Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
31.3 mi
50 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Co on Rapids, MN
Tom Fisk
Mendota Heights, MN
Tom Fisk
West Coon Rapids, MN to Mendota Heights, MN is 31.3 miles and takes about 42m via I 694 and I 35E, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Minnesota. It's a relatively short drive that primarily uses interstate highways, making it a straightforward option for connecting two points. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained roads, so it's a practical choice for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 694 | 10.1 mi | 10m |
| I 35E | 6.9 mi | 10m |
| Voyageur Highway | 5.5 mi | 6m |
| MN 252 | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Noble Parkway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| West River Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| MN-610 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 36 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~5,526 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~301 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 99 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between West Co on Rapids, MN and Mendota Heights, MN.
Start on CR 12
Continue on CR 12
Turn left
Merge onto MN 610
Take the exit
Continue on MN 252
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 694
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
Take the exit onto I 35E
Take the exit
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 24.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left toward MN 610 East
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MN 252 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 West, I 694
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10 / Voyageur Highway toward US 10 East, I 35 South: St Paul
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit onto I 35E toward I 35E South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$4.96 one way
$9.91 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $5.28 | $10.56 |
| premium | $4.85 | $5.97 | $11.95 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $6.90 | $13.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in West Co on Rapids on Saturday
Local time
12:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Destination
Late night in Mendota Heights on Saturday
Local time
12:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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.
This route is mostly highway, with 73% of the drive on interstates like I 694 and I 35E. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 10.1 miles on I 694. After leaving the main interstates, you'll transition to Voyageur Highway, which will likely involve more local traffic and potentially more frequent exits as you approach your destination. Expect a good amount of merging traffic as you navigate the interstate system.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 694 and I 35E. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 31.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
422 ft
Total Descent
378 ft
Highest Point
984 ft
~11.2 mi in
Elevation Range
239 ft
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 31.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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