Origin
Farmington Hills, MI
Afternoon in Farmington Hills on Sunday
Local time
12:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Farmington Hills, MI to Sterling Heights, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
23.8 mi
38 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Farmington Hills, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Sterling Heights, MI
fish socks
Trip Overview
Farmington Hills to Sterling Heights is 23.8 miles and takes about 42m via West Big Beaver Road, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Michigan's Midwest region, connecting two suburban areas. It's a straightforward local trip, ideal if you're looking for a quick transit between these points without venturing onto major highways. You'll mainly navigate through developed areas, so expect typical urban and suburban driving conditions.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Big Beaver Road | 6.9 mi | 12m |
| West Maple Road | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Middlebelt Road | 3 mi | 5m |
| Quarton Road | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Metropolitan Parkway | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| West 12 Mile Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| Mound Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| 17 Mile Road | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
West Big Beaver Road
— 6.9 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Farmington Hills, MI and Sterling Heights, MI.
1
Start on Farmington Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Farmington Road
2
Turn right onto West 12 Mile Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
West 12 Mile Road
3
Turn left onto Middlebelt Road
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Middlebelt Road
Use the left lane.
4
Enter roundabout onto West Maple Road
13 ft
·
0 sec
·
West Maple Road
5
Continue on West Maple Road
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
West Maple Road
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto Gilbert Lake Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Gilbert Lake Road
Use the left lane.
7
At end of road, turn right onto Quarton Road
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Quarton Road
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on West Big Beaver Road
6.9 mi
·
12 min
·
West Big Beaver Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on Metropolitan Parkway
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Metropolitan Parkway
10
Continue on Metropolitan Parkway
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Metropolitan Parkway
11
Turn right onto Mound Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Mound Road
Use the right lane.
12
Turn right onto 17 Mile Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
17 Mile Road
13
Arrive at destination
17 Mile Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 21.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West 12 Mile Road
Turn right onto West 12 Mile Road
Navigation decision point
5
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Middlebelt Road
Turn left onto Middlebelt Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
9.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Gilbert Lake Road
Turn left onto Gilbert Lake Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
9.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
Quarton Road
At end of road, turn right onto Quarton Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
21.8 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
Mound Road
Turn right onto Mound Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.72 one way
$7.44 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.09 | $8.17 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.58 | $9.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.25 | $10.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.08 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Sterling Heights, MI
Afternoon in Sterling Heights on Sunday
Local time
12:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°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
3 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
42m 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 characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only a 9% highway share. You'll spend most of your time on city streets like West Big Beaver Road and West Maple Road, punctuated by frequent turns. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 6.9 miles on West Big Beaver Road, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before returning to more complex intersections. Be prepared for a driving experience that requires constant attention to traffic signals and local road conditions.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.9 mi on West Big Beaver Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near West 12 Mile Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 23.8 miles you will encounter 8 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): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles (Middlebelt Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles (Gilbert Lake Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 23.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m 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 6.9 miles on West Big Beaver Road. 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 Sterling Heights, 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): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles (Middlebelt Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles (Gilbert Lake Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sterling Heights, 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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