Origin
Clawson, MI
Late night in Clawson on Sunday
Local time
3:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clawson, MI to Detroit, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
23m
Distance
17.1 mi
28 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clawson, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Detroit, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Clawson to Detroit is a straightforward 17.1-mile journey that typically takes about 23 minutes. This commute is well-suited for a single-day trip, as it connects the suburbs directly to the city center. You will primarily utilize the Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, supplemented by local stretches on East 14 Mile Road and East Congress Street. With fuel costs estimated at around $3, this is an incredibly budget-friendly drive within the Midwest. Because the entire route is contained within Michigan, you won't need to worry about regional transitions or overnight planning. It serves as a practical, efficient link for anyone needing to get into the heart of Detroit quickly.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 14.5 mi | 16m |
| East 14 Mile Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| East Congress Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Woodward Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Chrysler Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cadillac Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
— 14.5 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clawson, MI and Detroit, MI.
1
Start on South Main Street
33 ft
·
5 sec
·
South Main Street
2
Turn right onto East 14 Mile Road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East 14 Mile Road
Use the right lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 75 South: Detroit
Use the slight right lane.
4
Merge onto I 75
14 mi
·
15 min
·
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 375
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward Jefferson Avenue East
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn straight onto Chrysler Drive
133 ft
·
8 sec
·
Chrysler Drive
8
Turn right onto East Congress Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Congress Street
Use the left lane.
9
Turn right onto Woodward Avenue
449 ft
·
19 sec
·
Woodward Avenue
10
Turn right onto Cadillac Square
126 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cadillac Square
11
Arrive at destination
Cadillac Square
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 16.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East 14 Mile Road
Turn right onto East 14 Mile Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 75 South: Detroit
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 75 South: Detroit
6
15.5 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
16.3 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward Jefferson Avenue East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Jefferson Avenue East
6
16.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
East Congress Street
Turn right onto East Congress Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.67 one way
$5.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.94 | $5.87 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.29 | $6.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.78 | $7.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.80 | $0.82 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.50 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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
Detroit, MI
Late night in Detroit on Sunday
Local time
3:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
23m 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 trip is heavily focused on highway travel, with 84% of your time spent on fast-moving arteries. You will experience a significant, uninterrupted stretch of 14.5 miles while navigating the Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. The experience is defined by a rapid transition from suburban streets into the urban core. Expect a functional, high-speed pace that shifts from the local traffic of East 14 Mile Road to the more intense flow of the freeway. It is a no-nonsense route designed for efficiency rather than leisure, keeping you focused on the road as you make your way toward the city.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.5 mi on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and East 14 Mile Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 14 Mile Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 17.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 14 Mile Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 15.5 miles (I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
666 ft
588 ft
Total Climb
111 ft
Total Descent
179 ft
Highest Point
666 ft
Elevation Range
79 ft
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 Clawson, MI to Detroit, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Jefferson Avenue East along the way.
Jefferson Avenue East
16.3 mi in
|
~20m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 17.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.5 miles on Walter P. Chrysler 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 Detroit, MI 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: near the start (East 14 Mile Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 15.5 miles (I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Detroit, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Detroit, MI
More trips to Detroit, MI
Explore more options from Clawson, MI or browse trips ending in Detroit, MI.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MI road trips.