Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
23m
Distance
17.3 mi
28 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plymouth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Columbia Heights, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Plymouth, MN to Columbia Heights, MN is 17.3 miles and takes about 23 minutes via I 94 and I 494, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region and the state of Minnesota. Given its minimal distance and duration, this route is ideal for a quick commute or a brief excursion. You'll primarily be on interstate highways, so expect efficient travel.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 6.3 mi | 7m |
| I 494 | 5 mi | 6m |
| University Avenue Northeast | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| I 694 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| MN 55 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,681 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~293 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 40 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Plymouth, MN and Columbia Heights, MN.
Start on MN 55
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 494
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 94; I 694
Keep slight left at fork onto I 694
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto MN 47
Continue on MN 47
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 14.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 494 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 East, I 694 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MN 47: University Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward MN 47
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$2.74 one way
$5.48 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $2.92 | $5.83 |
| premium | $4.85 | $3.30 | $6.60 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $3.81 | $7.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.11 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Plymouth on Friday
Local time
5:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Evening in Columbia Heights on Friday
Local time
5:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Partly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This drive is mostly highway, with 79% of the 17.3 miles spent on interstates like I 94 and I 494. Your longest continuous stretch on the highway will be 6.3 miles on I 94. The route transitions to surface streets, specifically University Avenue Northeast, for the final portion of the trip. You'll notice a significant number of exits and potential for urban merging as you approach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 494. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 17.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; near the start: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 5.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
103 ft
Total Descent
160 ft
Highest Point
978 ft
Elevation Range
153 ft
Founded 1852
Plymouth is a city located in the heart of Minnesota. This city is a place that has a good solid community and friendly people. Plymouth has a lot to offer both its residents and its travelers. They are known for having affordable housing, low crime rates and most importantly an active outdoor culture. Plymouth was also Money Magazine's best place to live in 2008. If Plymouth was ranked as the number one place to live, it must be a really great place to travel to as well.
Founded 1898
Columbia Heights and Fridley are suburbs of Minneapolis located in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 17.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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