Origin
Farmington Hills, MI
Morning in Farmington Hills on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Farmington Hills, MI to Washington, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
37.9 mi
61 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Farmington Hills, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Washington, MI
Arian Fernandez
Trip Overview
Farmington Hills to Washington is 37.9 miles and takes about 53 minutes via M 59, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest region, specifically Michigan, connecting two familiar areas. Expect a local feel for most of the journey, making it a straightforward and manageable trip. It's a short enough drive that you won't need an overnight stay, offering plenty of flexibility for departure times.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| M 59 | 11.8 mi | 13m |
| Telegraph Road | 7.3 mi | 11m |
| Christopher Columbus Freeway | 5.9 mi | 6m |
| West 12 Mile Road | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| East Square Lake Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| West Square Lake Road | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Farmington Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
M 59
— 11.8 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Farmington Hills, MI and Washington, 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
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Christopher Columbus Freeway
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 23B
Toward 26 Mile Road West
Use the right lane.
16
Enter roundabout onto 26 Mile Road
8 ft
·
0 sec
·
26 Mile Road
17
Continue on 26 Mile Road
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
26 Mile Road
18
Enter roundabout onto 26 Mile Road
121 ft
·
5 sec
·
26 Mile Road
19
Continue on 26 Mile Road
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
26 Mile Road
20
Turn right onto Van Dyke Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Dyke Road
21
Turn left onto West Road
36 ft
·
1 sec
·
West Road
22
Arrive at destination
West Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 5.8 and 36.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
7
36.4 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward 26 Mile Road West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 23B
Toward 26 Mile Road West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.93 one way
$11.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.51 | $13.01 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.29 | $14.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.37 | $16.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.31 | $2.43 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Washington, MI
Morning in Washington on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Mostly Sunny
SE 9 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 17 at 3:31PM EDT until April 18 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Marquette MI
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 17 at 3:31PM EDT until April 18 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Marquette MI
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
53m 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 route is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter frequent intersections and traffic signals. With only a 20% highway share, the majority of your time will be spent on surface streets and main arteries like M 59 and Telegraph Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 11.8 miles on M 59, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before you navigate more local roads. Prepare for a driving experience that requires constant attention to traffic flow and turning maneuvers.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.8 mi on M 59.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 5.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 17 decision points packed into just 37.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: 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; at 15.9 miles (BL I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
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 Washington, 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 53m. Total distance: 37.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m 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 11.8 miles on M 59. 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 Washington, 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 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; at 15.9 miles (BL I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Washington, 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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