Clinton Township, MI to Pinckney, MI is 66.1 miles and takes about 1h 24m via Walter P Reuther Freeway and I 96, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Michigan, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. With over two-thirds of the drive on highways, you'll find it's a fairly direct path. It's a manageable distance for a single day, making it a straightforward option if you're looking to cover ground without an overnight stay.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Walter P Reuther Freeway
25.5 mi
27m
I 96
15.3 mi
16m
Hamburg Road
8.6 mi
14m
South Groesbeck Highway
7.3 mi
11m
US 23
3.9 mi
4m
Winans Lake Road
2.2 mi
3m
Harrington Street
0.6 mi
1m
East 11 Mile Road
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Walter P Reuther Freeway
— 25.5 mi, about 27m
Traffic on I-696
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~5,139 veh/hr typical
· worst 5,957
Quietest
2 AM
~310 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clinton Township, MI and Pinckney, 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
0.1 mi·16 sec·Moravian Drive
4
Turn right onto Harrington Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Harrington Street
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto M 97
7.3 mi·11 min·South Groesbeck Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn right onto East 11 Mile Road
0.5 mi·59 sec·East 11 Mile Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward I 696 West
8
Merge onto I 696
25 mi·27 min·Walter P Reuther Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 96
15 mi·16 min·I 96
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·11 sec
Exit 148A; 147; 147BToward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spencer Road, FlintUse the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·45 sec
Toward US 23 South: Spencer Road, Brighton, Ann Arbor
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 148AToward US 23 South: Ann ArborUse the right lane.
13
Merge onto US 23
3.9 mi·4 min·US 23
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·19 sec
Exit 55Toward Silver Lake RoadUse the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork
196 ft·5 sec
Toward Silver Lake Road
16
Enter roundabout onto Whitmore Lake Road
210 ft·4 sec·Whitmore Lake Road
17
Continue on Whitmore Lake Road
0.2 mi·19 sec·Whitmore Lake Road
18
Turn right onto Winans Lake Road
0.5 mi·50 sec·Winans Lake Road
19
Enter roundabout onto Winans Lake Road
129 ft·3 sec·Winans Lake Road
20
Continue on Winans Lake Road
1.7 mi·2 min·Winans Lake Road
21
Enter roundabout onto Hamburg Road
110 ft·2 sec·Hamburg Road
22
Continue on Hamburg Road
0.5 mi·52 sec·Hamburg Road
23
Continue on M 36
8.1 mi·13 min·Hamburg Road
24
Turn right
50 ft·3 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 33 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 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 49.9 and 55 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
49.9 mi into trip|~59m in
Take the exit toward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spencer Road, Flint
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 148A; 147; 147B
Toward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spe...
6
50.1 mi into trip|~1h in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 23 South: Spencer Road, Brighton, Ann Arbor
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 23 South: Spencer Road, Brighton, Ann...
8
50.7 mi into trip|~1h in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 23 South: Ann Arbor
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 148A
Toward US 23 South: Ann Arbor
7
54.9 mi into trip|~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward Silver Lake Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 55
Toward Silver Lake Road
6
55 mi into trip|~1h 5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Silver Lake Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Silver Lake Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.76 one way
$19.52 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$10.78
$21.55
premium
$4.72
$12.27
$24.55
diesel
$4.80
$12.48
$24.96
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
19.8
0
$6.94
$3.17
Efficient EV
16.5
0
$5.78
$2.64
EV Truck/SUV
26.4
0
$9.25
$4.23
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Forecast as of Jun 28, 2026
Origin
Clinton Township, MI
Late night
in Clinton Township on Monday
Local time
3:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Sunny
E 3 to 7 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Watch
Extreme Heat Watch issued June 28 at 2:31AM EDT until July 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI
Extreme Heat Watch
Extreme Heat Watch issued June 28 at 2:16AM EDT until July 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Destination
Pinckney, MI
Late night
in Pinckney on Monday
Local time
3:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Mostly Sunny
E 2 to 6 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Watch
Extreme Heat Watch issued June 28 at 2:31AM EDT until July 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI
Extreme Heat Watch
Extreme Heat Watch issued June 28 at 2:16AM EDT until July 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
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
1 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
1h 24m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 68% of the route utilizing freeways. You'll experience a 25.5-mile stretch on the Walter P Reuther Freeway before transitioning to I 96. Expect a significant amount of highway driving, which means quicker travel times and potentially more merging traffic as you navigate between these main arteries. The latter part of your drive will likely involve less dense exits as you move away from major freeway systems.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.5 mi on Walter P Reuther Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Walter P Reuther Freeway and I 96. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 49.9 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.1 miles you will encounter 19 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 49.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
968 ft593 ft
Total Climb
499 ft
Total Descent
201 ft
Highest Point
968 ft
~42.5 mi in
Elevation Range
375 ft
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 Pinckney, MI, road signs point toward Flint, Brighton and Ann Arbor.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 66.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.5 miles on Walter P Reuther Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Pinckney, 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 49.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50.7 miles: 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 Pinckney, MI before heading back.
