Origin
Farmington Hills, MI
Morning in Farmington Hills on Tuesday
Local time
7:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Farmington Hills, MI to Brighton, MI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
24.9 mi
40 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Farmington Hills, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Brighton, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Farmington Hills to Brighton is 24.9 miles and takes about 31 minutes via I 96 and Walter P Reuther Freeway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, highway-focused drive connecting two points within the Midwest region of Michigan. Given its brief duration, it's an ideal option for a quick trip, whether you're commuting or looking for a brief excursion. You'll spend most of your time on major freeways, making it a straightforward journey with minimal complexity. Plan for this to be a same-day trip with plenty of time to spare.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 96 | 15.3 mi | 16m |
| Walter P Reuther Freeway | 4.5 mi | 4m |
| West 12 Mile Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Farmington Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Spencer Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Spencer Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Orchard Lake Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 96
— 15.3 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Farmington Hills, MI and Brighton, MI.
1
Start on Farmington Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Farmington Road
2
Turn right onto West 12 Mile Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West 12 Mile Road
3
Turn right onto Orchard Lake Road
256 ft
·
4 sec
·
Orchard Lake Road
4
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 696 West: Lansing
5
Merge onto I 696
4.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Walter P Reuther Freeway
Use the straight lane.
6
Merge onto I 96
15 mi
·
16 min
·
I 96
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
Exit 148A; 147; 147B
Toward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spencer Road, Flint
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
45 sec
Toward US 23 South: Spencer Road, Brighton, Ann Arbor
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 96 West: Lansing, Brighton, Spencer Road
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 147
Toward Spencer Road, Brighton
11
Turn right onto Spencer Road
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Spencer Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on Spencer Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Spencer Street
13
Turn right onto East Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
14
Turn left onto East Grand River Avenue
50 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Grand River Avenue
15
Arrive at destination
East Grand River Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 22.3 and 24 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
22.3 mi into trip
|
~26m 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
22.5 mi into trip
|
~26m 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...
6
23.1 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 96 West: Lansing, Brighton, Spencer Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 96 West: Lansing, Brighton, Spencer Ro...
7
23.4 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Spencer Road, Brighton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 147
Toward Spencer Road, Brighton
6
24 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
Spencer Road
Turn right onto Spencer Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.89 one way
$7.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.27 | $8.55 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.79 | $9.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.50 | $11.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.61 | $1.20 |
| Efficient EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10 | 0 | $3.49 | $1.59 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Brighton, MI
Morning in Brighton on Tuesday
Local time
7:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
31m 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?
This route is predominantly highway-focused, with 80% of the drive utilizing major roadways like I 96 and Walter P Reuther Freeway. You'll experience a consistent flow, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 15.3 miles on I 96. Expect a driving experience characterized by efficient travel and steady speeds, typical of interstate travel. While much of the journey is on the freeway, the transition onto West 12 Mile Road offers a slight change in pace before reaching your destination. It's designed for getting you there quickly.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.3 mi on I 96.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 96 and Walter P Reuther Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 22.3 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 12 decision points packed into just 24.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 22.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Farmington Hills, MI and Brighton, MI, road signs point toward Flint and Ann Arbor.
Flint
22.3 mi in
|
~26m
Ann Arbor
22.5 mi in
|
~26m
About the Cities
Starting in Farmington Hills, MI
Full guide →Farmington Hills is a city in Oakland County in Michigan. It almost completely surrounds the smaller city of Farmington.
Arriving in Brighton, MI
Full guide →Brighton is a city in southeast Livingston County featuring a tranquil riverside boardwalk, the Mill Pond, historic cemeteries, local restaurants and art galleries.
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 31m. Total distance: 24.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.3 miles on I 96. 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 Brighton, 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 22.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Brighton, 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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