Origin
Vinton, IA
Morning in Vinton on Sunday
Local time
9:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Vinton, IA to Iowa City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
60.7 mi
98 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Vinton, IA
Tom Fisk
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 60.7-mile drive from Vinton to Iowa City is a straightforward, 1 hour and 17-minute journey that's perfect as a single-day trip. Primarily utilizing the Avenue of the Saints and I-80, with a segment on 55th Street, this route keeps you moving efficiently. With an estimated fuel cost of $9, it's an economical option for exploring between these two Midwest towns. You'll find this drive to be a convenient way to connect these Iowa destinations without needing an overnight stop.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 41 mi | 46m |
| 55th Street | 7.6 mi | 10m |
| I 80 | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| 24th Avenue Drive | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| North Dubuque Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Gilbert Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Kimball Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 1st Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 41 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Vinton, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on East 3rd Street
211 ft
·
11 sec
·
East 3rd Street
2
Turn right onto 1st Avenue
446 ft
·
17 sec
·
1st Avenue
3
Continue on IA 150
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
24th Avenue Drive
4
Turn straight onto IA 150
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
55th Street
5
Enter roundabout onto 55th Street
151 ft
·
2 sec
·
55th Street
6
Continue on 55th Street
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
55th Street
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
8
Merge onto I 380; IA 27
41 mi
·
46 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 80
10
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
11
Merge onto I 80
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
I 80
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward Downtown
13
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Dubuque Street
14
Turn left onto Kimball Road
477 ft
·
21 sec
·
Kimball Road
15
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Gilbert Street
16
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.4 miles from Vinton, IA, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 58.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
1st Avenue
Turn right onto 1st Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
10.3 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
55th Street
Enter roundabout onto 55th Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
52.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward I 80
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 80
5
53.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
4
58.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Downtown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.49 one way
$18.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.42 | $20.84 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.68 | $23.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.40 | $26.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.37 | $2.91 |
| Efficient EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.31 | $2.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.3 | 0 | $8.50 | $3.88 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (67% 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
Iowa City, IA
Morning in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
9:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
24 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
1h 17m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for much of this 60.7-mile trip, as indicated by its 7% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 41 miles on the Avenue of the Saints, offering a more consistent pace before you transition to other roads. While the majority of the drive involves navigating local streets and county roads, the inclusion of I-80 provides a brief period of faster travel. This blend means you'll be paying attention to your navigation as you go.
Only 7% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 1st Avenue.
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 60.7 miles you will encounter 11 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 (1st Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 10.3 miles (55th Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 52.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 60.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m 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 41 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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 Iowa City, 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: near the start (1st Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 10.3 miles (55th Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 52.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Iowa City, 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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