Origin
Bay City, MI
Late night in Bay City on Sunday
Local time
12:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bay City, MI to Flint, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
47.4 mi
76 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bay City, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick connection between Bay City and Flint, this 47.4-mile trip is an efficient way to traverse the Michigan Midwest. You can comfortably complete the journey in about 56 minutes, making it a perfect day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of approximately $7, the drive is quite economical for solo travelers or families. You will primarily utilize I-75, the UAW Freeway, and Bay City Road to navigate between these two hubs. Because the transit time is under an hour, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your schedule without worrying about long-haul fatigue.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 27.2 mi | 29m |
| UAW Freeway | 10 mi | 10m |
| Bay City Road | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| River Road | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Broadway Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Garfield Avenue | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Washington Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Court Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 27.2 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bay City, MI and Flint, MI.
1
Start on 9th Street
138 ft
·
7 sec
·
9th Street
2
Turn right onto M 84
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Washington Avenue
3
Continue on M 84
0.6 mi
·
57 sec
·
Garfield Avenue
4
Turn right onto M 84
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Lafayette Avenue
5
Turn left onto M 13
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Broadway Street
6
Continue on M 13
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
River Road
7
Continue on M 13
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Bay City Road
8
Continue on M 13
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Veterans Memorial Parkway
9
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 75 South, US 23: Flint
10
Merge onto I 75; US 23
27 mi
·
29 min
·
I 75; US 23
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 475
10.0 mi
·
10 min
·
UAW Freeway
Exit 125
Toward I 475: Downtown Flint
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 7
Toward M 21
13
Continue on Chavez Drive
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Chavez Drive
14
Turn right onto M 21
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
East Court Street
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left
68 ft
·
6 sec
16
Turn right
93 ft
·
6 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.7 miles from Bay City, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 8.9 and 47.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
8.9 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the ramp toward I 75 South, US 23: Flint
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 75 South, US 23: Flint
6
36.7 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
I 475 / UAW Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 475 / UAW Freeway toward I 475: Downtown Flint
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 125
Toward I 475: Downtown Flint
5
46.6 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward M 21
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 7
Toward M 21
6
47.1 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
M 21 / East Court Street
Turn right onto M 21 / East Court Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
47.4 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.41 one way
$14.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.14 | $16.27 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.12 | $18.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.47 | $20.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.98 | $2.28 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.15 | $1.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19 | 0 | $6.64 | $3.03 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Flint, MI
Late night in Flint on Sunday
Local time
12:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
18 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
56m 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 highway-focused experience, as 79% of this route consists of high-speed transit. The drive settles into a steady rhythm quickly, highlighted by a 27.2-mile stretch on I-75 that accounts for the bulk of your time behind the wheel. You will find that the road maintains a consistent, functional pace designed for efficiency rather than winding scenery. Transitioning between the UAW Freeway and the other main thoroughfares keeps the navigation straightforward. It is a utilitarian drive that prioritizes speed, allowing you to focus on the road ahead rather than complex local intersections.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.2 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and UAW Freeway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 8.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 56m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.7 miles (I 475 / UAW Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 46.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 47.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.2 miles on I 75. 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 8.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.7 miles (I 475 / UAW Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 46.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Flint, 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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