Origin
Drexel Heights, AZ
Late night in Drexel Heights on Sunday
Local time
1:07 AM
MST
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Drexel Heights, AZ to Casa Grande, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
75.1 mi
121 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Drexel Heights, AZ
Quang Vuong
Casa Grande, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 74 miles, the drive from Drexel Heights to Casa Grande is a straightforward transition across the Desert Southwest. You can comfortably complete this trip in about 1 hour and 14 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. Your journey begins by navigating South Cardinal Avenue and West Irvington Road before connecting to I-19 North. Budgeting approximately $15 for fuel should cover the trip, keeping the costs quite manageable. Because there are no mandatory stops required to reach your destination, you have the flexibility to head out whenever your schedule allows. This route is a practical link between two Desert Southwest communities, offering a simple transit rather than a complex expedition.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.5 mi | 55m |
| South Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| Phoenix Bypass Route | 3.8 mi | 3m |
| West Irvington Road | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| South Trekell Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Nogales–Tucson Highway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| South Cardinal Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Jimmie Kerr Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.5 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Drexel Heights, AZ and Casa Grande, AZ.
1
Start on West Bilby Road
71 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Bilby Road
2
Turn right onto South Cardinal Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Cardinal Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto West Irvington Road
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
West Irvington Road
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 19 North: Phoenix, El Paso
5
Merge onto I 19
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Nogales–Tucson Highway
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
7
Merge onto I 10
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
51 mi
·
51 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 199
Toward I 8 West: San Diego
11
Continue on I 8
3.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Phoenix Bypass Route
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 174
Toward Trekell Road
13
Turn right onto South Trekell Road
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
South Trekell Road
14
Turn left onto Jimmie Kerr Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Jimmie Kerr Boulevard
15
Enter roundabout onto North Casa Grande Avenue
29 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Casa Grande Avenue
16
Continue on North Casa Grande Avenue
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
North Casa Grande Avenue
17
Continue on East 2nd Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 2nd Street
18
Continue on AZ 287
124 ft
·
24 sec
·
West Gila Bend Highway
Use the left lane.
19
Arrive at destination
AZ 287
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
38 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 37.6 miles from Drexel Heights, AZ, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 15.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
West Irvington Road
At end of road, turn right onto West Irvington Road
Navigation decision point
6
4 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 19 North: Phoenix, El Paso
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 19 North: Phoenix, El Paso
5
6.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
5
6.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 10 / South Freeway
Merge onto I 10 / South Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
15.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.96 one way
$29.92 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $15.83 | $31.67 |
| premium | $5.59 | $16.53 | $33.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.58 | $33.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.5 | 0 | $7.89 | $3.60 |
| Efficient EV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.57 | $3.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30 | 0 | $10.51 | $4.81 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Casa Grande, AZ
Late night in Casa Grande on Sunday
Local time
1:07 AM
MST
Current temp
88°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
34 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 26m 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 turn-heavy local drive as you maneuver out of the Drexel Heights area. Unlike a high-speed interstate haul, this route focuses on local navigation, featuring a 0% highway share as you rely on surface streets like West Irvington Road. You will find that the personality of the road remains consistent, favoring precision and careful maneuvering over long, uninterrupted stretches. Because the drive is relatively short, you won't encounter the fatigue often associated with hours of monotonous highway cruising. Instead, stay alert for the frequent turns required to navigate toward your destination in Casa Grande.
Only 7% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 54.5 mi on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near West Irvington Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 75.1 miles you will encounter 12 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 1.3 miles (West Irvington Road): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Drexel Heights, AZ to Casa Grande, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward El Paso along the way.
El Paso
4 mi in
|
~7m
About the Cities
Arriving in Casa Grande, AZ
Full guide →Casa Grande is a city in South Central Arizona that is largely a commuter town for people working in Tucson or Phoenix. It was the site of an internment camp for Japanese-Americans during World War II, and has played a prominent role in baseball in the United States.
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 1h 26m. Total distance: 75.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 54.5 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. 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 Casa Grande, AZ 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 1.3 miles (West Irvington Road): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Casa Grande, AZ 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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