The drive from Springfield, OH to Zanesville, OH covers 99.7 miles and takes about 1h 55m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East Freeway, I 70, US 40 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 52.8 miles on East Freeway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.31 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
49.8 miles from Springfield, OH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 58m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
East Freeway
52.8 mi
58m
I 70
33.7 mi
36m
US 40
6.2 mi
9m
West Freeway
3.2 mi
4m
South Innerbelt
1.9 mi
2m
Lee Street
0.5 mi
1m
East Columbia Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Linden Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
East Freeway
— 52.8 mi, about 58m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 106 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,274 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,996
Quietest
2 AM
~337 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Springfield, OH and Zanesville, OH.
1
Start on South Limestone Street
0.1 mi·17 sec·South Limestone Street
2
Turn right onto US 40; SR 4; SR 41
0.4 mi·34 sec·East Columbia Street
3
Turn slight left onto US 40; SR 41
6.2 mi·9 min·US 40; SR 41
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·51 sec
Toward I 70 East: Columbus
5
Merge onto I 70
34 mi·36 min·I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70
3.2 mi·4 min·West Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 70
1.5 mi·2 min·South Innerbelt
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
0.4 mi·31 sec·South Innerbelt
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 70
53 mi·58 min·East Freeway
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·45 sec
Exit 153Toward SR 60 North, SR 146 West: State Street
11
Turn left onto Lee Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Lee Street
12
At end of road, turn right onto Linden Avenue
0.2 mi·30 sec·Linden Avenue
13
Turn left onto US 40
317 ft·5 sec·Main Street
14
Arrive at destination
US 40
Trip Plan
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 49.8 miles from Springfield, OH, or about 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 52.8 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 22 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49.8 miles or 58m 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 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Zanesville, OH than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Springfield, OH so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Springfield, OH
This is one driving day of about 99.7 miles and 1h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Springfield, OH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on East Freeway for about 52.8 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 98.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|US 40; SR 4; SR 41 / East Columbia Street
Turn right onto US 40; SR 4; SR 41 / East Columbia Street
Navigation decision point
5
7.1 mi into trip|~11m in|I 70
Merge onto I 70
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
40.8 mi into trip|~47m in|I 70 / West Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 / West Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
45.5 mi into trip|~53m in|I 70 / South Innerbelt
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70 / South Innerbelt
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
98.7 mi into trip|~1h 52m in
Take the exit toward SR 60 North, SR 146 West: State Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 153
Toward SR 60 North, SR 146 West: State Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.31 one way
$30.62 round trip
$3.90/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.40
$17.27
$34.54
premium
$4.98
$19.56
$39.11
diesel
$5.60
$21.98
$43.95
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.9
0
$10.47
$4.79
Efficient EV
24.9
0
$8.72
$3.99
EV Truck/SUV
39.9
0
$13.96
$6.38
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (66% 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 Sep 1, 2026
Origin
Springfield, OH
Morning
in Springfield on Friday
Local time
10:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
93°F
Sunny
SW 5 to 10 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 3:48AM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:12AM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Destination
Zanesville, OH
Morning
in Zanesville on Friday
Local time
10:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 3 to 8 mph5% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 3:48AM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Cleveland OH
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 2:12AM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
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 55m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument
National Monument
Throughout his life, Charles Young overcame countless obstacles in his ascent to prominence. In spite of overt racism and stifling inequality, Young rose through the military ranks to become one of th...
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park was established to honor the lives and achievements of poet and author Paul Laurence Dunbar and aviation pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright. Through p...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
99.7 mi in 1h 55m, mostly highway — 52.8 mi of that is on East Freeway.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 52.8 mi on East Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East Freeway and I 70. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 40; SR 4; SR 41 / East Columbia Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 99.7 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.1 miles (US 40; SR 4; SR 41 / East Columbia Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.1 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.8 miles (I 70 / West Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 55m. Total distance: 99.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 52.8 miles on East Freeway. 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 0.1 miles (US 40; SR 4; SR 41 / East Columbia Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.1 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.8 miles (I 70 / West Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument and Dayton Aviation Heritage 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 Zanesville, OH before heading back.
