Driving Cost from Alcoa, Tennessee to Palmyra, Wisconsin

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The Cost of a Road Trip between Alcoa, Tennessee and Palmyra, Wisconsin

Planning a road trip from Alcoa, Tennessee to Palmyra, Wisconsin can be an exciting adventure. Whether driving for leisure or business, the cost of the trip is an essential consideration. With gas prices fluctuating regularly, it's challenging to estimate the trip cost accurately. This article aims to compare the different possible routes between these two locations and provide insights on the associated costs and distances.

Possible Routes

Before embarking on a road trip, it's crucial to determine the best route. Several routes connect Alcoa, Tennessee, and Palmyra, Wisconsin, but not all of them are the same in terms of cost and distance. The possible routes are:

Route 1: Via I-40 W and I-74 N (871.5 miles)

  • Alcoa, TN
  • Nashville, TN
  • Indianapolis, IN
  • Chicago, IL
  • Palmyra, WI

Route 2: Via I-75 N and I-74 W (823.3 miles)

  • Alcoa, TN
  • Knoxville, TN
  • Cincinnati, OH
  • Indianapolis, IN
  • Chicago, IL
  • Palmyra, WI

Route 3: Via I-65 N (806.3 miles)

  • Alcoa, TN
  • Nashville, TN
  • Louisville, KY
  • Indianapolis, IN
  • Chicago, IL
  • Palmyra, WI

Which route is the most affordable?

The most common cost considerations for a road trip are fuel, tolls, and food. Fuel costs can vary depending on fuel efficiency, gas prices, and the route driven. Tolls vary depending on the particular route you take, while food expenses are mostly personal and can be trimmed down with thoughtful planning.

Fuel Costs

Fuel prices fluctuate by state, city, and even gas station, so it's challenging to estimate fuel costs accurately. For this reason, we used AAA's fuel cost calculator and took the national average fuel price for regular gas as of September 2021 ($3.14/gallon).

Let's suppose we'll be using a car that has an average fuel efficiency of 25 miles per gallon. With the average distance from Alcoa, Tennessee, to Palmyra, Wisconsin being 840.4 miles, we can estimate fuel costs by dividing the total distance by the fuel efficiency, giving us 33.6 gallons. Multiplying that by the national average cost for one gallon, we can estimate the fuel cost for the whole trip to be $105.50.

Tolls

Tolls can be a significant expense on a long-distance road trip. We selected the shortest route with the least amount of tolls, which was Route 1. The estimated toll fees for this route would be:

  • Tennessee: $0
  • Indiana: $4 for the Indiana Toll Road
  • Illinois: $12.05 for the Chicago Skyway
  • Total toll expenses: $16.05

Food Costs

Like fuel costs, food expenses are highly personal and can vary significantly depending on tastes and preferences. However, with proper planning and preparation, food expenses can be minimized. For our calculation, we estimated that an average daily food expense would be around $30 per person. Assuming a round trip of six days with two people, the total food expenses would be $360.

Conclusion

Based on the calculations above, we can estimate the total cost for the trip from Alcoa, Tennessee, to Palmyra, Wisconsin, using Route 1 to be about $481.55, while Route 3 would cost around $478.27 and Route 2 would cost approximately $494.20. These calculations are based on AAA's travel costs estimation and are subject to change due to frequent fluctuations in gas prices and other costs.

In conclusion, the most affordable route is Route 3, via I-65N, with an estimated total cost of $478.27, followed by Route 1, via I-40W and I-74N, with an estimated total cost of $481.55. Although Route 2 is an option, it's the most expensive, with an estimated total cost of $494.20. While the cheapest route may be the best option for cost-conscious travelers, it's essential to consider the driving distance and time before finalizing the choice. Overall, road trips can be exciting and fulfilling, and regardless of the route taken, the trip from Alcoa, Tennessee, to Palmyra, Wisconsin, is sure to be enriching.