Origin
Attica, MI
Late night in Attica on Sunday
Local time
3:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Attica, MI to Sterling Heights, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
38 mi
61 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Attica, MI
Noland Live
Sterling Heights, MI
fish socks
Trip Overview
This 38-mile drive from Attica to Sterling Heights, Michigan, is a quick 43-minute trip, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate local roads, with South Lake Pleasant Road and M 53 forming key parts of your journey, and a short stint on I-69 East. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $6, this route is budget-friendly. The overall feel is a turn-heavy local drive, so don't expect long stretches of highway cruising. Both your origin and destination are within the Midwest region, offering a familiar landscape throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Van Dyke Road | 29.9 mi | 37m |
| I 69 | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| South Lake Pleasant Road | 1.6 mi | 4m |
| North Main Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 17 Mile Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Williams Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Van Dyke Road
— 29.9 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Attica, MI and Sterling Heights, MI.
1
Start on Williams Street
93 ft
·
9 sec
·
Williams Street
2
Turn left onto South Lake Pleasant Road
1.6 mi
·
4 min
·
South Lake Pleasant Road
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 69 East: Port Huron
4
Merge onto I 69
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
I 69
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 168
Toward M 53: Imlay City, Almont
6
Turn right onto M 53
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Van Dyke Road
Use the right lane.
7
Turn right onto M 53
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
8
Continue on M 53
25 mi
·
30 min
·
Van Dyke Road
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto 17 Mile Road
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
17 Mile Road
Use the right lane.
10
Turn right
135 ft
·
15 sec
11
Turn left
216 ft
·
16 sec
12
Turn right
133 ft
·
11 sec
13
Turn right
197 ft
·
19 sec
14
At end of road, turn left onto 17 Mile Road
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
17 Mile Road
15
Arrive at destination
17 Mile Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19 miles from Attica, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 37.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 69 East: Port Huron
Navigation decision point
Toward I 69 East: Port Huron
6
6.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward M 53: Imlay City, Almont
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 168
Toward M 53: Imlay City, Almont
5
6.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
M 53 / Van Dyke Road
Turn right onto M 53 / Van Dyke Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
37.6 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
17 Mile Road
Turn right onto 17 Mile Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
37.9 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
17 Mile Road
At end of road, turn left onto 17 Mile Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.94 one way
$11.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.52 | $13.05 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.31 | $14.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.39 | $16.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.99 | $1.82 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.32 | $2.43 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Sterling Heights, MI
Late night in Sterling Heights on Sunday
Local time
3:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°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
26 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
51m 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' for the majority of this 43-minute journey. While there's a brief segment on I-69 East, the highway share is 0%, indicating it's not a significant part of the experience. The route is characterized by frequent turns and local road navigation rather than extended periods on a single highway. There's no 'longest stretch' indicated, suggesting a continuous series of smaller road segments and intersections. This drive will likely feel like a typical local commute, requiring your attention at various points.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.9 mi on Van Dyke Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 38 miles you will encounter 11 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 1.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.8 miles (M 53 / Van Dyke Road): 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.
Between Attica, MI and Sterling Heights, MI, road signs point toward M 53: Imlay City and Almont.
M 53: Imlay City
6.3 mi in
|
~9m
Almont
6.3 mi in
|
~9m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 38 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (11%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.9 miles on Van Dyke Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 1.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.8 miles (M 53 / Van Dyke Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sterling Heights, MI 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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