Origin
New Salem, ND
Late night in New Salem on Sunday
Local time
4:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Salem, ND to Bismarck, ND
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
32.9 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Salem, ND
Banx Photography
Bismarck, ND
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick and straightforward transit across the North Dakota Great Plains, the drive from New Salem to Bismarck is an ideal choice. Covering a total distance of 32.9 miles, this trip typically takes about 37 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day journey. You will spend the vast majority of your time on I-94, with the remainder of the route transitioning onto West Rosser Avenue and 8th Street North as you arrive in the city. With a fuel budget of just $5, it is an incredibly economical route that requires zero planned stops. Because both locations sit firmly within the Great Plains, you can expect a consistent, flat landscape throughout the transit. Whether you are commuting or just passing through, this route offers a reliable, no-fuss connection between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 27.9 mi | 27m |
| West Rosser Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| 8th Street North | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Memorial Highway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Main Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Bismarck Expressway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Ash Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 5th Street North | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 27.9 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Salem, ND and Bismarck, ND.
1
Start on Elm Avenue
430 ft
·
21 sec
·
Elm Avenue
2
Turn right onto 5th Street North
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
5th Street North
3
At end of road, turn left onto CR 139
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Ash Avenue
4
Turn right onto 8th Street North
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
8th Street North
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
6
Merge onto I 94
28 mi
·
27 min
·
I 94
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 156
Toward I 94 Business: Bismarck Expressway
8
Continue on Bismarck Expressway
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Bismarck Expressway
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 94 Business East: Bismarck, Mandan
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 94 Business East: Main Avenue, Bismarck
11
Turn straight onto I 94 Business
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Memorial Highway
Toward Bismarck
12
Continue on I 94 Business
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
·
West Main Avenue
13
Turn slight left onto West Rosser Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West Rosser Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
East Rosser Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 30.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
5th Street North
Turn right onto 5th Street North
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CR 139 / Ash Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto CR 139 / Ash Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
29.5 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward I 94 Business: Bismarck Expressway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 156
Toward I 94 Business: Bismarck Expressway
5
30.3 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward I 94 Business East: Bismarck, Mandan
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 94 Business East: Bismarck, Mandan
6
30.5 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 Business East: Main Avenue, Bismarck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 94 Business East: Main Avenue, Bismarc...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.14 one way
$10.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.65 | $11.29 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.33 | $12.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.26 | $14.53 |
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 | $3.45 | $1.58 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.88 | $1.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.61 | $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
Bismarck, ND
Late night in Bismarck on Sunday
Local time
4:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
27 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
37m 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 focused, highway-heavy experience as 86% of your time behind the wheel is spent on the interstate. The route is defined by a long, uninterrupted 27.9-mile stretch on I-94, which allows for steady cruising across the prairie. While the journey is efficient and fast, the character of the drive shifts slightly as you exit the highway to navigate the local surface streets of West Rosser Avenue and 8th Street North. This transition brings a change in pace, moving you from high-speed transit into the urban environment of Bismarck. It is a practical, utilitarian drive that prioritizes speed and directness over technical maneuvers or winding paths.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.9 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and West Rosser Avenue. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 5th Street North.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 32.9 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (5th Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (CR 139 / Ash Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 29.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from New Salem, ND to Bismarck, ND, road signs begin pointing toward Mandan along the way.
Mandan
30.3 mi in
|
~32m
About the Cities
Arriving in Bismarck, ND
Full guide →Bismarck (Hidasta: mirahacii arumaaguash; Arikara: ituhtaáwe) is the capital of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. Bismarck is North Dakota's second most populous city, after Fargo.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 32.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.9 miles on I 94. 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 ND 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: at 0.1 miles (5th Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (CR 139 / Ash Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 29.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bismarck, ND 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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