Origin
Willoughby Hills, OH
Morning in Willoughby Hills on Tuesday
Local time
11:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Willoughby Hills, OH to Akron, OH
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
41.7 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Willoughby Hills, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 41.7-mile drive from Willoughby Hills, OH to Akron, OH is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in under an hour, making it perfect for a single-day excursion. The majority of your journey, 88% to be exact, will be on highways, primarily utilizing the Outerbelt East Freeway and Akron Expressway, with I-271 also playing a role. You can expect to spend around 55 minutes behind the wheel, with an estimated fuel cost of just $6. This route focuses on efficient travel within the Midwest, specifically within Ohio, and doesn't require an overnight stay. It's a practical choice for getting from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Outerbelt East Freeway | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| Akron Expressway | 15.1 mi | 18m |
| I 271 | 5.1 mi | 5m |
| Maplegrove Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| River Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Mill Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Forge Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| I 90 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Outerbelt East Freeway
— 16.2 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Willoughby Hills, OH and Akron, OH.
1
Start on SR 174
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
River Road
2
Turn left onto Maplegrove Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Maplegrove Road
3
Turn left onto SR 91
255 ft
·
6 sec
·
S.O.M. Center Road
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 90 West: Cleveland
5
Merge onto I 90
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
I 90
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 271
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Outerbelt East Freeway
Exit 188
Use the straight lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 271
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Outerbelt East Freeway
Toward I 271 South, I 480 East: Columbus
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 271
5.1 mi
·
5 min
·
I 271
Use the slight left lane.
9
Take the exit
1.5 mi
·
2 min
Exit 18A
Toward SR 8 South: Boston Heights, Akron
10
Merge onto SR 8
15 mi
·
18 min
·
Akron Expressway
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 1B
Toward SR 59: Perkins Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto Goodkirk Street
332 ft
·
10 sec
·
Goodkirk Street
13
Continue on Goodkirk Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Goodkirk Street
14
Turn right onto North Forge Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
North Forge Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on East Mill Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Mill Street
16
Enter roundabout onto South Main Street
162 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Main Street
17
Continue on South Main Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
South Main Street
18
Turn right onto West Bowery Street
72 ft
·
1 sec
·
West Bowery Street
19
Arrive at destination
West Bowery Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.8 miles from Willoughby Hills, OH, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 2.5 and 40.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 271 / Outerbelt East Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 271 / Outerbelt East Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Exit 188
8
14.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
I 271 / Outerbelt East Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 271 / Outerbelt East Freeway toward I 271 South, I 480 East: Columbus
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 271 South, I 480 East: Columbus
6
18.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
I 271
Keep slight left at fork onto I 271
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
6
23.8 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward SR 8 South: Boston Heights, Akron
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 18A
Toward SR 8 South: Boston Heights, Akron
7
40.4 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward SR 59: Perkins Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward SR 59: Perkins Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.47 one way
$12.94 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $7.18 | $14.37 |
| premium | $4.91 | $8.06 | $16.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.21 | $18.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.65 | $1.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.84 | $2.67 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Akron, OH
Morning in Akron on Tuesday
Local time
11:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
67°F
Macedonia, OH
21 mi in
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
55m 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?
Prepare for a highway-focused drive on this route, with 88% of the 41.7 miles featuring freeway conditions. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 16.2 miles on the Outerbelt East Freeway, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of the journey. The drive is characterized by its directness, prioritizing efficient movement over scenic detours. While the specific road surfaces and immediate surroundings aren't detailed, the profile suggests a typical interstate experience, allowing for steady progress toward your destination in Akron.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.2 mi on Outerbelt East Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Outerbelt East Freeway and Akron Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near I 271 / Outerbelt East Freeway.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 14 decision points packed into just 41.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (I 271 / Outerbelt East Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.7 miles (I 271 / Outerbelt East Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.7 miles (I 271): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Akron, OH
Full guide →Akron is a city of almost 200,000 people (2019) in the Northeast Ohio region in Summit County. Akron is proud of its heritage as a center of industry, and now offers visitors a wide range of recreational and cultural attractions, food experiences, and shopping.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 41.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.2 miles on Outerbelt East Freeway. 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 Akron, OH 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: at 2.5 miles (I 271 / Outerbelt East Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.7 miles (I 271 / Outerbelt East Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.7 miles (I 271): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Cuyahoga Valley National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Akron, OH 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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