Origin
Flint, MI
Morning in Flint on Saturday
Local time
8:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Flint, MI to Madison Heights, MI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
56.5 mi
91 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Flint, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Madison Heights, MI
Josh Sorenson
Trip Overview
The drive from Flint, MI to Madison Heights, MI covers 56.5 miles and takes about 1h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 75, UAW Freeway, East 11 Mile Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 48 miles on I 75. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.76 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 48 mi | 51m |
| UAW Freeway | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| East 11 Mile Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| John R Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Fifth Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Stephenson Highway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Cowan Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 48 mi, about 51m
Traffic on I-75
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 50 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~5,010 veh/hr typical · worst 6,110
Quietest
2 AM
~265 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 100 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Flint, MI and Madison Heights, MI.
1
Start on this road
93 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
335 ft
·
29 sec
3
At end of road, turn left onto M 21
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
East Fifth Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
5
Merge onto I 475
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
UAW Freeway
6
Merge onto I 75
48 mi
·
51 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward 11 Mile Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto North Stephenson Highway
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
North Stephenson Highway
9
Turn left onto East 11 Mile Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 11 Mile Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Turn right onto John R Road
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
John R Road
11
Turn right onto West Cowan Avenue
24 ft
·
1 sec
·
West Cowan Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
West Cowan Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.3 miles from Flint, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 55.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
M 21 / East Fifth Street
At end of road, turn left onto M 21 / East Fifth Street
Navigation decision point
5
7.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 75
Merge onto I 75
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
55.3 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Take the exit toward 11 Mile Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward 11 Mile Road
5
55.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
East 11 Mile Road
Turn left onto East 11 Mile Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.76 one way
$17.52 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $9.61 | $19.21 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.96 | $21.92 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $12.45 | $24.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17 | 0 | $5.93 | $2.71 |
| Efficient EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.94 | $2.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.6 | 0 | $7.91 | $3.62 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Madison Heights, MI
Morning in Madison Heights on Saturday
Local time
8:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
55°F
Clarkston, MI
28 mi in
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
2 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
1h 3m 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?
56.5 mi in 1h 3m, mostly highway — 48 mi of that is on I 75.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 48 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and UAW Freeway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 56.5 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (M 21 / East Fifth Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.3 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,079 ft
632 ft
Total Climb
344 ft
Total Descent
465 ft
Highest Point
1,079 ft
~28.3 mi in
Elevation Range
447 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Flint, MI
Full guide →Founded 1818
Flint is an industrial city an hour northwest of Detroit in Michigan. It was the home of many General Motors factories, including the Buick World Headquarters, Flint has fallen on hard times over the past 30 years due to the decline of the American automotive industry. Despite these misfortunes, the city has an outsized history, including decisive roles in the growth of the American labor movement and community schooling and evident in a host of extensive and well-endowed cultural institutions. Flint has seen a dramatic reduction in crime while simultaneously enjoying a revitalizing Downtown and growing colleges and universities are found within the city's limits.
Top landmarks
- • Flint Institute of Arts — art school and museum in Flint, Michigan
- • Capitol Theatre — movie theater and concert venue in Flint, Michigan, United States
- • Robert J. Whaley House — historic house museum in Flint, Michigan
Arriving in Madison Heights, MI
Full guide →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 1h 3m. Total distance: 56.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 48 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (M 21 / East Fifth Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.3 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Madison 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, 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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