Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
29.5 mi
47 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Avondale, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Tempe, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
This 29.5-mile drive from Avondale, AZ to Tempe, AZ is a quick trip, typically taking around 37 minutes. Designed as a single-day excursion, it requires no overnight stays. The route is predominantly highway, making up 84% of the journey. You can expect a fuel cost of approximately $6 for this drive. Traveling within the Desert Southwest region, this route offers a straightforward connection between two Arizona cities, ideal for a short hop. With no designated stops in the data, it's a direct path from point A to point B.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Papago Freeway | 16.4 mi | 18m |
| Red Mountain Freeway | 8.3 mi | 10m |
| South Dysart Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| South McClintock Drive | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East Western Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North Central Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Apache Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Avondale, AZ and Tempe, AZ.
Start on this road
Turn left onto North Central Avenue
Turn left onto East Western Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto South Dysart Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 10
Continue on I 10
Continue on I 10
Take the exit onto Red Mountain Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
Take the exit
Turn right onto South McClintock Drive
Turn right onto US 80 Hist
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 27.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto South Dysart Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 202 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward McClintock Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$5.88 one way
$11.75 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $6.22 | $12.44 |
| premium | $5.59 | $6.49 | $12.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.51 | $13.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.10 | $1.42 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.58 | $1.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Avondale on Saturday
Local time
9:16 PM
MST
Current temp
57°F
Clear
Destination
Night in Tempe on Saturday
Local time
9:16 PM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This drive is heavily focused on the highway, with 84% of the total mileage on freeways like the Papago Freeway and Red Mountain Freeway. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 16.4 miles on the Papago Freeway, suggesting a consistent, high-speed experience for a significant portion. While South Dysart Road is mentioned, the overall profile points to a predominantly freeway-style journey. The character is likely one of efficient travel, moving you quickly across the landscape with minimal local road detours.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Papago Freeway and Red Mountain Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near South Dysart Road.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 29.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (South Dysart Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Avondale is a city in the Greater Phoenix region of Arizona.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 29.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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