Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
14.8 mi
24 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Melbourne, IA
Kaiser Concha
Ferguson, IA
Baset Alhasan
Melbourne, IA to Ferguson, IA is 14.8 miles and takes about 26 minutes via 290th Street, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest and Iowa, offering a straightforward local drive. Given its brief duration, it's ideal for a spontaneous outing or an easy addition to a longer journey. You'll be navigating primarily on local roads, so expect a pace that's more relaxed than highway travel. This route is best suited for those who appreciate the quiet charm of rural Iowa.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 290th Street | 6.6 mi | 11m |
| 280th Street | 5.2 mi | 9m |
| Reed Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| Lafayette Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Hart Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 4th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| County Highway E63 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Melbourne, IA and Ferguson, IA.
Start on Main Street
Turn left onto 4th Street
At end of road, turn right onto S62
Turn left onto E63
Turn left onto E63
Keep slight right at fork onto E63
Continue on E63
At end of road, turn right onto IA 14
Turn left onto E63
Turn left onto Main Street
Turn left onto 2nd Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 14.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right onto S62 / Hart Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto E63 / 290th Street
Navigation decision point
Keep slight right at fork onto E63 / County Highway E63
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
At end of road, turn right onto IA 14 / Reed Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$2.46 one way
$4.92 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $2.68 | $5.36 |
| premium | $5.18 | $3.02 | $6.04 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $3.12 | $6.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.55 | $0.71 |
| Efficient EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.30 | $0.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Evening in Melbourne on Wednesday
Local time
6:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Evening in Ferguson on Wednesday
Local time
6:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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.
This route is a turn-heavy local drive with no highway mileage, meaning you'll be on smaller, well-maintained county roads for the entire 14.8 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.6 miles along 290th Street. You'll be making several turns onto roads like 280th Street and Reed Avenue. The road character remains consistent throughout, focusing on connecting rural communities rather than high-speed transit. It's a drive where you'll be more aware of your surroundings and the turns ahead.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near S62 / Hart Avenue.
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 14.8 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.4 miles (S62 / Hart Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (E63 / 290th Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.7 miles (E63 / County Highway E63): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
100 ft
Total Descent
212 ft
Highest Point
1,053 ft
~4.2 mi in
Elevation Range
142 ft
Founded 1882
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 14.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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