Origin
Arizona City, AZ
Late night in Arizona City on Sunday
Local time
12:37 AM
MST
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arizona City, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
52 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arizona City, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
This 52.5-mile drive from Arizona City to Tempe Junction, AZ, is a straightforward local journey that can easily be completed in about 54 minutes. With a modest fuel cost of an estimated $10, it's an ideal candidate for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You'll primarily navigate using the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, I-8 West, and I-10 West, offering a practical route through the familiar Desert Southwest region. This drive is characterized by its numerous turns, making it a more engaging local experience than a simple highway cruise. It's a quick connection that doesn't demand extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 36.7 mi | 37m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| South Sunland Gin Road | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| South Priest Drive | 2 mi | 4m |
| West Broadway Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Roosevelt Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West 13th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Baseline Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
— 36.7 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arizona City, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on South Sunland Gin Road
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
South Sunland Gin Road
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 8 West, I 10 West: San Diego, Phoenix
Use the left lane.
3
Keep slight right at fork
1.3 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
4
Merge onto I 10
37 mi
·
37 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I 10
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 155
Toward Baseline Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto West Baseline Road
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Baseline Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
8
Turn left onto South Priest Drive
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
South Priest Drive
Use the left lane.
9
Turn right onto West Broadway Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Broadway Road
Use the right lane.
10
Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Roosevelt Street
Use the left lane.
11
At end of road, turn right onto West 13th Street
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
West 13th Street
12
Arrive at destination
West 13th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26 miles from Arizona City, AZ, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 3.8 and 51.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
3.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 8 West, I 10 West: San Diego, Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 8 West, I 10 West: San Diego, Phoenix
7
47.9 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward Baseline Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 155
Toward Baseline Road
6
48.4 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
South Priest Drive
Turn left onto South Priest Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
50.5 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
West Broadway Road
Turn right onto West Broadway Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
51.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
South Roosevelt Street
Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.36 one way
$20.72 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $10.96 | $21.93 |
| premium | $5.59 | $11.45 | $22.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.48 | $22.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 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 | 15.6 | 0 | $5.46 | $2.50 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.55 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.28 | $3.33 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Tempe Junction, AZ
Late night in Tempe Junction on Sunday
Local time
12:37 AM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
88°F
Guadalupe, AZ
26 mi in
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
36 degrees warmer 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
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, rather than a long stretch of uninterrupted highway. While you'll use segments of I-8 West and I-10 West, the 0% highway share indicates that these are likely brief connectors or that the majority of the journey utilizes local roads. The Profile notes a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' suggesting you'll be navigating a series of intersections and changes in direction. This means you'll need to stay attentive to your navigation, as the road will frequently shift course. The absence of a 'longest_stretch' data point further reinforces the idea of a route broken up by turns and local road segments.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.7 mi on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52 miles you will encounter 9 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 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.4 miles (South Priest Drive): 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Arizona City, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Phoenix along the way.
Phoenix
3.8 mi in
|
~6m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 52 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 36.7 miles on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. 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 Tempe Junction, AZ 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 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.4 miles (South Priest Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tempe Junction, AZ before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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