Origin
Detroit, MI
Late night in Detroit on Sunday
Local time
3:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Detroit, MI to Milford, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
41.5 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Detroit, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Milford, MI
A K
Trip Overview
Planning a trip from Detroit to Milford, Michigan? This drive covers 41.5 miles and should take about 55 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on the John C Lodge Freeway, I-96, and the Walter P Reuther Freeway, with 83% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is around $6, so it's an economical option. This route is focused on efficient travel through the Midwest. With no recommended stops and a short duration, you have plenty of flexibility.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John C Lodge Freeway | 17.8 mi | 23m |
| I 96 | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| Walter P Reuther Freeway | 8.2 mi | 8m |
| Milford Road | 4.3 mi | 7m |
| Union Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| General Motors Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Jefferson Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Huron Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
John C Lodge Freeway
— 17.8 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Detroit, MI and Milford, 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
18 mi
·
23 min
·
John C Lodge Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 18C
Toward I 696 West: Lansing
Use the slight left lane.
8
Merge onto I 696
8.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Walter P Reuther Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 96
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
I 96
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 155B
Toward Milford
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto Milford Road
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Milford Road
Use the right lane.
12
At end of road, turn right onto General Motors Road
0.3 mi
·
57 sec
·
General Motors Road
13
Continue on West Huron Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Huron Street
14
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
South Main Street
15
Turn right onto Canal Street
342 ft
·
17 sec
·
Canal Street
16
Turn left onto Union Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Union Street
17
Arrive at destination
Union Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.8 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 35.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Bates Street
Turn right onto Bates Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Griswold Street
Turn left onto Griswold Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
M 10 / West Jefferson Avenue
Turn right onto M 10 / West Jefferson Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
18.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward I 696 West: Lansing
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 18C
Toward I 696 West: Lansing
7
35.5 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward Milford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 155B
Toward Milford
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.49 one way
$12.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.12 | $14.25 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.99 | $15.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.16 | $18.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.63 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.81 | $2.66 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Milford, MI
Late night in Milford on Sunday
Local time
3:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°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
17 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
55m 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 the majority of this trip, with 83% of the 41.5 miles on major freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.8 miles on the John C Lodge Freeway. This route is designed for getting you from point A to point B efficiently. While it's largely a freeway experience, be prepared for urban and suburban driving conditions typical of the region.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.8 mi on John C Lodge Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on John C Lodge Freeway and I 96. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Bates Street.
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 13 decision points packed into just 41.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Bates Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Griswold Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (M 10 / West Jefferson Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 41.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.8 miles on John C Lodge 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 Milford, 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 0.1 miles (Bates Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Griswold Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (M 10 / West Jefferson Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Milford, 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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