Ann Arbor to Pontiac is 43.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via M 14 and I 275, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Michigan, connecting two points in the Midwest. Expect a local drive with frequent turns, rather than a straightforward interstate cruise. Given the short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your departure time and plenty of opportunities to make unscheduled stops along the way.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
M 14
18.6 mi
19m
Middlebelt Road
7.9 mi
13m
I 275
5.3 mi
5m
Walter P Reuther Freeway
2.9 mi
3m
Orchard Lake Road
2.5 mi
5m
North Main Street
1.2 mi
2m
West 12 Mile Road
1 mi
1m
West Huron Street
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
M 14
— 18.6 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ann Arbor, MI and Pontiac, MI.
1
Start on South State Street
0.3 mi·42 sec·South State Street
2
Turn left onto I 94 BL; US 23 BUS
0.4 mi·1 min·East Huron Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto US 23 BUS
1.2 mi·2 min·North Main Street
4
Take the ramp onto US 23 BUS
0.2 mi·20 sec·US 23 BUS
Toward M 14 East, US 23: Flint, Detroit
5
Merge onto M 14; US 23 BUS
1.1 mi·1 min·M 14; US 23 BUS
6
Keep right at fork onto M 14
2.4 mi·2 min·M 14
Toward M 14 East, US 23 South: Plymouth
7
Keep slight left at fork onto M 14
15 mi·16 min·M 14
Exit 42Toward M 14 East: Plymouth, LivoniaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Toward I 275 North, I 96 West: FlintUse the right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward I 96 WestUse the straight lane.
10
Merge onto I 275
5.3 mi·5 min·I 275
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi·58 sec
Exit 165Toward I 696, M 5 East, M 5 North: Port HuronUse the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·42 sec
Toward I 696: Port Huron
13
Keep slight right at fork
1.1 mi·2 min
Toward I 696: Port HuronUse the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 696
2.9 mi·3 min·Walter P Reuther Freeway
15
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 5Toward Farmington HillsUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn left onto Orchard Lake Road
0.3 mi·39 sec·Orchard Lake Road
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto West 12 Mile Road
1.0 mi·1 min·West 12 Mile Road
Use the right lane.
18
Turn left onto Middlebelt Road
3.0 mi·5 min·Middlebelt Road
Use the left lane.
19
Enter roundabout onto Middlebelt Road
93 ft·2 sec·Middlebelt Road
20
Continue on Middlebelt Road
4.9 mi·8 min·Middlebelt Road
21
Turn right onto Orchard Lake Road
2.2 mi·4 min·Orchard Lake Road
22
Turn slight left
352 ft·17 sec
23
Continue on Williams Street
0.3 mi·51 sec·Williams Street
24
Turn right onto M 59
0.4 mi·1 min·West Huron Street
25
Turn right onto North Perry Street
74 ft·2 sec·North Perry Street
26
Arrive at destination
North Perry Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 22 miles from Ann Arbor, MI, 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 21
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.5 and 27.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
5.5 mi into trip|~8m in|M 14
Keep slight left at fork onto M 14 toward M 14 East: Plymouth, Livonia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 42
Toward M 14 East: Plymouth, Livonia
7
20.6 mi into trip|~24m in
Take the exit toward I 275 North, I 96 West: Flint
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 275 North, I 96 West: Flint
7
21 mi into trip|~26m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 96 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 96 West
8
26.5 mi into trip|~32m in
Take the exit toward I 696, M 5 East, M 5 North: Port Huron
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 165
Toward I 696, M 5 East, M 5 North: Port Huron
7
27.3 mi into trip|~33m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 696: Port Huron
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 696: Port Huron
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.86 one way
$13.73 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg15 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$7.54
$15.07
premium
$4.89
$8.45
$16.90
diesel
$5.61
$9.69
$19.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
13.2
0
$4.61
$2.11
Efficient EV
11
0
$3.84
$1.76
EV Truck/SUV
17.6
0
$6.15
$2.81
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Ann Arbor, MI
Late night
in Ann Arbor on Sunday
Local time
12:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Patchy Fog then Mostly Cloudy
SE 2 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued April 17 at 7:53AM EDT until April 17 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued April 17 at 7:52AM EDT until April 17 at 11:00AM EDT by NWS Marquette MI
Destination
Pontiac, MI
Late night
in Pontiac on Sunday
Local time
12:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
22 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 3m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter numerous intersections and changes in direction. With only 19% of the drive on highways, much of your time will be spent navigating local roads like Middlebelt Road. The longest continuous stretch without a significant turn or highway exit is 18.6 miles, primarily on M 14. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that requires constant attention to navigation and road signs as you transition between different types of roadways.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.6 mi on M 14.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.5 miles in near M 14.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.9 miles you will encounter 21 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 5.5 miles (M 14): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21 miles: 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.
Between Ann Arbor, MI and Pontiac, MI, road signs point toward M 14 East, M 14 East: Plymouth, Livonia, M 5 East, M 5 North: Port Huron and Farmington Hills.
M 14 East
3.1 mi in|~6m|via M 14
M 14 East: Plymouth
5.5 mi in|~8m|via M 14
Livonia
5.5 mi in|~8m|via M 14
M 5 East
26.5 mi in|~32m
M 5 North: Port Huron
26.5 mi in|~32m
Farmington Hills
31.3 mi in|~39m
Discover Along the Route
Interesting stops within a short detour of your drive.
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 43.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.6 miles on M 14. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Pontiac, MI 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 5.5 miles (M 14): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21 miles: 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 Pontiac, MI before heading back.
