Origin
Riviera Beach, MD
Morning in Riviera Beach on Sunday
Local time
8:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Riviera Beach, MD to Columbia, MD
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
25.3 mi
41 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
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.
Riviera Beach, MD
Sarah O'Shea
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 25.3-mile drive from Riviera Beach to Columbia, Maryland, is a quick trip that can be completed in about 37 minutes. It's a straightforward, single-day excursion with a modest fuel cost estimated at $4. You'll primarily navigate local roads like Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway and Edwin Raynor Boulevard. Given its short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a day trip without the need for an overnight stay. The journey keeps you within the Northeast region of Maryland, offering a brief but efficient travel experience.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway | 19.6 mi | 26m |
| Edwin Raynor Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Fort Smallwood Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Riviera Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Columbia Pike | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Arundel Expressway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Glen Road | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Gina Court | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
— 19.6 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Riviera Beach, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on Gina Court
212 ft
·
14 sec
·
Gina Court
2
Turn left onto Glen Road
120 ft
·
7 sec
·
Glen Road
3
Continue on Glen Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Road
4
At end of road, turn right onto Main Avenue
97 ft
·
7 sec
·
Main Avenue
5
Turn left onto Riviera Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Riviera Drive
6
Continue on MD 173
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Fort Smallwood Road
7
Continue on Edwin Raynor Boulevard
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Edwin Raynor Boulevard
Use the right lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward MD 100 West: Baltimore
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto MD 100
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
10
Merge onto MD 10; MD 100
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
Arundel Expressway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 100
18 mi
·
23 min
·
Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
Toward MD 100 West
Use the slight left lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 29 South: Washington
Use the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto US 29
0.5 mi
·
30 sec
·
Columbia Pike
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 24.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Main Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Main Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
3.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward MD 100 West: Baltimore
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward MD 100 West: Baltimore
7
6.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway toward MD 100 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward MD 100 West
7
23.9 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 29 South: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 29 South: Washington
8
24.9 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
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 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.19 one way
$8.39 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.59 | $9.19 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.91 | $9.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.59 | $11.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.9 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 | 7.6 | 0 | $2.66 | $1.21 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.21 | $1.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.54 | $1.62 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Columbia, MD
Morning in Columbia on Sunday
Local time
8:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°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
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 turn-heavy local drive on this route, which features a relatively low highway share of only 2%. The majority of your travel will be on local roads, with the longest uninterrupted stretch being 19.6 miles along Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway. This suggests a driving experience that involves frequent adjustments and navigating through community areas rather than sustained highway cruising. The road character will likely shift as you transition between different local thoroughfares.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.6 mi on Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Main Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 25.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Main Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles (MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 25.3 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.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.6 miles on Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway. 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 Columbia, MD 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 0.3 miles (Main Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles (MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. 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 Columbia, MD 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Columbia, MD
More from Riviera Beach, MD
More trips to Columbia, MD
Explore more options from Riviera Beach, MD or browse trips ending in Columbia, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.