Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
12.3 mi
20 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
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 Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Levey, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
West Des Moines to Levey is 12.3 miles and takes about 26 minutes via Park Avenue, Evergreen Avenue, and Southwest 63rd Street, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays entirely within Iowa, connecting two points in the Midwest region. Given its brief duration and surface road profile, it's a straightforward connection rather than a destination in itself. Plan for this to be a quick hop, easily completed with flexibility for any unscheduled stops.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Park Avenue | 5.4 mi | 11m |
| Evergreen Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Southwest 63rd Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| East Watrous Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Vine Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Southeast Brooks Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Indianola Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Southeast 45th Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Levey, IA.
Start on Vine Street
Turn right onto IA 28
Turn left onto Park Avenue
Turn right onto Indianola Avenue
Turn left onto Evergreen Avenue
Continue on East Watrous Avenue
Turn straight onto Evergreen Avenue
Continue on Evergreen Drive
Turn left onto Southeast 34th Street
Continue on East Watrous Avenue
Continue on Southeast Brooks Drive
Continue on Evergreen Avenue
Turn left onto Southeast 45th Street
Continue on East Watrous Avenue
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 11.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto IA 28 / Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Indianola Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Evergreen Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Southeast 34th Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Southeast 45th Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$2.05 one way
$4.10 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.23 | $4.46 |
| premium | $5.26 | $2.55 | $5.09 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $2.99 | $5.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.29 | $0.59 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.08 | $0.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Night in West Des Moines on Monday
Local time
10:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Night in Levey on Monday
Local time
10:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Mostly Clear
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 12.3-mile route is entirely on surface roads, with no highway driving involved. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 5.4 miles on Park Avenue. Expect to navigate through areas with frequent intersections and local traffic, as indicated by the lack of highway travel. This is a surface-level drive through populated areas, so be prepared for typical town speeds and traffic patterns.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near IA 28 / Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 26m 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: at 0.4 miles (IA 28 / Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.3 miles (Indianola Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 7.7 miles (Evergreen Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
194 ft
Total Descent
240 ft
Highest Point
938 ft
~7 mi in
Elevation Range
159 ft
Founded 1893
West Des Moines is a small city in Central Iowa, the largest suburb of Des Moines.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 12.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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