Urbana, IA to Ankeny, IA is 116.3 miles and takes about 2h 31m via Lincoln Highway, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Iowa, traversing the Midwest region on a drive that's characterized by frequent turns. With a recommended one-day duration, you can expect a fairly direct journey, but be prepared for a more engaging driving experience than a simple interstate cruise. The route is best suited for those who don't mind a bit of navigation and appreciate a more local feel as they travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
58.1 miles from Urbana, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 18m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Lincoln Highway
37.3 mi
43m
Marshalltown Boulevard
28.2 mi
32m
73rd Street
11.4 mi
13m
IA 150
10.2 mi
14m
US 218
9.8 mi
14m
Northeast 94th Avenue
8.5 mi
13m
21st Avenue
2.9 mi
5m
70th Street
2.5 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Lincoln Highway
— 37.3 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Urbana, IA and Ankeny, IA.
1
Start on West Wood Street
427 ft·13 sec·West Wood Street
2
Turn right onto Ash Avenue
0.2 mi·34 sec·Ash Avenue
3
At end of road, turn left onto 55th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·55th Street
4
Enter roundabout onto IA 150
161 ft·2 sec·IA 150
5
Continue on IA 150
10 mi·14 min·IA 150
6
Turn right onto IA 150
0.2 mi·22 sec·West 2nd Street
7
Turn left onto IA 150
1.1 mi·1 min·C Avenue
8
Continue on IA 150
0.3 mi·26 sec·State Highway 150
9
Continue on US 218
9.8 mi·14 min·US 218
10
Turn right onto CR E44
2.5 mi·4 min·70th Street
11
Continue on State Highway 199
0.1 mi·10 sec·State Highway 199
12
Continue on CR E44
0.3 mi·34 sec·1st Avenue
13
Turn left onto CR V66
0.1 mi·15 sec·1st Street
14
Continue on CR V66
2.9 mi·5 min·21st Avenue
15
Turn right onto US 30
11 mi·13 min·73rd Street
16
Continue on US 30
37 mi·43 min·Lincoln Highway
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward IA 330: Melbourne, Des Moines
18
Turn left onto IA 330
28 mi·32 min·Marshalltown Boulevard
19
Turn right onto Northeast 94th Avenue
8.5 mi·13 min·Northeast 94th Avenue
20
Continue on East 1st Street
1.8 mi·4 min·East 1st Street
21
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street
0.2 mi·40 sec·Southwest Walnut Street
22
Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street
48 ft·2 sec·Southwest 3rd Street
23
Arrive at destination
Southwest 3rd Street
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 31m drive time and a budget of around $18 for fuel, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. Consider leaving Urbana in the morning to give yourself ample time to reach Ankeny without feeling rushed. Since the route involves a significant number of turns and local roads, pay close attention to your GPS, especially during the 37.3-mile segment on Lincoln Highway. There's only one recommended stop, so plan your breaks strategically, perhaps around the halfway mark, to ensure you stay refreshed. Fuel up before you depart Urbana, as the highway share is low, and gas stations might be less frequent on some of the local road sections.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 58.1 miles from Urbana, IA, or about 1h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37.3 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 26 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 58.1 miles or 1h 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ankeny, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Urbana, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Urbana, IA
This is one driving day of about 116.3 miles and 2h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Urbana, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Lincoln Highway for about 37.3 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 116.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Ash Avenue
Turn right onto Ash Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1 mi into trip|~1m in|IA 150
Enter roundabout onto IA 150
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
25.6 mi into trip|~38m in|CR V66 / 1st Street
Turn left onto CR V66 / 1st Street
Navigation decision point
5
77.3 mi into trip|~1h 40m in
Take the exit toward IA 330: Melbourne, Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 330: Melbourne, Des Moines
5
116.3 mi into trip|~2h 31m in|Southwest 3rd Street
Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.18 one way
$36.36 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$19.96
$39.93
premium
$4.89
$22.38
$44.76
diesel
$5.61
$25.68
$51.36
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.9
0
$12.21
$5.58
Efficient EV
29.1
0
$10.18
$4.65
EV Truck/SUV
46.5
0
$16.28
$7.44
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Urbana, IA
Night
in Urbana on Saturday
Local time
11:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Ankeny, IA
Night
in Ankeny on Saturday
Local time
11:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
21 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
2h 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?
This route offers a turn-heavy local drive, with only 18% of the journey on highways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on roads like Lincoln Highway, Marshalltown Boulevard, and 73rd Street, which means a more dynamic driving experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 37.3 miles on Lincoln Highway, so expect to adjust your speed and navigation more frequently than on a typical highway drive. This isn't a monotonous interstate cruise; rather, it's a route that keeps you engaged with its varied turns and local road segments.
Only 18% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.3 mi on Lincoln Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 0.1 miles in near Ash Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 31m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Ash Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (IA 150): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 25.6 miles (CR V66 / 1st Street): Navigation decision point.
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 Urbana, IA to Ankeny, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Des Moines along the way.
Des Moines
77.3 mi in|~1h 40m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 31m. Total distance: 116.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 37.3 miles on Lincoln Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Ash Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (IA 150): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 25.6 miles (CR V66 / 1st Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ankeny, IA before heading back.
