Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
62.4 mi
100 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tuscaloosa, AL
Kelly
Adamsville, AL
Mark Stebnicki
The drive from Tuscaloosa, AL to Adamsville, AL covers 62.4 miles and takes about 1h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 20, Adamsville Parkway, Forestdale Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 49 miles on I 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.14 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 49 mi | 52m |
| Adamsville Parkway | 3 mi | 4m |
| Forestdale Boulevard | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| I 359 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Avenue W | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Avenue V | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard South | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Dugan Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 50 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~2,895 veh/hr typical · worst 3,433
Quietest
2 AM
~277 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Tuscaloosa, AL and Adamsville, AL.
Start on this road
Turn right onto University Boulevard
Turn left onto US 43; AL 69
Continue on I 359; AL 69
Continue on I 359; US 11; AL 69
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 20; I 59
Take the exit
Continue on I-59 Access Road
Turn slight right onto AL 269
Turn left onto Avenue V
Continue on Avenue W
Continue on Dugan Avenue
Turn straight
Continue on Daniel Payne Drive
Turn left
Turn straight onto US 78; AL 5
Continue on US 78; AL 5
Turn left onto Church Street
At end of road, turn right onto Main Street
Turn left onto Spring Street
Turn right onto Bankhead Highway
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 31.2 miles from Tuscaloosa, AL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 52.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto University Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto US 43; AL 69 / Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard South
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 20; I 59
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward AL 269: Ensley Avenue, 20th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$9.14 one way
$18.28 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.13 | $10.15 | $20.30 |
| premium | $4.49 | $11.02 | $22.04 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $13.76 | $27.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.7 | 0 | $6.55 | $3.00 |
| Efficient EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.46 | $2.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25 | 0 | $8.74 | $3.99 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Tuscaloosa on Saturday
Local time
3:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Late night in Adamsville on Saturday
Local time
3:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Clear
74°F
Brighton, AL
31 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
62.4 mi in 1h 15m, mostly highway — 49 mi of that is on I 20.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and Adamsville Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near University Boulevard.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.4 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start (University Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (US 43; AL 69 / Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard South): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
649 ft
Total Descent
300 ft
Highest Point
639 ft
~57.9 mi in
Elevation Range
426 ft
Founded 1819
Tuscaloosa is a city of over 100,000 people (2020) in Metropolitan Alabama and home of the University of Alabama.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 62.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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