Origin
Willow Park, TX
Morning in Willow Park on Tuesday
Local time
7:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Willow Park, TX to Plano, TX
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
1h 25m
Distance
70.4 mi
113 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Willow Park, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Plano, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 70.4-mile drive from Willow Park, TX to Plano, TX is a straightforward one-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes. Primarily using major roadways like the Jim Wright Freeway, SH 183 TEXpress, and I 820 TEXpress, you'll find this route is highway-focused, with 85% of the journey on these main arteries. The estimated fuel cost for this drive is around $11, making it an economical option. Given its short duration and direct nature, it's perfectly suited for a single-day excursion without the need for an overnight stop. Both your origin and destination are situated within the Great Plains region, so expect a consistent landscape throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Wright Freeway | 12.6 mi | 14m |
| SH 183 TEXpress | 11.7 mi | 11m |
| I 820 TEXpress | 6.9 mi | 6m |
| North Central Expressway | 6.7 mi | 8m |
| West Freeway | 5.6 mi | 5m |
| SH 121/183 TEXpress | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| Lyndon B Johnson Freeway | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| I 20 | 2.9 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Jim Wright Freeway
— 12.6 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Willow Park, TX and Plano, TX.
1
Start on Squaw Creek Road
1.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Squaw Creek Road
2
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
this road
3
Continue on Sam Bass Road
0.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Sam Bass Road
4
Turn right onto Ranch House Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Ranch House Road
5
Turn left onto East Interstate 20
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
East Interstate 20
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 20 East
7
Merge onto I 20
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
I 20
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30
5.6 mi
·
5 min
·
West Freeway
Exit 421
Toward I 30 East: Downtown Fort Worth
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 5B
Toward I 820 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 820
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Jim Wright Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 820
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
Northeast Loop
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 820 TEXpress
6.9 mi
·
6 min
·
I 820 TEXpress
Toward I 820 Express East: DFW Airport Dallas Entrance
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Continue on TX 121 TEXpress; TX 183 TEXpress
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
SH 121/183 TEXpress
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on TX 183 TEXpress
12 mi
·
11 min
·
SH 183 TEXpress
Toward TX 183 Express East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto Loop 12 TEXpress
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Loop 12 TEXpress
Toward I 35E Toll North
Use the slight left lane.
16
Merge onto Loop 12
0.8 mi
·
53 sec
·
North Walton Walker Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 35E
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Stemmons Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 440B
Toward I 635 East
Use the right lane.
19
Merge onto I 635
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Continue on I 635
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway
Use the right lane.
21
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 19A
Toward US 75 North, US 75 South: McKinney, Dallas
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 75 North: McKinney
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
23
Merge onto US 75
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Central Expressway
24
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 28A
Toward Plano Parkway, 15th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Turn straight onto North Central Expressway
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Central Expressway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
26
Turn right onto East 15th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 15th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
27
Arrive at destination
East 15th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.2 miles from Willow Park, TX, 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 205 decision points cluster between mile 6.2 and 68.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
6.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 30 / West Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 30 / West Freeway toward I 30 East: Downtown Fort Worth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 421
Toward I 30 East: Downtown Fort Worth
7
11.8 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward I 820 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5B
Toward I 820 North
7
25.5 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
I 820 TEXpress
Keep slight left at fork onto I 820 TEXpress toward I 820 Express East: DFW Airport Dallas Entrance
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 820 Express East: DFW Airport Dallas E...
8
61.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward US 75 North, US 75 South: McKinney, Dallas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 19A
Toward US 75 North, US 75 South: McKinney, Dall...
8
68.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
Take the exit toward Plano Parkway, 15th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 28A
Toward Plano Parkway, 15th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.64 one way
$21.28 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $11.64 | $23.29 |
| premium | $4.54 | $12.57 | $25.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.54 | $31.09 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.54
Central Expressway
(6.7 mi)
$0.54
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Tolls
$1
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.1 | 0 | $7.39 | $3.38 |
| Efficient EV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.16 | $2.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.2 | 0 | $9.86 | $4.51 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Plano, TX
Morning in Plano on Tuesday
Local time
7:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°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
21 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
1h 25m 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?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience for this 70.4-mile journey. With 85% of the drive on major roads, you'll encounter stretches designed for consistent speed. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll navigate is 12.6 miles on the Jim Wright Freeway. While the route is efficient, the character remains largely consistent due to its high highway share. This means you're likely looking at a swift transit rather than a winding exploration, with the focus on getting you from Willow Park to Plano effectively.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.6 mi on Jim Wright Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Jim Wright Freeway and SH 183 TEXpress. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.2 miles in near I 30 / West Freeway.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.4 miles you will encounter 20 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 6.2 miles (I 30 / West Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.5 miles (I 820 TEXpress): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Willow Park, TX to Plano, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Dallas along the way.
Dallas
61.5 mi in
|
~1h 13m
About the Cities
Arriving in Plano, TX
Full guide →Plano is a city of 285,000 people (2020) in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex region of Texas and is north of Dallas. It is home to the headquarters of several large corporations.
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 1h 25m. Total distance: 70.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.6 miles on Jim Wright Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.54 in tolls one way, starting with Central Expressway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Plano, TX 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 6.2 miles (I 30 / West Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.5 miles (I 820 TEXpress): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Plano, TX 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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