If you are planning to travel from Solon to Waterloo, expect a straightforward 71.9-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 14 minutes. Because this is a relatively short trip through the heart of the Midwest, you can easily complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $11 for fuel to cover the distance. Since the route utilizes local roads like Highway 382, Ely Road Northeast, and State Street rather than major interstates, it offers a more grounded, local perspective of Iowa. It is an ideal choice if you prefer a direct, no-fuss drive that gets you to your destination quickly.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
35.9 miles from Solon, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 49m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
54.5 mi
1h
Ely Road Northeast
4.1 mi
7m
Ely Road
3.5 mi
6m
I 380
2.9 mi
4m
Highway 382 Northeast
2.2 mi
3m
State Street
1.5 mi
2m
US 30
0.8 mi
<1m
Washington Street
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 54.5 mi, about 1h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Solon, IA and Waterloo, IA.
1
Start on CR F16
0.4 mi·40 sec·East Main Street
2
Continue on CR F16
2.2 mi·3 min·Highway 382 Northeast
3
Enter roundabout onto CR W6E
11 ft·0 sec·Ely Road Northeast
4
Continue on CR W6E
4.1 mi·7 min·Ely Road Northeast
5
Continue on CR W6E
1.5 mi·2 min·State Street
6
Continue on CR W6E
3.5 mi·6 min·Ely Road
7
Turn right onto C Street Southwest
0.4 mi·46 sec·C Street Southwest
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward US 30 west, US 151 south
9
Merge onto US 30; US 151
0.8 mi·56 sec·US 30; US 151
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 380 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids
11
Merge onto I 380; IA 27
54 mi·1 hr·Avenue of the Saints
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
2.9 mi·4 min·I 380
Toward I-380 north, US 218 north: Waterloo
13
Continue on Washington Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Washington Street
Toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
14
Turn left onto West 4th Street
398 ft·13 sec·West 4th Street
15
Arrive at destination
West 4th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 1-hour and 14-minute duration, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time, though traveling during daylight hours is best for navigating the frequent turns on local roads. Since there are no designated stops on this 71.9-mile path, ensure your vehicle is fueled up before you leave to account for the $11 estimated cost. Stay alert at every junction, as the route relies entirely on local infrastructure rather than continuous highway signage. Your greatest advantage here is the short travel time, allowing you to easily adjust your schedule if you encounter unexpected local traffic. Keep a close eye on your GPS, as the transition between Highway 382 and Ely Road Northeast happens quickly and requires careful navigation.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 35.9 miles from Solon, IA, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 16 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 35.9 miles or 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waterloo, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Solon, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Solon, IA
This is one driving day of about 71.8 miles and 1h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Solon, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Avenue of the Saints for about 54.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 68.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.6 mi into trip|~4m in|CR W6E / Ely Road Northeast
Enter roundabout onto CR W6E / Ely Road Northeast
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
3
11.7 mi into trip|~20m in|C Street Southwest
Turn right onto C Street Southwest
Navigation decision point
6
12 mi into trip|~21m in
Take the ramp toward US 30 west, US 151 south
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 30 west, US 151 south
5
13.2 mi into trip|~23m in
Take the exit toward I 380 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids
6
68.4 mi into trip|~1h 25m in|I 380
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380 toward I-380 north, US 218 north: Waterloo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 north, US 218 north: Waterloo
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.23 one way
$22.45 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg25 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$12.32
$24.65
premium
$4.89
$13.82
$27.63
diesel
$5.61
$15.85
$31.71
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
21.5
0
$7.54
$3.45
Efficient EV
18
0
$6.28
$2.87
EV Truck/SUV
28.7
0
$10.05
$4.60
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Solon, IA
Late night
in Solon on Tuesday
Local time
5:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Waterloo, IA
Late night
in Waterloo on Tuesday
Local time
5:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
3 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 31m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will spend the entire 71.9 miles navigating local roads, which keeps the pace steady but requires your full attention at intersections and turns. Because this is not an interstate grind, you will not encounter long, uninterrupted stretches of high-speed travel. Instead, the character of the road changes frequently as you transition between Highway 382, Ely Road Northeast, and State Street. Expect a more intimate experience behind the wheel where the scenery shifts based on the specific local roads you are traversing.
Only 8% 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: 54.5 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
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 around 2.6 miles in near CR W6E / Ely Road Northeast.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 31m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles (CR W6E / Ely Road Northeast): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 11.7 miles (C Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 12 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Waterloo is a city of 68,000 people (2020) in of Black Hawk County in Northeast Iowa. It adjoins the city of Cedar Falls. It is home to an important John Deere tractor factory, which offers tours.
The longest stretch is about 54.5 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: at 2.6 miles (CR W6E / Ely Road Northeast): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 11.7 miles (C Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 12 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Waterloo, IA before heading back.
