Origin
Radford, VA
Late night in Radford on Tuesday
Local time
5:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Radford, VA to Roanoke, VA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
46.5 mi
75 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Radford, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Roanoke, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Radford and Roanoke is a quick, straightforward journey covering 46.1 miles through the Southeast. You can expect to spend about 50 minutes on the road, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. Because you will be navigating via Arlington Avenue, West Main Street, and Grove Avenue rather than major interstates, you should budget approximately $7 for fuel. This path is perfect if you prefer local roads over high-speed travel. Given the short duration, it is a low-stress trek that fits easily into a morning or afternoon schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 34 mi | 39m |
| I 581 | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| Tyler Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Tyler Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| Grove Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| US 220 BUS | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Salem Avenue Southeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 34 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Radford, VA and Roanoke, VA.
1
Start on Berkley Street
93 ft
·
4 sec
·
Berkley Street
2
Turn right onto Arlington Avenue
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Arlington Avenue
3
Turn slight right onto VA 232
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Turn slight right onto Grove Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Grove Avenue
5
Turn right onto VA 177
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Tyler Avenue
6
Continue on VA 177
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Tyler Road
7
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 81
34 mi
·
39 min
·
I 81
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 143
Toward I 581, US 220 South: Airport, Roanoke
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 581; US 220
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
I 581; US 220
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit onto US 220 BUS
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
US 220 BUS
Toward US 11 South, US 220 Business South: Downtown
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 220 BUS
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
US 220 BUS
13
Turn right onto Salem Avenue Southeast
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Salem Avenue Southeast
14
Turn left onto South Jefferson Street
477 ft
·
20 sec
·
South Jefferson Street
15
Turn right onto Kirk Avenue Southwest
379 ft
·
22 sec
·
Kirk Avenue Southwest
16
Turn left
115 ft
·
13 sec
17
Turn left
132 ft
·
9 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.3 miles from Radford, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 5.7 and 46.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
5.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 81
Merge onto I 81
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
39.9 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward I 581, US 220 South: Airport, Roanoke
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 143
Toward I 581, US 220 South: Airport, Roanoke
5
45.7 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
US 220 BUS
Take the exit onto US 220 BUS toward US 11 South, US 220 Business South: Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 11 South, US 220 Business South: Down...
5
46.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
South Jefferson Street
Turn left onto South Jefferson Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.27 one way
$14.54 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.95 | $15.90 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.61 | $17.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.27 | $20.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14 | 0 | $4.88 | $2.23 |
| Efficient EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.07 | $1.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.6 | 0 | $6.51 | $2.98 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Roanoke, VA
Late night in Roanoke on Tuesday
Local time
5:13 AM
EDT
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
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
1h 2m 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 turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this 0% highway route relies entirely on surface streets to get you to your destination. You will not find any long, straight stretches here, as the longest uninterrupted segment is 0 miles on Arlington Avenue. The character of the road changes frequently as you transition through the local infrastructure. Driving this route requires your full attention due to the constant turns and non-highway conditions.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34 mi on I 81.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and I 581. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 46.5 miles you will encounter 13 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 5.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (I 81): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Radford, VA
Full guide →Radford is a small town of about 16,000 people in Virginia.
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 1h 2m. Total distance: 46.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m 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 34 miles on I 81. 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 Roanoke, VA 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: at 5.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (I 81): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Booker T Washington National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Roanoke, VA 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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