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Trip from Farmington Hills, MI to Imlay City, MI

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 23m

Distance

59.8 mi

96 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 17m ★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Oakland County, Michigan, United States

Farmington Hills, MI

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Imlay City, MI, MI

Imlay City, MI

fish socks

Trip Overview

If you are planning a trip from Farmington Hills to Imlay City, expect a straightforward journey covering 59.8 miles. You can comfortably complete this drive in about 1 hour and 23 minutes, making it an ideal choice for a one-day excursion. Budget roughly $9 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Michigan locations. Since both cities are situated within the Midwest, the transition between them is seamless and familiar. You will navigate via a combination of the Christopher Columbus Freeway, Telegraph Road, and M 59. Given the manageable duration, there is no need to plan for an overnight stay; you can easily head out and return within the same day.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Christopher Columbus Freeway 20.7 mi 25m
M 59 11.8 mi 13m
Telegraph Road 7.3 mi 11m
North Van Dyke Road 5.6 mi 7m
West 12 Mile Road 4.7 mi 8m
East Square Lake Road 1.6 mi 2m
South Cedar Street 1.6 mi 2m
West Square Lake Road 1.2 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Christopher Columbus Freeway — 20.7 mi, about 25m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Farmington Hills, MI and Imlay City, MI.

1

Start on Farmington Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · Farmington Road
2

Turn right onto West 12 Mile Road

4.7 mi · 8 min · West 12 Mile Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
3

Turn right onto US 24

0.1 mi · 11 sec · Telegraph Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Take the exit

129 ft · 12 sec
Use the left lane.
5

Turn sharp left onto US 24

7.2 mi · 11 min · Telegraph Road
Use the right lane.
6

Keep slight right at fork onto US 24 BUS

450 ft · 11 sec · Franklin Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
7

Turn right onto US 24 BUS

1.2 mi · 1 min · West Square Lake Road
Use the right lane.
8

Continue on I 75 BL; US 24 BUS

1.6 mi · 2 min · East Square Lake Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto BL I 75

0.8 mi · 1 min · BL I 75
Toward I 75 North: Flint Use the slight left lane.
10

Merge onto I 75

1.1 mi · 1 min · Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
11

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 77A Toward M 59 East: Utica Use the slight right lane.
12

Merge onto M 59

12 mi · 13 min · M 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Toward M 53 North: Imlay City Use the left lane.
14

Merge onto M 53

21 mi · 25 min · Christopher Columbus Freeway
Use the right lane.
15

Continue on M 53

0.9 mi · 1 min · South Main Street
16

Turn left onto M 53

5.6 mi · 7 min · North Van Dyke Road
Use the straight lane.
17

Continue on M 53

1.6 mi · 2 min · South Cedar Street
18

Continue on M 53

0.1 mi · 20 sec · North Cedar Street
19

Turn left onto East 4th Street

0.3 mi · 50 sec · East 4th Street
20

Turn left onto North Almont Avenue

311 ft · 8 sec · North Almont Avenue
21

Arrive at destination

North Almont Avenue

Where to Stop

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

city in Oakland County, Michigan, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Rochester Hills, MI

30 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

Pontiac, MI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Sterling Heights, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29.9 miles from Farmington Hills, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 17.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.9 mi into trip | ~1m in | West 12 Mile Road

Turn right onto West 12 Mile Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
5.8 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit

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

Use the left lane.
7
5.8 mi into trip | ~10m in | US 24 / Telegraph Road

Turn sharp left onto US 24 / Telegraph Road

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
15.9 mi into trip | ~26m in | BL I 75

Keep slight left at fork onto BL I 75 toward I 75 North: Flint

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 75 North: Flint
7
17.8 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward M 59 East: Utica

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 77A Toward M 59 East: Utica

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.35 one way

$18.70 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $10.26 $20.53
premium $4.89 $11.51 $23.02
diesel $5.61 $13.20 $26.41

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.9 0 $6.28 $2.87
Efficient EV 15 0 $5.23 $2.39
EV Truck/SUV 23.9 0 $8.37 $3.83

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 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.

Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Farmington Hills, MI

Morning in Farmington Hills on Sunday

Local time

6:32 AM

EDT

Current temp

80°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

WSW 16 mph 17% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 14 at 4:07PM EDT until April 19 at 6:30PM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 14 at 4:00PM EDT until April 17 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Destination

Imlay City, MI

Morning in Imlay City on Sunday

Local time

6:32 AM

EDT

Current temp

41°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

39 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

1h 23m 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?

This trip features a mixed driving profile, transitioning between varied road types as you head toward Imlay City. While about 38% of your journey takes place on highways, you will experience shifts in traffic flow and road density. The most significant stretch of high-speed travel occurs on the Christopher Columbus Freeway, which accounts for 20.7 miles of uninterrupted driving. Because the route balances major freeway segments with other local roads, you should stay alert as the environment changes from suburban sprawl to more open stretches. Expect a functional drive that prioritizes efficiency over technical complexity, requiring steady attention as you move through these different road classifications.

38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.7 mi on Christopher Columbus Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 0.9 miles in near West 12 Mile Road.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.8 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.9 miles (West 12 Mile Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles (US 24 / Telegraph Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Imlay City, MI, road signs point toward M 59 East: Utica and M 53 North: Imlay City.

M 59 East: Utica

17.8 mi in | ~28m

M 53 North: Imlay City

30.1 mi in | ~43m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 59.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 20.7 miles on Christopher Columbus 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 Imlay City, 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 0.9 miles (West 12 Mile Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles (US 24 / Telegraph Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Imlay City, 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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