Origin
Clinton Township, MI
Late night in Clinton Township on Sunday
Local time
3:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clinton Township, MI to Elba, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
57 mi
92 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clinton Township, MI
fish socks
Elba, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 57-mile drive from Clinton Township, MI, to Elba, MI, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 14 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll spend about 70% of your time on highways, primarily utilizing the Christopher Columbus Freeway and I-69. With an estimated fuel cost of $9, this is a budget-friendly excursion through the Midwest. The route is straightforward and focused on efficient travel, so you won't need to worry about overnight stays. It’s a practical choice for a quick journey within Michigan.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher Columbus Freeway | 20.7 mi | 25m |
| I 69 | 19.2 mi | 19m |
| North Van Dyke Road | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| Hall Road | 4 mi | 6m |
| Cass Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| South Elba Road | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Romeo Plank Road | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Moravian Drive | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Christopher Columbus Freeway
— 20.7 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clinton Township, MI and Elba, MI.
1
Start on Red Oaks Drive
289 ft
·
17 sec
·
Red Oaks Drive
2
Turn left onto White Oaks Drive
0.2 mi
·
55 sec
·
White Oaks Drive
3
At end of road, turn left onto Moravian Drive
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Moravian Drive
4
At end of road, turn left onto Cass Avenue
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Cass Avenue
5
Enter roundabout onto Romeo Plank Road
82 ft
·
1 sec
·
Romeo Plank Road
6
Continue on Romeo Plank Road
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Romeo Plank Road
7
Enter roundabout onto Romeo Plank Road
90 ft
·
1 sec
·
Romeo Plank Road
8
Continue on Romeo Plank Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Romeo Plank Road
9
Turn right onto M 59
501 ft
·
8 sec
·
Hall Road
10
Take the exit
259 ft
·
9 sec
Toward M 59 West
Use the left lane.
11
Merge onto M 59
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Hall Road
Use the left lane.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward M 53 North: Imlay City
Use the right lane.
13
Merge onto M 53
21 mi
·
25 min
·
Christopher Columbus Freeway
Use the right lane.
14
Continue on M 53
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
15
Turn left onto M 53
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
North Van Dyke Road
Use the straight lane.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 69 West: Flint
17
Merge onto I 69
19 mi
·
19 min
·
I 69
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward Elba Road
Use the slight right lane.
19
Turn right onto South Elba Road
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
South Elba Road
20
Arrive at destination
South Elba Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.5 miles from Clinton Township, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 55.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Cass Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Cass Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
3.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
Romeo Plank Road
Enter roundabout onto Romeo Plank Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
4.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward M 59 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward M 59 West
8
8.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward M 53 North: Imlay City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward M 53 North: Imlay City
6
55.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward Elba Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Elba Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.91 one way
$17.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.78 | $19.57 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.97 | $21.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.58 | $25.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.98 | $2.74 |
| Efficient EV | 14.3 | 0 | $4.99 | $2.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.8 | 0 | $7.98 | $3.65 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Elba, MI
Late night in Elba on Sunday
Local time
3:43 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
3 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
1h 14m 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 drive for most of this 57-mile trip. With 70% of the route on faster roads, you'll experience stretches of smooth sailing, including one uninterrupted segment of 20.7 miles on the Christopher Columbus Freeway. While primarily an interstate experience, you will also navigate sections of North Van Dyke Road, offering a slight change of pace. The overall feel is one of efficient transit rather than scenic exploration, designed to get you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.7 mi on Christopher Columbus Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Christopher Columbus Freeway and I 69. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near Cass Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57 miles you will encounter 15 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 1.4 miles (Cass Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.2 miles (Romeo Plank Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 4.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
Between Clinton Township, MI and Elba, MI, road signs point toward M 59 West and M 53 North: Imlay City.
M 59 West
4.3 mi in
|
~8m
M 53 North: Imlay City
8.3 mi in
|
~15m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 57 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.7 miles on Christopher Columbus 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 Elba, 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: at 1.4 miles (Cass Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.2 miles (Romeo Plank Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 4.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Elba, 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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