Origin
West Des Moines, IA
Late night in West Des Moines on Sunday
Local time
2:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Des Moines, IA to Runnells, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
25.3 mi
41 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
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
Runnells, IA
Barnabas Davoti
Trip Overview
West Des Moines, IA to Runnells, IA is 25.3 miles and takes about 40m via East University Avenue, John MacVicar Freeway, and Southeast 116th Street, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short Midwest hop stays within Iowa, offering a straightforward local drive. Expect a relatively quick journey that doesn't demand much in the way of extensive planning. It's the kind of trip you can easily fit into an afternoon, making it ideal for a spontaneous outing or a quick errand.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East University Avenue | 9.5 mi | 14m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 5 mi | 6m |
| Southeast 116th Street | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Northeast University Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Northeast 112th Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Southeast Camp Drive | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 56th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
East University Avenue
— 9.5 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Runnells, IA.
1
Start on Vine Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Vine Street
2
Turn left onto 4th Street
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
4th Street
3
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto 56th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
56th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I-235 east
6
Merge onto I 235
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 10A
Toward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, State Fairgrounds
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn straight onto IA 163
7.7 mi
·
12 min
·
East University Avenue
9
Continue on IA 163
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast University Avenue
10
Continue on IA 163
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East University Avenue
11
Turn right onto Northeast 112th Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast 112th Street
12
Continue on Southeast Camp Drive
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Southeast Camp Drive
13
Continue on Camp Drive
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Camp Drive
14
Continue on Southeast 116th Street
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Southeast 116th Street
15
Continue on Brown Street
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
Brown Street
16
Turn left onto IA-316
78 ft
·
1 sec
·
East McKinney Street
17
Arrive at destination
IA-316
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 7.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Grand Avenue
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
56th Street
Turn left onto 56th Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I-235 east
Navigation decision point
Toward I-235 east
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, State Fairgrounds
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 10A
Toward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, Sta...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.96 one way
$7.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.34 | $8.69 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.87 | $9.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.59 | $11.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.66 | $1.21 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.21 | $1.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.54 | $1.62 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Runnells, IA
Late night in Runnells on Sunday
Local time
2:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°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
1 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
40m 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?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be navigating a series of intersections and road changes rather than cruising on a long stretch of highway. Only about 20% of this journey involves highway driving, with the longest uninterrupted segment measuring 9.5 miles on East University Avenue. You'll likely experience a mix of suburban streets and local roads, requiring your attention at various points. Be prepared for frequent adjustments in direction as you make your way towards Runnells.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.5 mi on East University Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Grand Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 25.3 miles you will encounter 8 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: at 0.6 miles (Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (56th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 West Des Moines, IA to Runnells, IA, road signs begin pointing toward State Fairgrounds along the way.
State Fairgrounds
7.2 mi in
|
~11m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 25.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (20%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.5 miles on East University Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: at 0.6 miles (Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (56th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Runnells, 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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