The drive from Waterloo, IA to Peosta, IA covers 80 miles and takes about 1h 34m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 20, I 380, Washington Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 69.6 miles on US 20.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.40 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40 miles from Waterloo, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 20
69.6 mi
1h 20m
I 380
6.5 mi
7m
Washington Street
2.7 mi
4m
Peosta Street
0.6 mi
1m
Sundown Road
0.2 mi
<1m
West 4th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 69.6 mi, about 1h 20m
Traffic on I-380
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,476 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,781
Quietest
1 AM
~89 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Waterloo, IA and Peosta, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
76 ft·6 sec·West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Washington Street
2.7 mi·4 min·Washington Street
3
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
6.5 mi·7 min·I 380
Toward I-380 south, US 20, IA 27: Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Cedar Falls
4
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20
70 mi·1 hr 20 min·US 20
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·57 sec
Exit 308Toward CR Y21: Peosta, Northeast Iowa Community College
6
Turn left onto CR Y21
0.2 mi·18 sec·Sundown Road
7
Continue on CR Y21
0.2 mi·17 sec·Peosta Street
8
Enter roundabout onto CR Y21
122 ft·2 sec·Peosta Street
9
Continue on CR Y21
0.4 mi·40 sec·Peosta Street
10
Arrive at destination
CR Y21
Trip Plan
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 40 miles from Waterloo, IA, or about 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 69.6 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 18 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40 miles or 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Peosta, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Waterloo, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Waterloo, IA
This is one driving day of about 80 miles and 1h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Waterloo, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 20 for about 69.6 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 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 79.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Washington Street
Turn right onto Washington Street
Navigation decision point
6
2.7 mi into trip|~4m in|I 380
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380 toward I-380 south, US 20, IA 27: Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Cedar Falls
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 south, US 20, IA 27: Cedar Rapids,...
4
9.3 mi into trip|~12m in|US 20
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
78.9 mi into trip|~1h 32m in
Take the exit toward CR Y21: Peosta, Northeast Iowa Community College
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
79.5 mi into trip|~1h 34m in|CR Y21 / Peosta Street
Enter roundabout onto CR Y21 / Peosta Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.40 one way
$24.81 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$13.60
$27.20
premium
$4.93
$15.52
$31.04
diesel
$5.60
$17.63
$35.27
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24
0
$8.40
$3.84
Efficient EV
20
0
$7.00
$3.20
EV Truck/SUV
32
0
$11.20
$5.12
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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 Aug 27, 2026
Origin
Waterloo, IA
Evening
in Waterloo on Friday
Local time
8:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Clear
NW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Peosta, IA
Evening
in Peosta on Friday
Local time
8:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Clear
NW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
59°F
Independence, IA
40 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 34m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
80 mi in 1h 34m, mostly highway — 69.6 mi of that is on US 20.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 69.6 mi on US 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and I 380. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Washington Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 34m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (I 380): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.3 miles (US 20): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Waterloo is a city of 68,000 people (2020) in of Black Hawk County in Northeast Iowa. It adjoins the city of Cedar Falls. It is home to an important John Deere tractor factory, which offers tours.
Top landmarks
•Henry Weis House — house in Waterloo, Iowa, United States
•Rensselaer Russell House — house in Waterloo, Iowa, United States
•Waterloo Public Library-East Side Branch — historic Carnegie library in Iowa
The longest stretch is about 69.6 miles on US 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 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. 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 (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (I 380): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.3 miles (US 20): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Peosta, IA before heading back.
