Trussville to McDonald Chapel is 23.2 miles and takes about 33 minutes via I 59 and Gadsden Highway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Southeast region, specifically Alabama. It offers a straightforward connection between two points, making it ideal for a quick transit or a brief excursion. Given its short distance and duration, it's well-suited for a same-day trip with minimal planning.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 59
15.5 mi
18m
Gadsden Highway
2.1 mi
3m
Birmingport Road
2 mi
3m
20th Street Ensley
1.1 mi
2m
Main Street
0.8 mi
1m
John M. Harbert III Freeway
0.3 mi
<1m
Panama Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Quebec Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 59
— 15.5 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Trussville, AL and McDonald Chapel, AL.
1
Start on this road
197 ft·16 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto Linden Street
114 ft·7 sec·Linden Street
3
Turn right onto CR 94
384 ft·11 sec·South Chalkville Road
4
Turn right onto US 11
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
5
Continue on US 11
2.1 mi·3 min·Gadsden Highway
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·33 sec
Toward I 459 North: Gadsden, BirminghamUse the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 459
0.3 mi·16 sec·John M. Harbert III Freeway
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·39 sec
Exit 33AToward I 59 South: BirminghamUse the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto I 59
16 mi·18 min·I 59
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Exit 120Toward AL 269: 20th Street, Ensley AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto AL 269
1.1 mi·2 min·20th Street Ensley
12
Continue on AL 269
2.0 mi·3 min·Birmingport Road
13
Turn left onto Panama Street
0.2 mi·37 sec·Panama Street
14
Continue on Kiska Avenue
471 ft·25 sec·Kiska Avenue
15
Turn left onto Quebec Street
0.1 mi·35 sec·Quebec Street
16
Turn right onto Iceland Avenue
351 ft·16 sec·Iceland Avenue
17
Continue on Iceland Avenue
71 ft·1 sec·Iceland Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Iceland Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 19.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Linden Street
At end of road, turn right onto Linden Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|CR 94 / South Chalkville Road
Turn right onto CR 94 / South Chalkville Road
Navigation decision point
6
3 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 459 North: Gadsden, Birmingham
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 459 North: Gadsden, Birmingham
8
3.5 mi into trip|~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 59 South: Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 33A
Toward I 59 South: Birmingham
8
19.5 mi into trip|~25m in
Take the exit toward AL 269: 20th Street, Ensley Avenue
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 120
Toward AL 269: 20th Street, Ensley Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.57 one way
$7.13 round trip
$3.90/gal25.4 MPG avg8 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$3.94
$7.89
premium
$4.65
$4.24
$8.49
diesel
$5.35
$4.89
$9.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging
· 0 stops
· 63% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
7
0
$2.44
$1.11
Efficient EV
5.8
0
$2.03
$0.93
EV Truck/SUV
9.3
0
$3.25
$1.48
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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 May 27, 2026
Origin
Trussville, AL
Evening
in Trussville on Wednesday
Local time
5:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
S 5 mph64% chanceLive forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued May 27 at 3:00PM CDT until May 30 at 6:00AM CDT by NWS Mobile AL
Destination
McDonald Chapel, AL
Evening
in McDonald Chapel on Wednesday
Local time
5:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
S 5 mph61% chanceLive forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued May 27 at 3:00PM CDT until May 30 at 6:00AM CDT by NWS Mobile AL
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
33m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 68% of the drive on interstates and major roadways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 15.5 miles on I 59 before transitioning to Gadsden Highway and then Birmingport Road. Expect a significant portion of your travel to involve higher speeds and more direct connections, typical of interstate driving, before shifting to more local road conditions.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.5 mi on I 59.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 59 and Gadsden Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Linden Street.
Driving Effort7/10
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 23.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Linden Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (CR 94 / South Chalkville Road): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
887 ft524 ft
Total Climb
310 ft
Total Descent
426 ft
Highest Point
887 ft
~5 mi in
Elevation Range
364 ft
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 Trussville, AL to McDonald Chapel, AL, road signs begin pointing toward Birmingham along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 23.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.5 miles on I 59. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 McDonald Chapel, AL 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: near the start (Linden Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (CR 94 / South Chalkville Road): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. 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 McDonald Chapel, AL before heading back.
