The Johnston Brief
A lot of Johnston works in Des Moines, so if you're thinking about moving here, the commute is a fair question. The short version: it's one of the closest-in suburbs, and the daily drive is short by big-metro standards, with the usual rush-hour caveats near downtown. Here's the distance, the drive time, and how getting around actually works.
Downtown Des Moines is about 12 miles from Johnston, a roughly 15-minute drive via I-35/I-80 and I-235, or straight south on Merle Hay Road, and closer to 20 to 25 minutes at rush hour near downtown. Johnston sits on the north edge of the metro, one of the closest-in suburbs, so for most of town the daily commute is short.
Interstate 35 and Interstate 80 run concurrently across the north edge of the metro right past Johnston, forming the spine of the commute. From there you drop onto I-235, the loop that feeds downtown Des Moines and continues west toward West Des Moines and Clive. Off-peak, the run downtown is about 15 minutes. At weekday rush hour, expect it to stretch toward 20 to 25 minutes as traffic bunches closer to the interchange and downtown, still short compared with commutes in most metros of this size.
Merle Hay Road is the workhorse surface route: it runs straight south from Johnston through Urbandale and into Des Moines, so you don't have to touch the interstate. NW 86th Street and Iowa Highway 141 handle other directions and the northwest metro. These surface streets are handy when the interstate backs up or for trips to the near-north side of Des Moines, though they hit more lights. Locals mix and match depending on where they're headed and the time of day.
Johnston is a car-oriented suburb, so most people drive, but there are alternatives. DART (Des Moines Area Regional Transit) runs Local Route 5 north to Johnston, serving City Hall and the public library and connecting to DART Central Station downtown; check its current routes and schedules. For car-free days, the city keeps 45-plus miles of trails, anchored by the Beaver Creek Greenbelt and the Trestle to Trestle Trail into the Des Moines River system, see our Johnston trails guide. The Des Moines International Airport is on the south side of the metro, about a 25-minute drive.
For most people who choose Johnston, yes: you trade a few interstate miles for top schools, low crime, and a settled-in suburb, while staying close to metro jobs. Weigh it against where you'd actually work and at what hours. For the full picture, see our moving to Johnston, cost of living, and neighborhoods guides.
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Downtown Des Moines is roughly 12 miles by car via I-35/I-80 and I-235, or straight south on Merle Hay Road. Johnston is one of the closest-in suburbs to downtown.
About 15 minutes off-peak, stretching to roughly 20 to 25 minutes at weekday rush hour near downtown.
I-35/I-80 east to I-235 south is fastest. Merle Hay Road is a direct surface alternative straight into Des Moines, with NW 86th Street and Iowa Highway 141 for other directions.
For most people, yes: about 12 miles from downtown with one of the shortest suburban commutes in the metro, plus top schools, low crime, and 45-plus miles of trails. Weigh the rush-hour drive against your workplace.
Yes. DART Local Route 5 runs north to Johnston, serving City Hall and the library and connecting to DART Central Station downtown. Check DART's current routes and schedules.