Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 23, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
25.7 mi
41 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Melrose, IA
Choco Kitty
Lovilia, IA
Diego F. Parra
Melrose to Lovilia is 25.7 miles and takes about 39 minutes via US 34 and IA 5, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Iowa, taking you through the Midwest region. It's primarily a highway drive, making it a quick and straightforward option for connecting these two towns. Plan for a swift transit with minimal fuss, ideal for a quick hop or as part of a larger journey.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 34 | 13.2 mi | 19m |
| IA 5 | 9.2 mi | 13m |
| 520th Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| Shamrock Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Clinton Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Trinity Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 19th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Melrose, IA and Lovilia, IA.
Start on this road
Turn left onto Trinity Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Shamrock Street
Continue on 520th Avenue
Turn right onto US 34
Turn left onto IA 5
Continue on IA 5
Keep slight left at fork onto IA 5
Turn right onto East 19th Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 16.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Trinity Avenue
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn left onto Shamrock Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto US 34
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto IA 5 / South Clinton Street
Navigation decision point
Keep slight left at fork onto IA 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Regular Gas
$4.29 one way
$8.57 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.62 | $4.68 | $9.36 |
| premium | $5.25 | $5.32 | $10.63 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $6.35 | $12.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.23 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.25 | $1.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.60 | $1.64 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Melrose on Friday
Local time
3:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Afternoon in Lovilia on Friday
Local time
3:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Mostly Clear
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.
You'll spend most of your time on highways, with 87% of the route on roads like US 34 and IA 5. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 13.2 miles along US 34. After the highway sections, you'll transition to surface roads like 520th Avenue for the remainder of the drive. Expect a generally open cruising feel with few complex interchanges.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 34 and IA 5. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Trinity Avenue.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 39m drive. You will face about 6 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 (Trinity Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Shamrock Street): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (US 34): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
262 ft
Total Descent
241 ft
Highest Point
995 ft
~5.5 mi in
Elevation Range
181 ft
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 25.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Straightforward navigation.
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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