Origin
Urbandale, IA
Night in Urbandale on Saturday
Local time
11:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Urbandale, IA to Runnells, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
29.3 mi
47 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Urbandale, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Runnells, IA
Barnabas Davoti
Trip Overview
Urbandale, IA to Runnells, IA is 29.3 miles and takes about 41m via I 80 and East University Avenue, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, same-day trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Iowa. Expect a drive that feels more like navigating local roads with frequent turns rather than a long-haul highway journey. Given the brief duration and minimal cost, it's a convenient option for a quick local excursion or a brief connection between points in the area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 7.8 mi | 9m |
| East University Avenue | 5.1 mi | 6m |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Southeast 116th Street | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Northeast University Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Northeast 112th Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| 70th Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Southeast Camp Drive | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 7.8 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Urbandale, IA and Runnells, IA.
1
Start on Maryland Drive
13 ft
·
2 sec
·
Maryland Drive
2
Turn right onto 70th Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
70th Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto Meredith Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Meredith Drive
4
Turn left onto IA 28
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Merle Hay Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I-35 north, I-80 east
6
Merge onto I 80; I 35
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
I 80; I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 35; I 80
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 35; I 80
8
Continue on I 80; I 35
0.6 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 80; I 35
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
I 80
Use the slight left lane.
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 141
Toward US 65 South: Altoona, Des Moines
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto US 65
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 79
Toward IA 163: East University Avenue, Pleasant Hill
13
Turn left onto IA 163
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
East University Avenue
14
Continue on IA 163
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast University Avenue
15
Continue on IA 163
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East University Avenue
16
Turn right onto Northeast 112th Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast 112th Street
17
Continue on Southeast Camp Drive
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Southeast Camp Drive
18
Continue on Camp Drive
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Camp Drive
19
Continue on Southeast 116th Street
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Southeast 116th Street
20
Continue on Brown Street
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
Brown Street
21
Turn left onto IA-316
78 ft
·
1 sec
·
East McKinney Street
22
Arrive at destination
IA-316
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 15.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Meredith Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Meredith Drive
Navigation decision point
5
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I-35 north, I-80 east
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-35 north, I-80 east
6
8.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
11.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward US 65 South: Altoona, Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 141
Toward US 65 South: Altoona, Des Moines
6
15.8 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward IA 163: East University Avenue, Pleasant Hill
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 79
Toward IA 163: East University Avenue, Pleasant...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.58 one way
$9.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.03 | $10.06 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.64 | $11.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.47 | $12.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.08 | $1.41 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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.
Destination
Runnells, IA
Night in Runnells on Saturday
Local time
11:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
41m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be making frequent directional changes. While 29% of the journey utilizes highways like I 80, the longest uninterrupted stretch is 7.8 miles on I 80. This suggests a dynamic driving experience, transitioning between faster highway segments and more intricate local road navigation. Be prepared for a varied pace, with moments of cruising on the interstate followed by more engaged driving through urban or suburban areas.
Only 29% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.8 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near Meredith Drive.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 29.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (Meredith Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Urbandale, IA and Runnells, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines and Pleasant Hill.
Des Moines
11.3 mi in
|
~15m
Pleasant Hill
15.8 mi in
|
~21m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 29.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.8 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Runnells, IA 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: at 1.2 miles (Meredith Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Runnells, IA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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