to Van Buren, AR, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Smith along the way.
Fort Smith
2.4 mi in
|
~5m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 15m. Total distance: 9.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.3 miles on I 40. 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 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (I 49): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Van Buren, AR 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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