If you are looking to travel from Mitchellville to Iowa City, you are facing a manageable 98.8-mile journey through the heart of the Midwest. Expect the drive to take approximately 1 hour and 36 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. Since this route avoids major interstates entirely, you should budget about $15 for fuel to cover the distance. Because the total duration is under two hours, there is no need to plan for an overnight stay unless your schedule requires it. This local excursion offers a straightforward way to navigate between these two Iowa points without the intensity of high-speed highway traffic.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
49.4 miles from Mitchellville, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 54m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
95.1 mi
1h 42m
North Dubuque Street
1 mi
2m
North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
2m
6th Street Northwest
0.5 mi
<1m
Northeast 112th Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Center Avenue North
0.3 mi
<1m
Kimball Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
2nd Street Northeast
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 95.1 mi, about 1h 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mitchellville, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on 2nd Street Northeast
97 ft·8 sec·2nd Street Northeast
2
Turn right onto CR S27
0.3 mi·39 sec·Center Avenue North
3
At end of road, turn left onto CR S27
0.5 mi·54 sec·6th Street Northwest
4
Turn right onto CR S27
0.4 mi·42 sec·Northeast 112th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·45 sec
6
Merge onto I 80; US 6
95 mi·1 hr 42 min·I 80; US 6
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
Toward Downtown
8
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.0 mi·2 min·North Dubuque Street
9
Turn left onto Kimball Road
477 ft·21 sec·Kimball Road
10
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi·2 min·North Gilbert Street
11
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Trip Plan
Since this 98.8-mile drive is relatively short, you have the flexibility to depart whenever it best suits your personal itinerary. Because there are no designated stops programmed into this route, plan to handle any necessary refueling or rest breaks before you head out or once you arrive at your destination. Keep in mind that since this is a turn-heavy local drive, it is wise to rely on a reliable GPS system to navigate the transitions between Center Avenue North and the other local roads. Use the $15 fuel budget as a baseline, but remember to account for potential traffic patterns that could impact your consumption. Staying alert is key, as the local nature of these roads means you will be navigating intersections more frequently than on a traditional highway route.
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 49.4 miles from Mitchellville, IA, or about 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 95.1 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 22 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49.4 miles or 54m 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 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Iowa City, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mitchellville, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Mitchellville, IA
This is one driving day of about 98.9 miles and 1h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Mitchellville, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 95.1 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 and 98.1 — 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|CR S27 / Center Avenue North
Turn right onto CR S27 / Center Avenue North
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|CR S27 / 6th Street Northwest
At end of road, turn left onto CR S27 / 6th Street Northwest
Navigation decision point
3
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|CR S27 / Northeast 112th Street
Turn right onto CR S27 / Northeast 112th Street
Navigation decision point
4
96.6 mi into trip|~1h 45m in
Take the exit toward Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Downtown
4
98.1 mi into trip|~1h 49m in|North Gilbert Street
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.46 one way
$30.92 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$16.98
$33.95
premium
$4.89
$19.03
$38.06
diesel
$5.61
$21.84
$43.67
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.7
0
$10.38
$4.75
Efficient EV
24.7
0
$8.65
$3.96
EV Truck/SUV
39.6
0
$13.85
$6.33
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 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 15, 2026
Origin
Mitchellville, IA
Morning
in Mitchellville on Sunday
Local time
8:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Iowa City, IA
Morning
in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
8:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
50°F
Brooklyn, IA
49 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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 51m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this route relies on a series of local roads, including Center Avenue North, 6th Street Northwest, and Northeast 112th Street. With a highway share of 0%, you will spend the entire trip navigating through local infrastructure rather than maintaining constant high speeds. The character of the road is consistently technical, demanding your full attention as you transition between these specific streets. You won't find any long, uninterrupted stretches here, so expect a driving experience that requires frequent adjustments and constant awareness of your surroundings.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 95.1 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and North Dubuque Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR S27 / Center Avenue North.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 51m 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 (CR S27 / Center Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (CR S27 / 6th Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (CR S27 / Northeast 112th Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 51m. Total distance: 98.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 95.1 miles on I 80. 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: near the start (CR S27 / Center Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (CR S27 / 6th Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (CR S27 / Northeast 112th Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Iowa City, IA before heading back.
