Origin
Mediapolis, IA
Late night in Mediapolis on Sunday
Local time
2:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mediapolis, IA to Iowa City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
64 mi
103 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mediapolis, IA
tian Jin
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 64-mile drive from Mediapolis, IA, to Iowa City, IA, takes about 1 hour and 25 minutes to complete. It's a straightforward trip that's perfect for a single-day excursion, with no need to break it up overnight. You'll primarily be on the Avenue of the Saints and State Highway 92, with some time on US Highway 61. The estimated fuel cost is around $10, making it an economical journey. This route offers a mixed driving experience as you travel within the Midwest region, connecting two points in Iowa.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 22.2 mi | 25m |
| State Highway 92 | 16.9 mi | 25m |
| US Highway 61 | 12.4 mi | 14m |
| North Baxter Street | 6.1 mi | 6m |
| South Gilbert Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Oak Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Riverside Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 22.2 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mediapolis, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on North Orchard Street
73 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Orchard Street
2
Turn right onto Main Street
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Main Street
3
Turn straight onto Mediapolis Road
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Mediapolis Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 61 north: Muscatine
5
Merge onto US 61
12 mi
·
14 min
·
US Highway 61
6
Continue on US 61
6.1 mi
·
6 min
·
North Baxter Street
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward IA 92 west, CR G48 east: Grandview, Columbus Junction
8
Turn left onto IA 92
8.3 mi
·
12 min
·
State Highway 92
9
Continue on IA 92
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Oak Street
10
Continue on IA 92
8.6 mi
·
12 min
·
State Highway 92
11
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
12
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward Airport
14
Continue on Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
15
Continue on Old Highway 218 South
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Highway 218 South
16
Continue on South Riverside Drive
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Riverside Drive
17
Turn right onto US 6
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway 6 East
18
Turn left onto South Gilbert Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Gilbert Street
19
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32 miles from Mediapolis, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 37.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Main Street
Turn right onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward US 61 north: Muscatine
Navigation decision point
Toward US 61 north: Muscatine
5
19.3 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward IA 92 west, CR G48 east: Grandview, Columbus Junction
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 92 west, CR G48 east: Grandview, Colu...
4
19.6 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
IA 92 / State Highway 92
Turn left onto IA 92 / State Highway 92
Navigation decision point
4
37.1 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.01 one way
$20.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.99 | $21.97 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.32 | $24.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.13 | $28.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.72 | $3.07 |
| Efficient EV | 16 | 0 | $5.60 | $2.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.6 | 0 | $8.96 | $4.10 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Iowa City, IA
Late night in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
2:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
22 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
1h 25m 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?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 47% of it being on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 22.2 miles on the Avenue of the Saints. This suggests a varied experience, transitioning between faster highway speeds and potentially more localized road segments. The drive won't feel like a monotonous interstate grind, but rather a blend of efficient travel and more typical road conditions.
47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.2 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 Main Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 25m drive. You will face about 10 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 (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 19.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
Between Mediapolis, IA and Iowa City, IA, road signs point toward Cr G48 East: Grandview, Columbus Junction and Airport.
Cr G48 East: Grandview
19.3 mi in
|
~22m
Columbus Junction
19.3 mi in
|
~22m
Airport
59.7 mi in
|
~1h 16m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 25m. Total distance: 64 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.2 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 19.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Iowa City, IA 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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