Spanning 91.8 miles across the Southeast, this drive from Meridian to Richland is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 44 minutes. Because the trip is relatively short, you can easily complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $14 for fuel to cover the distance. Navigating via 8th Street, Airport Boulevard, and North Frontage Road keeps you moving through the local landscape. Since you won't need to plan for any mandatory stops, this route offers a direct way to reach your destination efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45.9 miles from Meridian, MS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 20
85.3 mi
1h 31m
Highway 49 South
2.5 mi
3m
8th Street
1.4 mi
2m
Airport Boulevard
1.1 mi
1m
Frontage Road
0.6 mi
3m
North Frontage Road
0.2 mi
<1m
25th Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Old Hwy 49 North
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 85.3 mi, about 1h 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Meridian, MS and Richland, MS.
1
Start on 25th Avenue
272 ft·17 sec·25th Avenue
2
Turn left onto 8th Street
1.4 mi·2 min·8th Street
3
Turn left onto MS 19
1.1 mi·1 min·Airport Boulevard
4
Turn right onto North Frontage Road
0.2 mi·15 sec·North Frontage Road
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Merge onto I 20; I 59; US 80
1.6 mi·1 min·I 20; I 59; US 80
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 20; US 80
84 mi·1 hr 30 min·I 20; US 80
Toward I 20 West: JacksonUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward US 49 South: Hattiesburg, FlowoodUse the right lane.
9
Continue on Highway 49 South
2.5 mi·3 min·Highway 49 South
10
Turn left onto Old Hwy 49 North
241 ft·7 sec·Old Hwy 49 North
11
At end of road, turn right onto Frontage Road
0.6 mi·3 min·Frontage Road
12
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this is a quick 1-hour and 44-minute trek, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. You won't face the fatigue associated with long-haul travel, so feel free to head out whenever your schedule allows. Because this route relies entirely on local roads like Airport Boulevard and North Frontage Road, keep an eye on your navigation to ensure you don't miss any turns in the local traffic flow. Since you have no planned stops, it is a good idea to ensure your vehicle is fueled up before you leave Meridian to cover the $14 estimated cost. Take advantage of the trip's short duration by keeping your itinerary light and open.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 45.9 miles from Meridian, MS, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 85.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 20 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.9 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Richland, MS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Meridian, MS so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Meridian, MS
This is one driving day of about 91.8 miles and 1h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Meridian, MS.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 20 for about 85.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 88.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|8th Street
Turn left onto 8th Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.5 mi into trip|~2m in|MS 19 / Airport Boulevard
Turn left onto MS 19 / Airport Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
2.7 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
4.6 mi into trip|~6m in|I 20; US 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 20; US 80 toward I 20 West: Jackson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 20 West: Jackson
7
88.3 mi into trip|~1h 36m in
Take the exit toward US 49 South: Hattiesburg, Flowood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward US 49 South: Hattiesburg, Flowood
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.86 one way
$27.73 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$15.22
$30.44
premium
$4.56
$16.48
$32.95
diesel
$5.61
$20.27
$40.54
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.5
0
$9.64
$4.41
Efficient EV
23
0
$8.03
$3.67
EV Truck/SUV
36.7
0
$12.85
$5.88
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 13, 2026
Origin
Meridian, MS
Morning
in Meridian on Tuesday
Local time
7:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Sunny
S 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Richland, MS
Morning
in Richland on Tuesday
Local time
7:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
84°F
Forest, MS
46 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 44m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument
National Monument
Medgar and Myrlie Evers were partners in the civil rights struggle. The assassination of Medgar Evers in the carport of their home on June 12, 1963, was the first murder of a nationally significant le...
6 mi from route
~14 min detour
Free
near mile 88.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate a series of local thoroughfares that require your full attention behind the wheel. The road's personality is defined by these constant turns, which make for a more engaged, hands-on driving experience compared to a monotonous highway trek. Without any long, uninterrupted stretches, the pace remains consistent and deliberate from start to finish. Be prepared for a drive that prioritizes local connections over rapid transit.
96% 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: 85.3 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and Highway 49 South. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 8th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 44m 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: at 0.1 miles (8th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (MS 19 / Airport Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Meridian is a city in Mississippi. It was a titan of commerce of sorts during the Reconstruction era and up through the Great Depression, even after General Tecumseh Sherman had torched it, due to its being a hub to five major rail lines and manufacturing during its golden age. It is now a treasure trove for some of the architecture preserved from that period. Meridian is also noted for being the location of the US v. Cecil Price court case, where several Ku Klux Klan members were charged for the abduction and murder of three Civil Rights workers in 1964 in nearby Neshoba County, an event analogously portrayed in the film Mississippi Burning.
The longest stretch is about 85.3 miles on I 20. 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 0.1 miles (8th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (MS 19 / Airport Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Richland, MS before heading back.
