The Cost of a Trip between Cardington, Ohio and Washington D.C. Based on Current Gas Prices
If you're planning on traveling from Cardington, Ohio, to Washington D.C. this summer, you're probably wondering how much the trip is going to cost you. The cost of a trip like this will depend on a number of factors, including distance, gas prices, and route. In this article, we'll break down the cost of a trip between Cardington and Washington D.C., and recommend the best route for you to take.
Factors Affecting the Cost of the Trip
As mentioned, the cost of the trip will depend on a number of factors. The first is distance. Driving from Cardington, Ohio, to Washington D.C. is about 400 miles. The exact distance will depend on the route you take. The second factor that will affect the cost of the trip is gas prices. As of this writing, gas prices in the United States are hovering around $3.00 per gallon. Finally, the route you take will also play a role in determining the cost of the trip.
Possible Routes from Cardington to Washington D.C.
There are a few possible routes you could take from Cardington to Washington D.C. Each one has its pros and cons. Let's take a look at each route and see how much it would cost you.
Route 1: Traveling through Pittsburgh
One possible route is to take I-71 South to I-70 East. Then, take I-79 South to I-68 East, and finally take I-70 East and I-270 South to I-495 East. This is a slightly longer route at around 425 miles, but may be quicker if you have to avoid traffic.
The cost of this route will depend on the gas mileage of your car. Let's assume your car gets about 25 miles per gallon. By using the US Department of Energy's fuel cost calculator and estimating a total of 502 miles for the entire trip, we can estimate that you will use around 20 gallons of gas for this particular route, with the cost at $3.00 per gallon, resulting in a total fuel cost of $60.
Route 2: Traveling through Cincinnati
Another possible route is to take SR-95 East to US-23 South. Follow US-23 South to I-270 South to I-470 East to I-70 East through Columbus Ohio, then take I-470 to I-77 South. Follow I-77 into Virginia, then take I-81 North to I-66 East, and finally take I-495 South to Washington D.C, at around 450 miles.
Again, using the US Department of Energy's fuel cost calculator, and estimating a total of 552 miles for this entire route, we can estimate that you will use around 22 gallons of gas for this particular route. At $3.00 per gallon, the total fuel cost for this route will be around $66.
Route 3: Traveling through Wheeling
The last possible route is to take SR-529 East to SR-61 South. Follow SR-61 South to I-70 East, then take I-470 East to I-270 South and I-495 East, at around 403 miles.
Using the Department of Energy's fuel cost calculator, and estimating a total of 468 miles for this entire route, we can estimate that you will use approximately 18.72 gallons of gas for this particular route, with the cost at $3.00 per gallon, resulting in a total fuel cost of around $56.
Recommended Route
Based on our calculations, the cheapest route and shorter route is route 3. It will only cost you around $56 for gas. Although Route 1 may be quicker (avoiding traffic) and slightly shorter, the difference in the fuel cost does not justify the longer distance and increased traffic, which may add an hour or more for your trip.
Conclusion
In conclusion, traveling from Cardington, Ohio, to Washington D.C. can be done in multiple ways. The fuel costs will depend on the route you decide to take and the gas prices. Based on the current gas prices, we recommend using Route 3, as this route has a total fuel cost of around $56. Overall, this trip will take you around 7 hours 12 minutes based on Google Maps' estimation. We hope this breakdown helps you plan for your upcoming trip, happy traveling!