Origin
Runnells, IA
Late night in Runnells on Tuesday
Local time
4:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Runnells, IA to West Des Moines, IA
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
40m
Distance
25.5 mi
41 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Runnells, IA
Barnabas Davoti
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Runnells to West Des Moines is 25.5 miles and takes about 40m via East University Avenue, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short Midwest drive stays within Iowa, offering a straightforward journey between two points. Expect a local feel with frequent turns, making it less about the scenery and more about efficient travel. Given its brevity, this route is perfect for a quick trip or as part of a larger itinerary without demanding significant time or resources. It's a functional route for getting from point A to point B within the local area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East University Avenue | 9.4 mi | 14m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| Southeast 116th Street | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Northeast University Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Southeast 112th Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| 63rd Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Southeast Camp Drive | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Brown Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East University Avenue
— 9.4 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Runnells, IA and West Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on IA-316
78 ft
·
3 sec
·
East McKinney Street
2
Turn right onto Brown Street
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Brown Street
3
Continue on Southeast 116th Street
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Southeast 116th Street
4
Continue on Camp Drive
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Camp Drive
5
Continue on Southeast Camp Drive
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Southeast Camp Drive
6
Continue on Southeast 112th Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Southeast 112th Street
7
Turn left onto IA 163
1.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East University Avenue
8
Continue on IA 163
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast University Avenue
9
Continue on IA 163
7.7 mi
·
12 min
·
East University Avenue
10
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I-235 west
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 235
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 4
Toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto IA 28
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
63rd Street
14
Turn right onto Vine Street
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Vine Street
15
Arrive at destination
Vine Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 23.7 — 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
|
Brown Street
Turn right onto Brown Street
Navigation decision point
4
6.3 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
IA 163 / East University Avenue
Turn left onto IA 163 / East University Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
17.5 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the ramp toward I-235 west
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I-235 west
5
18.1 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
8
23.7 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights
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 4
Toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.99 one way
$7.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.38 | $8.75 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.91 | $9.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.63 | $11.26 |
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 | $2.68 | $1.22 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.23 | $1.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
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
West Des Moines, IA
Late night in West Des Moines on Tuesday
Local time
4:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
8 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
40m 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?
This route is characterized as a "turn-heavy local drive," meaning you'll encounter numerous intersections and directional changes rather than long, open stretches. With only 22% of the drive on highways, most of your time will be spent on local roads. The longest continuous segment is 9.4 miles on East University Avenue, offering a brief period of less frequent turns. As you progress, the road transitions between these local streets and limited highway portions, requiring your constant attention to navigation and speed adjustments.
Only 22% 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: 9.4 mi on East University Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 Brown Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 40m 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 (Brown Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.3 miles (IA 163 / East University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 17.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
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 Runnells, IA to West Des Moines, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Windsor Heights along the way.
Windsor Heights
23.7 mi in
|
~36m
About the Cities
Arriving in West Des Moines, IA
Full guide →West Des Moines is a small city in Central Iowa, the largest suburb of Des Moines.
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 40m. Total distance: 25.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (22%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.4 miles on East University Avenue. 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 (Brown Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.3 miles (IA 163 / East University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 17.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at West Des Moines, 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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