Origin
Forest Hills, MI
Late night in Forest Hills on Sunday
Local time
3:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Forest Hills, MI to Grand Rapids, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
10.6 mi
17 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 15m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Forest Hills, MI
Ayşin S.
Grand Rapids, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Forest Hills to Grand Rapids is 10.6 miles and takes about 16 minutes via Fulton Street East and I 96, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This very short trip stays within Michigan and the Midwest region, making it a simple transition between two points. Given its brevity, this drive is ideal for a quick commute or an easy addition to a larger itinerary. You'll find the journey straightforward, with minimal time on the road and predictable conditions.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton Street East | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| Gerald R Ford Freeway | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| I 96 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Ottawa Avenue Northwest | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Monroe Center Street Northwest | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Division Avenue North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Fulton Street West | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Fulton Street East
— 4.4 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Forest Hills, MI and Grand Rapids, MI.
1
Start on this road
242 ft
·
19 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
483 ft
·
40 sec
3
Turn right onto M 21
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Fulton Street East
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 96 West: Grand Rapids, Muskegon
5
Merge onto I 96
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 96
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 196
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Gerald R Ford Freeway
Exit 37
Toward I 196: Downtown Grand Rapids, Holland
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 77C
Toward Ottawa Avenue, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on Ottawa Avenue Northwest
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Ottawa Avenue Northwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto Monroe Center Street Northwest
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Monroe Center Street Northwest
10
Turn right onto Division Avenue North
184 ft
·
10 sec
·
Division Avenue North
11
Turn right onto Fulton Street West
57 ft
·
1 sec
·
Fulton Street West
12
Arrive at destination
Fulton Street West
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.6 — 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
5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 96
Merge onto I 96
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
7
6.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 196 / Gerald R Ford Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 196 / Gerald R Ford Freeway toward I 196: Downtown Grand Rapids, Holland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 37
Toward I 196: Downtown Grand Rapids, Holland
8
9.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward Ottawa Avenue, Downtown
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 77C
Toward Ottawa Avenue, Downtown
5
10.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Fulton Street West
Turn right onto Fulton Street West
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.66 one way
$3.31 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.82 | $3.64 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.04 | $4.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.34 | $4.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.11 | $0.51 |
| Efficient EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.93 | $0.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Grand Rapids, MI
Late night in Grand Rapids on Sunday
Local time
3:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
1 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
16m 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 offers a mixed drive experience, with 42% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 4.4 miles along Fulton Street East before transitioning to the Gerald R. Ford Freeway and I 96. The drive progresses from a more local feel on Fulton Street East to the faster pace of the interstate. Expect a blend of urban and highway driving, keeping you engaged without being overly demanding.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.4 mi on Fulton Street East.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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
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 10.6 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 5 miles (I 96): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles (I 196 / Gerald R Ford Freeway): 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 Forest Hills, MI and Grand Rapids, MI, road signs point toward Muskegon, Holland and Downtown.
Muskegon
4.6 mi in
|
~7m
Holland
6.2 mi in
|
~8m
|
via I 196
Downtown
9.5 mi in
|
~12m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 10.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.4 miles on Fulton Street East. 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 Grand Rapids, 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 5 miles (I 96): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles (I 196 / Gerald R Ford Freeway): 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 Grand Rapids, 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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