Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
46.9 mi
75 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
South Laurel, MD
RDNE Stock project
Frederick, MD to South Laurel, MD is 46.9 miles and takes about 1h 5m via Eisenhower Memorial Highway and Intercounty Connector, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Given its relatively short distance and primarily surface road profile, this route is best suited for a single-day excursion. It offers a straightforward connection between two points without extensive detours, making it a practical option for straightforward transit.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | 21 mi | 26m |
| Intercounty Connector | 17.6 mi | 22m |
| Buckeystown Pike | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| I 370 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Contee Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Baltimore Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| North East Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Church Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~6,085 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~400 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 96 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and South Laurel, MD.
Start on MD 144
Turn right onto North Market Street
Turn right onto East Church Street
Turn right onto North East Street
Enter roundabout onto East Street
Continue on East Street
Continue on MD 85
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 270
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 370
Continue on MD 200 Toll
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 200 Toll
Turn straight onto US 1
Turn right onto Contee Road
Turn right onto Deerfield Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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.
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 23.4 miles from Frederick, MD, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 44.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto North Market Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto North East Street
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 270 / Eisenhower Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 370
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 200 Toll toward US 1 North: Laurel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$7.84 one way
$15.67 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $8.62 | $17.25 |
| premium | $5.01 | $9.25 | $18.51 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $10.34 | $20.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.57 | $3.00 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Frederick on Friday
Local time
10:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Night in South Laurel on Friday
Local time
10:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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.
This drive is mostly on surface roads, with highways making up about 25% of the total distance. You'll encounter about 21 miles on the Eisenhower Memorial Highway before transitioning to other main roads like the Intercounty Connector and Buckeystown Pike. Expect a route with frequent exits and intersections as you navigate through populated areas. The majority of your travel will be on roads with lower speed limits and more local traffic.
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 early in the drive near North Market Street.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.9 miles you will encounter 12 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 (North Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (North East Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (I 270 / Eisenhower Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
536 ft
Total Descent
676 ft
Highest Point
526 ft
~26.8 mi in
Elevation Range
384 ft
Founded 1745
Frederick is a charming city of approximately 80,000 people (2020) in Maryland. It is a major antique center with many shops, eateries, galleries and antique dealers.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 46.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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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