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Trip from Detroit, MI to Carleton, MI

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

45m

Distance

30.7 mi

49 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 42m ★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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Downtown Detroit, MI, MI

Detroit, MI

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Carleton, MI, MI

Carleton, MI

TBD Tuyên

Trip Overview

The drive from Detroit, MI to Carleton, MI covers 30.7 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Fisher Freeway, Telegraph Road, East Newburg Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.9 miles on Fisher Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.76 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Fisher Freeway 13.9 mi 15m
Telegraph Road 4.8 mi 8m
East Newburg Road 2.6 mi 3m
Dix-Toledo Highway 2 mi 3m
Detroit-Toledo Expressway 1 mi 1m
Briar Hill Road 1 mi 1m
Carleton-Rockwood Road 1 mi 2m
John C Lodge Freeway 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Fisher Freeway — 13.9 mi, about 15m

Traffic on I-75

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

3 PM

~4,079 veh/hr typical · worst 5,088

Quietest

2 AM

~452 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

9×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 105 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 Detroit, MI and Carleton, MI.

1

Start on Cadillac Square

313 ft · 14 sec · Cadillac Square
2

Turn right onto Bates Street

247 ft · 7 sec · Bates Street
3

Turn right onto East Congress Street

0.1 mi · 38 sec · East Congress Street
4

Turn left onto Griswold Street

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Griswold Street
5

Turn right onto M 10

0.3 mi · 31 sec · West Jefferson Avenue
6

Continue on M 10

0.8 mi · 1 min · John C Lodge Freeway
7

Take the exit

318 ft · 7 sec
Exit 2A Toward I 75: Toledo, Flint Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork

1.2 mi · 2 min
Toward I 75 South: Toledo Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 75 South: Toledo Use the slight left lane.
10

Merge onto I 75

1.7 mi · 2 min · Fisher Freeway
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 75

12 mi · 13 min · Fisher Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on I 75

1.0 mi · 1 min · Detroit-Toledo Expressway
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Exit 34A Toward Dix-Toledo Highway Use the slight right lane.
14

Turn right onto US 24 Connector

2.0 mi · 3 min · Dix-Toledo Highway
15

At end of road, turn left onto US 24

4.8 mi · 8 min · Telegraph Road
Use the left lane.
16

Turn right onto East Newburg Road

2.6 mi · 3 min · East Newburg Road
17

Turn left onto Briar Hill Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · Briar Hill Road
18

Turn right onto Carlton Rockwood Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · Carlton Rockwood Road
19

Continue on Carleton-Rockwood Road

1.0 mi · 2 min · Carleton-Rockwood Road
20

At end of road, turn left onto Grafton Road

0.3 mi · 27 sec · Grafton Road
21

Turn right onto Monroe Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Monroe Street
22

Arrive at destination

Monroe Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Southgate, MI

15 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

South Monroe, MI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 30.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Southgate, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 15.4 miles from Detroit, 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 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 20.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
1.4 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the exit toward I 75: Toledo, Flint

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 2A Toward I 75: Toledo, Flint
7
1.5 mi into trip | ~3m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 75 South: Toledo

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 75 South: Toledo
7
2.7 mi into trip | ~5m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 75 South: Toledo

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 75 South: Toledo
7
17.8 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the exit toward Dix-Toledo Highway

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 34A Toward Dix-Toledo Highway
7
20.1 mi into trip | ~26m in | US 24 / Telegraph Road

At end of road, turn left onto US 24 / Telegraph Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.76 one way

$9.52 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.32 $5.22 $10.44
premium $4.93 $5.96 $11.91
diesel $5.60 $6.77 $13.53

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.2 0 $3.22 $1.47
Efficient EV 7.7 0 $2.69 $1.23
EV Truck/SUV 12.3 0 $4.30 $1.96

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Sep 1, 2026

Origin

Detroit, MI

Late night in Detroit on Sunday

Local time

2:09 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 6 to 9 mph 47% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued August 31 at 12:05PM EDT until August 31 at 11:00PM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI

Destination

Carleton, MI

Late night in Carleton on Sunday

Local time

2:09 AM

EDT

Current temp

72°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 8 mph 54% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued August 31 at 12:05PM EDT until August 31 at 11:00PM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI

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

2 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

45m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

30.7 mi in 45m — 51% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Fisher Freeway.

51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.9 mi on Fisher Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 30.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

623 ft 568 ft

Total Climb

92 ft

Total Descent

73 ft

Highest Point

623 ft

~15.4 mi in

Elevation Range

56 ft

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 Detroit, MI to Carleton, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Dix-Toledo Highway along the way.

Dix-Toledo Highway

17.8 mi in | ~23m

About the Cities

Starting in Detroit, MI

Full guide →

“The D” · Founded 1701

Detroit is a major metropolis in the US state of Michigan that has had a profound impact on the world. From the advent of the automotive assembly line to the Motown sound, modern techno and rock music, Detroit continues to shape both American and global culture. The city has seen many of its historic buildings renovated, and is bustling with new developments and attractions that complement its world-class museums and theatres. After a long economic slump and decrease in population, Detroit has developed a reputation for crime and urban decline, but revitalization means that it is an exciting destination filled with technological advance and historic charm.

Top landmarks

  • • Detroit Institute of Arts — art museum in Detroit, Michigan
  • • Michigan Central Station — historic former railroad station in Detroit, Michigan
  • • Fisher Building — skyscraper in Detroit, Michigan, United States, including the Fisher Theater

Arriving in Carleton, MI

Full guide →

Founded 1872

Carleton is a village in Monroe County.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 30.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

45m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (51%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 13.9 miles on Fisher 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 Carleton, 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: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 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 Carleton, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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