Origin
Meridian, ID
Night in Meridian on Saturday
Local time
10:16 PM
MDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Meridian, ID to Caldwell, ID
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
18.5 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
6 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Meridian, ID
Wikimedia Commons
Caldwell, ID
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning just 18.5 miles, this quick trip between Meridian and Caldwell is an ideal jaunt for those traversing the Mountain West region of Idaho. You can expect a driving time of approximately 26 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day outing that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of roughly $3, it is an incredibly economical route to navigate. The path relies on local infrastructure, including North Meridian Road and Blaine Street, rather than long stretches of interstate. Whether you are running errands or just exploring the local area, this straightforward connection offers a practical way to move between these two communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway | 14.7 mi | 16m |
| North Meridian Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Blaine Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North 21st Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Franklin Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Pine Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South 10th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
— 14.7 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Meridian, ID and Caldwell, ID.
1
Start on North Main Street
56 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn right onto East Pine Avenue
528 ft
·
25 sec
·
East Pine Avenue
3
Turn left onto North Meridian Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Meridian Road
4
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
5
Merge onto I 84; US 30; ID 55
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Toward US 20, US 26 East
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Turn left onto US 20; US 26
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
Franklin Road
8
Continue on North 21st Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North 21st Avenue
9
Turn right onto I 84 Business
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Blaine Street
10
Turn left onto South 10th Avenue
166 ft
·
9 sec
·
South 10th Avenue
11
Turn left
68 ft
·
6 sec
12
Turn right
79 ft
·
5 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 18.5 — 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
|
East Pine Avenue
Turn right onto East Pine Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 84; US 30; ID 55 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 84; US 30; ID 55 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
16.4 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward US 20, US 26 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward US 20, US 26 East
4
18.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
South 10th Avenue
Turn left onto South 10th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
18.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.93 one way
$5.86 round trip
$4.03/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $3.07 | $6.15 |
| premium | $4.53 | $3.30 | $6.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.08 | $8.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.94 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.59 | $1.18 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Caldwell, ID
Night in Caldwell on Saturday
Local time
10:16 PM
MDT
Current temp
62°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
26m 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 turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Since this route maintains a 0% highway share, you will be navigating surface streets for the entirety of the 18.5-mile journey. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, covering 14.7 miles before shifting into local traffic patterns. The character of the road changes noticeably as you transition from broader thoroughfares into the more frequent turns required by the local grid. It is a functional, hands-on driving experience that keeps you engaged with the local landscape.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.7 mi on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Pine Avenue.
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 26m drive. You will face about 9 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 (East Pine Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (I 84; US 30; ID 55 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 18.5 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%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.7 miles on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. 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.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through ID can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Pine Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (I 84; US 30; ID 55 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Caldwell, ID 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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