Origin
Vance, AL
Afternoon in Vance on Sunday
Local time
12:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Vance, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
23.3 mi
38 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Vance, AL
Muhammad Nabeel
Tuscaloosa, AL
Kelly
Trip Overview
Vance to Tuscaloosa is 23.3 miles and takes about 28 minutes via I 20, I 359, and US 11, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Alabama, taking you from one part of the Southeast to another. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on major highways, making it a simple connection for your travels. You'll find this route is practical for getting between these two points without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 16.5 mi | 17m |
| I 359 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| US 11 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Daimler Benz Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard North | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| University Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Vance-Blocton Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 16.5 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Vance, AL and Tuscaloosa, AL.
1
Start on Vance-Blocton Road
254 ft
·
12 sec
·
Vance-Blocton Road
2
Turn left onto US 11
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
US 11
3
Turn right onto Daimler Benz Boulevard
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Daimler Benz Boulevard
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
5
Merge onto I 20; I 59
16 mi
·
17 min
·
I 20; I 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 71B
Toward I 359 North, I 69 North: Tuscaloosa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 359; US 11; AL 69
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
I 359; US 11; AL 69
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 359; AL 69
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 359; AL 69
9
Continue on US 43; AL 69
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lurleen B Wallace Boulevard North
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Turn right onto University Boulevard
284 ft
·
10 sec
·
University Boulevard
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left
168 ft
·
12 sec
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 3.7 and 23.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 20; I 59
Merge onto I 20; I 59
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
20.2 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward I 359 North, I 69 North: Tuscaloosa
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 71B
Toward I 359 North, I 69 North: Tuscaloosa
5
20.6 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 359; US 11; AL 69
Merge onto I 359; US 11; AL 69
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
23.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
University Boulevard
Turn right onto University Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
23.3 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.52 one way
$7.04 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $3.86 | $7.73 |
| premium | $4.56 | $4.18 | $8.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.14 | $10.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7 | 0 | $2.45 | $1.12 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.04 | $0.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.26 | $1.49 |
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.
Destination
Tuscaloosa, AL
Afternoon in Tuscaloosa on Sunday
Local time
12:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°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
28m 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 trip is predominantly highway driving, with 88% of the route on interstates. You'll experience a longest stretch of 16.5 miles on I 20 before transitioning. Expect a mostly highway profile with limited surface road sections, meaning you'll encounter more consistent speeds and fewer interruptions than a typical local road drive. The density of exits on the interstate portions is noticeable.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.5 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and I 359. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.7 miles in near I 20; I 59.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 23.3 miles you will encounter 7 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 3.7 miles (I 20; I 59): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.6 miles (I 359; US 11; AL 69): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Tuscaloosa, AL
Full guide →Tuscaloosa is a city of over 100,000 people (2020) in Metropolitan Alabama and home of the University of Alabama.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 23.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.5 miles on I 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 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 Tuscaloosa, 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: at 3.7 miles (I 20; I 59): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.6 miles (I 359; US 11; AL 69): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tuscaloosa, AL 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Tuscaloosa, AL
More from Vance, AL
More trips to Tuscaloosa, AL
Explore more options from Vance, AL or browse trips ending in Tuscaloosa, AL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AL road trips.