Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
40.4 mi
65 km
Drive Score
7/10
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.
Brookhaven, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Winder, GA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Brookhaven, GA to Winder, GA covers 40.4 miles and takes about 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on University Parkway, Interstate Highway 85, Bill Rutledge Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18 miles on University Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.19 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| University Parkway | 18 mi | 23m |
| Interstate Highway 85 | 8.8 mi | 9m |
| Bill Rutledge Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Northeast Expressway | 2.5 mi | 2m |
| Chamblee Tucker Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Peachtree Road Northeast | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Patrick Mill Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Peachtree Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 132 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~7,550 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~948 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Brookhaven, GA and Winder, GA.
Start on this road
Turn left
Turn left
Turn right onto GA 141
Continue on Peachtree Road
Turn right onto Chamblee Tucker Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 85
Continue on I 85
Take the exit
Continue on GA 316
Take the exit
Turn left onto Patrick Mill Road
Continue on West Winder Bypass
Turn right onto Bill Rutledge Road
Continue on Patrick Mill Road
At end of road, turn left onto GA 81
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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.
A short stop after about 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 20.2 miles from Brookhaven, GA, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 16.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto GA 141 / Peachtree Road Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Chamblee Tucker Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 85 North: Greenville
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward GA 316 East: Lawrenceville, Athens
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$6.19 one way
$12.38 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $6.79 | $13.59 |
| premium | $4.64 | $7.38 | $14.75 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $8.91 | $17.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.24 | $1.94 |
| Efficient EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.54 | $1.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.66 | $2.59 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Evening in Brookhaven on Friday
Local time
5:09 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Evening in Winder on Friday
Local time
5:09 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Clear
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.
40.4 mi in 56m, mostly highway — 18 mi of that is on University Parkway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on University Parkway and Interstate Highway 85. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in.
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 40.4 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (GA 141 / Peachtree Road Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (Chamblee Tucker Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
390 ft
Total Descent
382 ft
Highest Point
1,074 ft
~28.9 mi in
Elevation Range
166 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Brookhaven, GA to Winder, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Athens along the way.
Athens
Founded 2012
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 40.4 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 (72%). 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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