Origin
Garden City, MI
Afternoon in Garden City on Sunday
Local time
12:17 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Garden City, MI to Rochester Hills, 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
32.9 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 57m
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.
Garden City, MI
Thomas Renaud
Rochester Hills, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Garden City, MI to Rochester Hills, MI is 32.9 miles and takes about 53 minutes via Telegraph Road and Middlebelt Road, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest region, specifically Michigan, making it a convenient local trip. Expect a route with numerous turns, characteristic of navigating through populated suburban areas. It's a straightforward, short journey suitable for a single day, requiring minimal planning beyond checking local traffic conditions before you depart.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Telegraph Road | 14.8 mi | 24m |
| Middlebelt Road | 4 mi | 8m |
| M 59 | 2.8 mi | 2m |
| Jeffries Freeway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| East Square Lake Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| West Square Lake Road | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| West Hamlin Road | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Telegraph Road
— 14.8 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Garden City, MI and Rochester Hills, MI.
1
Start on M 153
29 ft
·
7 sec
·
Ford Road
2
Turn left onto Middlebelt Road
4.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Middlebelt Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto Schoolcraft Road
401 ft
·
8 sec
·
Schoolcraft Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 96 East
5
Merge onto I 96
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Jeffries Freeway
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 179
Toward US 24: Telegraph Road
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn straight onto Schoolcraft Road
393 ft
·
18 sec
·
Schoolcraft Road
8
Turn left onto Telegraph Drive
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Telegraph Drive
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Turn straight onto US 24
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Telegraph Road
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 24
13 mi
·
21 min
·
Telegraph Road
Use the right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 24 BUS
450 ft
·
11 sec
·
Franklin Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto US 24 BUS
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
West Square Lake Road
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on I 75 BL; US 24 BUS
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
East Square Lake Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
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.
15
Merge onto I 75
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
16
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 77A
Toward M 59 East: Utica
Use the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto M 59
2.8 mi
·
2 min
·
M 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 44
Toward Crooks Road
Use the slight right lane.
19
Turn left onto Crooks Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Crooks Road
Use the left / right lanes.
20
Turn right onto West Hamlin Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West Hamlin Road
21
Enter roundabout onto South Livernois Road
214 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Livernois Road
22
Continue on South Livernois Road
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
South Livernois Road
23
Turn right onto Dressler Lane
196 ft
·
13 sec
·
Dressler Lane
24
Turn left onto Downhill Lane
378 ft
·
21 sec
·
Downhill Lane
25
Turn left onto Dickson Lane
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Dickson Lane
26
Arrive at destination
Dickson Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.5 miles from Garden City, 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 205 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 30.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Middlebelt Road
Turn left onto Middlebelt Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
6.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward US 24: Telegraph Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 179
Toward US 24: Telegraph Road
7
25 mi into trip
|
~41m 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
26.9 mi into trip
|
~43m 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
30.3 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward Crooks Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 44
Toward Crooks Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.14 one way
$10.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.65 | $11.29 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.33 | $12.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.26 | $14.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.45 | $1.58 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.88 | $1.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.61 | $2.11 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Rochester Hills, MI
Afternoon in Rochester Hills on Sunday
Local time
12:17 PM
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
21 degrees cooler 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
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 is a turn-heavy local drive, meaning you'll encounter frequent intersections and changes in direction rather than long, straight stretches of highway. Only 12% of the route involves highway driving, so be prepared for more time on surface streets like Telegraph Road and Middlebelt Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 14.8 miles on Telegraph Road. The character of the drive is less about open road scenery and more about navigating through developed areas, which can involve moderate traffic depending on the time of day.
Only 12% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.8 mi on Telegraph Road.
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 early in the drive near Middlebelt Road.
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 20 decision points packed into just 32.9 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: near the start (Middlebelt Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 25 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.
On the drive from Garden City, MI to Rochester Hills, MI, road signs begin pointing toward M 59 East: Utica along the way.
M 59 East: Utica
26.9 mi in
|
~43m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 32.9 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 14.8 miles on Telegraph 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 Rochester Hills, 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 (Middlebelt Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 25 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 Rochester Hills, 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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