Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
11.3 mi
18 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ecorse, MI
Dany Castrejon
Detroit, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Ecorse, MI to Detroit, MI is 11.3 miles and takes about 18m via Fisher Freeway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Midwest region and Michigan. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick trip, perhaps to reach a specific destination in Detroit without much travel time. You'll find yourself on a direct path, making it a straightforward option for getting from point A to point B.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Fisher Freeway | 7.8 mi | 9m |
| West Outer Drive | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Grand River Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| High Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Griswold Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Woodward Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Fisher Drive West | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Michigan Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,988 veh/hr typical · worst 4,968
Quietest
3 AM
~440 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Ecorse, MI and Detroit, MI.
Start on High Street
Continue on High Street
Turn left onto West Outer Drive
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 75
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
Take the exit
Continue on Fisher Drive West
Turn right onto M 5
Turn right onto Griswold Street
Turn left onto Michigan Avenue
Turn right onto Woodward Avenue
Continue on Woodward Avenue
Continue on Woodward Avenue
Turn right onto Cadillac Square
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 6.3 and 11.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75 / Fisher Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Grand River Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto M 5 / Grand River Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Griswold Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Woodward Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$1.75 one way
$3.50 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $1.92 | $3.84 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.19 | $4.38 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $2.49 | $4.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.19 | $0.54 |
| Efficient EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.99 | $0.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Ecorse on Saturday
Local time
11:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Night in Detroit on Saturday
Local time
11:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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.
This route is mostly highway, with 69% of the driving on freeways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 7.8 miles on Fisher Freeway. Expect merging and exiting in urban environments as you transition from Fisher Freeway to West Outer Drive and then Grand River Avenue. The majority of the trip involves navigating these main thoroughfares, so keep an eye out for the dense network of exits common in metropolitan areas.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Fisher Freeway and West Outer Drive. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.3 miles in near I 75 / Fisher Freeway.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 11.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 18m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.3 miles (I 75 / Fisher Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles (M 5 / Grand River Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
51 ft
Total Descent
32 ft
Highest Point
602 ft
~10.7 mi in
Elevation Range
25 ft
Founded 1903
“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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 11.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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