Villa Ridge to Independence is 217.4 miles and takes about 4h 15m via I 70 and MO 100, with a fuel budget near $34 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Missouri, traversing the Midwest region. The majority of your travel will be on the interstate, making for a straightforward drive. With only one recommended stop and a total duration under five hours, this route is easily manageable for a single day of travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
108.7 miles from Villa Ridge, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 13m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 70
176.4 mi
3h 14m
Franklin Avenue
24.5 mi
37m
MO 100
7.8 mi
10m
South Noland Road
3 mi
5m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
2.7 mi
3m
Clifton J. Scott Memorial Highway
1.4 mi
1m
MO M
0.9 mi
1m
East Walnut Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 176.4 mi, about 3h 14m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 34 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,364 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,943
Quietest
2 AM
~294 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Villa Ridge, MO and Independence, MO.
Exit 12Toward Noland RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto South Noland Road
3.0 mi·5 min·South Noland Road
14
Turn left onto East Walnut Street
466 ft·22 sec·East Walnut Street
15
Turn right onto South Lynn Street
394 ft·22 sec·South Lynn Street
16
Turn left onto East Kansas Avenue
145 ft·6 sec·East Kansas Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
East Kansas Avenue
Trip Plan
For this relatively short, 4h 15m drive, you have flexibility. Leaving mid-morning allows you to avoid early rush hour and still arrive with plenty of daylight. The longest stretch without a major change in road type is 176.4 miles on I 70, so plan your fuel stop accordingly; the estimated fuel cost is around $34. With only one recommended stop, you can decide whether to break up the drive with a quick rest or push through to Independence. Consider a brief stop in a town along MO 100 for a different feel than the interstate.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 108.7 miles from Villa Ridge, MO, or about 2h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 176.4 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 48 miles or 1h 6m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 108.7 miles or 2h 13m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Independence, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Villa Ridge, MO 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 Villa Ridge, MO
This is one driving day of about 217.4 miles and 4h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Villa Ridge, MO.
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 I 70 for about 176.4 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 217.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.9 mi into trip|~1m in|MO 100
Turn left onto MO 100
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
33.2 mi into trip|~49m in
Take the ramp toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Columbia, Jonesburg
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Columbia, Jonesbu...
7
213.9 mi into trip|~4h 9m in
Take the exit toward Noland Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 12
Toward Noland Road
5
217.3 mi into trip|~4h 15m in|South Lynn Street
Turn right onto South Lynn Street
Navigation decision point
5
217.3 mi into trip|~4h 15m in|East Kansas Avenue
Turn left onto East Kansas Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.71 one way
$67.41 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$36.96
$73.92
premium
$4.93
$42.18
$84.36
diesel
$5.60
$47.92
$95.84
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 76.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65.2
0
$22.83
$10.44
Efficient EV
54.4
0
$19.02
$8.70
EV Truck/SUV
87
1
$30.44
$13.91
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Aug 31, 2026
Origin
Villa Ridge, MO
Late night
in Villa Ridge on Wednesday
Local time
3:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
96°F
Sunny
SW 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 31 at 1:37PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 31 at 1:05PM CDT until September 3 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Independence, MO
Late night
in Independence on Wednesday
Local time
3:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
100°F
Sunny
SW 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 31 at 1:37PM CDT until September 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 31 at 1:05PM CDT until September 3 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
88°F
Centralia, MO
109 mi in
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
4 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
4h 15m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 85% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on I 70. You'll experience a long stretch of 176.4 miles on I 70 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a high density of exits and potential for merging traffic as you approach urban areas. The final leg on Franklin Avenue and MO 100 will offer a change of pace from the interstate cruising.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 176.4 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Franklin Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near MO 100.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 15m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (MO 100): Lane positioning matters here; at 33.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 213.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,034 ft487 ft
Total Climb
924 ft
Total Descent
550 ft
Highest Point
1,034 ft
~217.4 mi in
Elevation Range
548 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 Villa Ridge, MO to Independence, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Jonesburg along the way.
Independence, known as the Queen City of the Trails, is a city in western Missouri just east of Kansas City with a population of approximately 110,000. Independence's founding predates that of Kansas City, and it was home to U.S. President Harry S. Truman and the legendary actress Ginger Rogers, as well as the starting point of three of America's great Westward Trails: the Santa Fe Trail, the California Trail, and the Oregon Trail. The city also hosts numerous historical sites related to the Community of Christ (formerly RLDS), Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormons"), American Civil War and Western history.
While offering a full range of entertainment and lodging options for visitors, Independence generally tends to be more "quiet" than its larger neighbor to the west.
Top landmarks
•Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Harry S. Truman, located in I...
•Temple Lot — Geographical location important in Latter Day Saint history
•Harry S. Truman National Historic Site — national Historic Site of the United States in Missouri
The longest stretch is about 176.4 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 26 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.
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 0.9 miles (MO 100): Lane positioning matters here; at 33.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 213.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Independence, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
