Origin
Meridianville, AL
Morning in Meridianville on Sunday
Local time
6:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Meridianville, AL to Decatur, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
33 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Meridianville, AL
Muhammad Nabeel
Decatur, AL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Meridianville, AL to Decatur, AL is 33 miles and takes about 40 minutes via I 565, US 231, and Huntsville-Decatur Highway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Alabama, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of this trip. Given its brevity, this is an ideal route for a quick day trip or a convenient way to connect these two cities without much fuss. Consider this for a straightforward transit between your starting and ending points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 565 | 18.3 mi | 19m |
| US 231 | 5.9 mi | 7m |
| Huntsville-Decatur Highway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Bee Line Highway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Memorial Parkway Northwest | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| US 72 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 6th Avenue Northeast | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Lee Street Northeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 565
— 18.3 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Meridianville, AL and Decatur, AL.
1
Start on Wells Road
243 ft
·
13 sec
·
Wells Road
2
Turn right onto US 231; US 431
5.9 mi
·
7 min
·
US 231; US 431
3
Keep slight left at fork onto US 231; US 431
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Memorial Parkway Northwest
4
Take the exit onto US 72
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 72
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I-565 West
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 565; US 72 Alternate
18 mi
·
19 min
·
I 565; US 72 Alternate
7
Continue on US 72 Alternate; SR 20
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
US 72 Alternate; SR 20
8
Continue on US 72 Alternate; AL 20
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Huntsville-Decatur Highway
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Bee Line Highway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
6th Avenue Northeast
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn right onto Lee Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Lee Street Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn right
82 ft
·
6 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 32.8 — 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
|
US 231; US 431
Turn right onto US 231; US 431
Navigation decision point
5
7.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 72
Take the exit onto US 72
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
8.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I-565 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I-565 West
6
32.4 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Keep slight left at fork onto US 31; US 72 Alternate; AL 20 / 6th Avenue Northeast
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
32.8 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
Lee Street Northeast
Turn right onto Lee Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.98 one way
$9.97 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $5.47 | $10.94 |
| premium | $4.56 | $5.92 | $11.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.29 | $14.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.47 | $1.58 |
| Efficient EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.89 | $1.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.62 | $2.11 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Decatur, AL
Morning in Decatur on Sunday
Local time
6:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°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
2 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
40m 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?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 81% of the route utilizing faster roads. You'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch on I 565, spanning 18.3 miles. The character of the drive shifts as you transition between major highways and local roads like the Huntsville-Decatur Highway. While much of the journey is on well-maintained interstates, be prepared for the change in pace as you approach your destination. It's a route designed for efficient travel between these two Alabama locales.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.3 mi on I 565.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 565 and US 231. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 231; US 431.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 33 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 231; US 431): Navigation decision point; at 7.6 miles (US 72): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 33 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.3 miles on I 565. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Decatur, AL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 (US 231; US 431): Navigation decision point; at 7.6 miles (US 72): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Decatur, AL 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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