MSP to SLC

[jelliemouse]

Hello. I am getting ready to drive myself to SLC from MSP one way, as I am moving for work. Any reccomendations as to the easiest route? I have to get there in two days!

[Foy]

Hello jelliemouse,

You're looking at between 1,200 and 1,300 miles and at 600 to 650/day, you're at either the edge of what's typically recommended here or have already gone over a reasonable limit.

As to route, this question was posed under "Summer Road Trips" but it seems that the trip is actually going to occur in the immediate time frame. That said, the most direct all-Interstate route is south to Des Moines, get on I-80, and remain on it to SLC. Mapquest shows me 1,308 from Minneapolis to SLC via that route. Mapquest's own figures suggest 18 hrs, 50 minutes for this route, which comes to a hair under 70 mph for the trip, a ludicrous figure which does not take into account stops for little items such as food, fuel, and the bathroom. Realistically, with the 70 and 75 mph speed limits from the Iowa-Nebraska line all the way to SLC, you'll be doing well to average 63-65 mph on a "beginning of day to end of day" basis. And you'll have to run every ounce of 75 to 80 mph to do just that.

Quite frankly, if an employer is only allowing 2 days to make the trip, he/she is requiring something downright risky of you. If my assumption that the trip is in the immediate time frame, winter weather may make it more like 4 days.

Foy

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA forum!

The route really is not your biggest problem. Your issue is that you "need" to cover more than 1300 miles in 2 days. That really is a drive where you need a minimum of 2.5 days to do it safely, and that assumes perfect conditions. For comparison's sake, if you were a professional driver, you would be prohibited by law from completing this trip in 2 days. If you are moving for work, then your employer should not be expecting you to do something that is unsafe and illegal for professionals.

For route, you've really only got one logical choice for a speed run. That's I-35 to I-80. But again, that's more than 1300 miles and I urge you in the strongest of terms to plan to spend 2 nights on the road.