Northwoods, MO to Blue Springs, MO is 223.5 miles and takes about 4h 18m via Roland Boulevard, Lucas-Hunt Road, and MO 7, with a fuel budget near $34 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Missouri, traversing the Midwest region. Given its relatively short duration and surface road profile, it's a straightforward trip. You'll spend most of your time on local roads rather than high-speed highways, making it a more relaxed drive. Plan for a single day of travel, as the drive can be completed comfortably within daylight hours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
111.7 miles from Northwoods, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 9m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 70
221 mi
4h 12m
Northwest 15th Street
0.5 mi
1m
Northwest R D Mize Road
0.5 mi
1m
MO 7
0.5 mi
1m
Roland Boulevard
0.3 mi
1m
Lucas-Hunt Road
0.3 mi
<1m
Nelson Drive
<0.1 mi
<1m
Southwest 15th Street
—
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 221 mi, about 4h 12m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 62 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,090 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,686
Quietest
2 AM
~299 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Northwoods, MO and Blue Springs, MO.
1
Start on Nelson Drive
420 ft·24 sec·Nelson Drive
2
Turn left onto Roland Boulevard
0.3 mi·1 min·Roland Boulevard
3
Turn right onto MO U
0.3 mi·42 sec·Lucas-Hunt Road
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·13 sec
5
Merge onto I 70
221 mi·4 hr 12 min·I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 20Toward MO 7: Blue Springs, Lake LotawanaUse the slight right lane.
7
Turn left onto MO 7
0.5 mi·1 min·MO 7
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto Northwest R D Mize Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Northwest R D Mize Road
9
At end of road, turn left onto Northwest 15th Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Northwest 15th Street
10
Arrive at destination
Southwest 15th Street
Trip Plan
Since this 4-hour drive is easily doable in one day, you have the flexibility to leave when you're ready. Aiming for a mid-morning departure will allow you to avoid rush hour traffic leaving Northwoods and still arrive in Blue Springs with plenty of daylight. With only one recommended stop and no long stretches without services, you can be spontaneous with breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $34, and it's always wise to top off before heading out on a day trip like this.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 111.7 miles from Northwoods, MO, or about 2h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 221 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 49 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 111.7 miles or 2h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Blue Springs, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Northwoods, MO so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Northwoods, MO
This is one driving day of about 223.5 miles and 4h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Northwoods, MO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 70 for about 221 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 223 — 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|Roland Boulevard
Turn left onto Roland Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
0.9 mi into trip|~2m in|I 70
Merge onto I 70
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
221.8 mi into trip|~4h 14m in
Take the exit toward MO 7: Blue Springs, Lake Lotawana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 20
Toward MO 7: Blue Springs, Lake Lotawana
5
222 mi into trip|~4h 15m in|MO 7
Turn left onto MO 7
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
223 mi into trip|~4h 17m in|Northwest 15th Street
At end of road, turn left onto Northwest 15th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.91 one way
$69.81 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg78 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.33
$38.10
$76.20
premium
$4.69
$41.25
$82.50
diesel
$5.99
$52.73
$105.47
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78.2 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
67.1
0
$23.47
$10.73
Efficient EV
55.9
0
$19.56
$8.94
EV Truck/SUV
89.4
1
$31.29
$14.30
Gas CO2
78 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 16, 2026
Origin
Northwoods, MO
Morning
in Northwoods on Saturday
Local time
8:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers
NW 18 mph18% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 1:51AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
Destination
Blue Springs, MO
Morning
in Blue Springs on Saturday
Local time
8:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Mostly Cloudy
NNW 14 to 18 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 1:51AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
53°F
Centralia, MO
112 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
2 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
4h 18m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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.
Gateway Arch National Park
National Park
Gateway Arch National Park commemorates President Jefferson’s vision of a continental nation, the individuals and cultural groups who helped shape its history, St. Louis’ role in westward expansion, a...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip features a 0% highway share, meaning you'll be on surface roads for the entire 223.5 miles. You'll primarily use Roland Boulevard, Lucas-Hunt Road, and MO 7. Expect a consistent pace without the rapid acceleration and deceleration typical of highway driving. The drive will likely involve navigating through towns and suburban areas, so pay attention to speed limit changes and local traffic.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 221 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Northwest 15th Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Roland Boulevard.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 18m drive. You will face about 8 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 (Roland Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 221.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The longest stretch is about 221 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 31 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Roland Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 221.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Gateway Arch National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Blue Springs, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
