Origin
Balch Springs, TX
Late night in Balch Springs on Tuesday
Local time
3:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Balch Springs, TX to Dallas, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
14 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Balch Springs, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Balch Springs to Dallas is 14 miles and takes about 21 minutes via C F Hawn Freeway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward transition between two Texas locations. Expect a mixed drive profile that's more about efficiency than scenery. Given its brevity, this trip is ideal for a quick commute or a brief leg of a larger journey, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your schedule. You'll primarily be on well-maintained freeways, making for a predictable and uncomplicated travel experience.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| C F Hawn Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| Elam Road | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| Julius Schepps Freeway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Elm Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Hickory Tree Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Lamar Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Terry Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
C F Hawn Freeway
— 5.4 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Balch Springs, TX and Dallas, TX.
1
Start on Terry Drive
47 ft
·
3 sec
·
Terry Drive
2
Turn right onto Hickory Tree Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hickory Tree Road
3
Turn right onto Elam Road
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Elam Road
4
Turn right onto C F Hawn Freeway
519 ft
·
10 sec
·
C F Hawn Freeway
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward US 175 West
6
Merge onto US 175
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
C F Hawn Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 45
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 284B
Toward Main Street West, Elm Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward Elm Street
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto Elm Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Elm Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto North Lamar Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Lamar Street
12
Arrive at destination
North Lamar Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 4.7 and 12.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
4.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
C F Hawn Freeway
Turn right onto C F Hawn Freeway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
5 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 175 / C F Hawn Freeway
Merge onto US 175 / C F Hawn Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
10.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway
Merge onto I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
12.5 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward Main Street West, Elm Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 284B
Toward Main Street West, Elm Street
8
12.8 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Elm Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Elm Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.12 one way
$4.23 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $2.32 | $4.63 |
| premium | $4.54 | $2.50 | $5.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.09 | $6.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.47 | $0.67 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.96 | $0.90 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Dallas, TX
Late night in Dallas on Tuesday
Local time
3:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°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
4 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
21m 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?
This route features a 55% highway share, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your 21-minute journey on faster-paced roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 5.4 miles on the C F Hawn Freeway, providing a consistent segment of highway driving. The drive is characterized as a 'Mixed drive,' suggesting you'll navigate through a combination of freeway and possibly some arterial roads as you approach your destination. It's not a particularly winding or challenging drive, but rather a functional connection between two points, reflecting its urban setting.
55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.4 mi on C F Hawn Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.7 miles in near C F Hawn Freeway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 14 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 21m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.7 miles (C F Hawn Freeway): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (US 175 / C F Hawn Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles (I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Balch Springs, TX to Dallas, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Main Street West along the way.
Main Street West
12.5 mi in
|
~18m
About the Cities
Arriving in Dallas, TX
Full guide →“Big D” · Founded 1841
Dallas, with a population of more than 1.3 million residents, is the ninth largest city in the United States and the third largest in the state of Texas. It is an impressive melting pot of culture and character. Boasting high-end luxury hotels, innumerable fine dining spots, and one of the busiest airports in the world, Dallas maintains an upscale ethos reflected by an affluent population, world-class museums, and a shimmering modern skyline. Its history was marred by the infamous assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, but there is more historic and contemporary heritage to be discovered in the city. As a center of the oil and cotton industries in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Dallas was a classic American boom town and remains one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.
Top landmarks
- • Dallas Museum of Art — art museum in Dallas, Texas
- • Texas School Book Depository — building in Dallas, Texas, United States
- • George W. Bush Presidential Center — Presidential library and museum for U.S. President George W. Bush, located in Da...
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 14 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.4 miles on C F Hawn Freeway. 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 Dallas, TX 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 4.7 miles (C F Hawn Freeway): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (US 175 / C F Hawn Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles (I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dallas, TX 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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