Origin
Riverside, IA
Late night in Riverside on Sunday
Local time
5:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Riverside, IA to Iowa City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
14.7 mi
24 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Riverside, IA
Lorenza Magnaghi
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition between Riverside and Iowa City, this 14.7-mile trek is a straightforward option that takes roughly 22 minutes to complete. Because the trip is so brief, you can easily handle it as a simple day trip without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via the Avenue of the Saints, State Highway 22, and South Gilbert Street. With fuel costs estimated at just $2, it is a highly economical way to traverse this corner of the Midwest. Whether you are heading into the city for business or leisure, this route provides a practical connection between two Iowa communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 8.2 mi | 9m |
| South Gilbert Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| State Highway 22 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Riverside Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Old Highway 218 South | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Hickory Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Highway 6 East | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 8.2 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Riverside, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on North Washburn Street
107 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Washburn Street
2
Turn left onto IA 22
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
West 1st Street
3
Continue on IA 22
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
·
East Hickory Street
4
Continue on IA 22
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 22
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
6
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
8.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward Airport
8
Continue on Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
9
Continue on Old Highway 218 South
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Highway 218 South
10
Continue on South Riverside Drive
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Riverside Drive
11
Turn right onto US 6
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway 6 East
12
Turn left onto South Gilbert Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Gilbert Street
13
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13.6 — 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
|
IA 22 / West 1st Street
Turn left onto IA 22 / West 1st Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
4
10.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Airport
4
13.2 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
US 6 / Highway 6 East
Turn right onto US 6 / Highway 6 East
Navigation decision point
4
13.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
South Gilbert Street
Turn left onto South Gilbert Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.30 one way
$4.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.52 | $5.05 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.83 | $5.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.25 | $6.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.54 | $0.71 |
| Efficient EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.29 | $0.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.06 | $0.94 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Iowa City, IA
Late night in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
5:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
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
22m 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 requires you to stay alert through various transitions. While 14 miles of the trip are spent on highways, the personality of the road shifts significantly as you move from open stretches into local streets. You will experience your longest uninterrupted segment during the 8.2 miles spent on the Avenue of the Saints. The remaining portion of the journey involves navigating local roads, which keeps the drive feeling dynamic rather than monotonous. It is a functional route where the change in road types defines the overall pace of your travel.
Only 14% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.2 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IA 22 / West 1st Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 22m drive. You will face about 6 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 (IA 22 / West 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 10.3 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 Riverside, IA to Iowa City, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Airport along the way.
Airport
10.3 mi in
|
~13m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 14.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (14%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.2 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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 (IA 22 / West 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 10.3 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 Iowa City, IA 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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