Origin
Gary, IN
Night in Gary on Sunday
Local time
11:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gary, IN to Middletown, IN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 7, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 34m
Distance
183.9 mi
296 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 22m
★
6 AM
3h 35m
8 AM
3h 59m
10 AM
3h 43m
12 PM
3h 41m
3 PM
3h 44m
5 PM
3h 58m
8 PM
3h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gary, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Middletown, IN
Waddle Aero
Trip Overview
Gary, IN to Middletown, IN is 183.9 miles and takes about 3h 34m via Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway and I 69, with a fuel budget near $29 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, beginning in Indiana and ending in Indiana. It's a primarily surface road drive that should feel pretty straightforward. With a single recommended day and a relatively short duration, this route is ideal for a quick transfer or a day trip with minimal fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
92 miles from Gary, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 44m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway | 128.7 mi | 2h 19m |
| I 69 | 24.8 mi | 27m |
| I 465 | 10.7 mi | 12m |
| I 865 | 5.1 mi | 6m |
| Mill Road | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| Martin Luther King Drive | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Binford Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| West 15th Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
— 128.7 mi, about 2h 19m
Traffic on I-65
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 86 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,996 veh/hr typical · worst 2,653
Quietest
2 AM
~323 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 104 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 Gary, IN and Middletown, IN.
1
Start on 10th Place
55 ft
·
4 sec
·
10th Place
2
Turn right onto Harrison Street
480 ft
·
28 sec
·
Harrison Street
3
Turn left onto West 11th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
West 11th Avenue
4
Turn right onto Madison Street
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Madison Street
5
Turn left onto West 15th Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West 15th Avenue
6
Continue on Central Avenue
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Central Avenue
7
Turn right onto Martin Luther King Drive
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Martin Luther King Drive
8
Turn left onto US 6 Business
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Ridge Road
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
10
Merge onto I 65
129 mi
·
2 hr 19 min
·
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 865
5.1 mi
·
6 min
·
I 865
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 465
11 mi
·
12 min
·
I 465
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 37A
Toward Binford Boulevard, Indianapolis
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 37B
Toward I 69 North: Fort Wayne
15
Merge onto Binford Boulevard
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Binford Boulevard
16
Merge onto I 69
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
I 69
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69
22 mi
·
23 min
·
I 69
18
Take the exit onto SR 9
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
SR 9
Exit 226
Toward SR 9 North, SR 109 South: Anderson
19
Turn left onto SR 9
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Scatterfield Road
20
Turn right onto SR 236
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East 53rd Street
21
Continue on SR 236
5.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Mill Road
22
Turn right onto North 8th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North 8th Street
23
Turn left onto Columbia Avenue
48 ft
·
2 sec
·
Columbia Avenue
24
Arrive at destination
Columbia Avenue
Trip Plan
This is a manageable one-day trip, so you have flexibility with your departure time. Aiming to leave Gary, IN in the morning will give you plenty of daylight to reach Middletown, IN. The route includes one significant stretch of 128.7 miles on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway, so plan for that time on surface roads. With a fuel cost estimated around $29, it's an economical drive. Consider a brief stop around the halfway point to stretch your legs before the final push.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 92 miles from Gary, IN, or about 1h 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 128.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 40 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 92 miles or 1h 44m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Middletown, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Gary, IN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Gary, IN
This is one driving day of about 183.9 miles and 3h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Gary, IN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway for about 128.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
92 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 92 miles from Gary, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 128.7 miles.
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 195 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 176.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West 11th Avenue
Turn left onto West 11th Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
133.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 29m in
|
I 865
Keep slight right at fork onto I 865
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
149.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 48m in
Take the exit toward Binford Boulevard, Indianapolis
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 37A
Toward Binford Boulevard, Indianapolis
6
150 mi into trip
|
~2h 50m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 69 North: Fort Wayne
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 37B
Toward I 69 North: Fort Wayne
6
176.4 mi into trip
|
~3h 20m in
|
SR 9
Take the exit onto SR 9 toward SR 9 North, SR 109 South: Anderson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 226
Toward SR 9 North, SR 109 South: Anderson
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.51 one way
$57.02 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
64 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $31.26 | $62.53 |
| premium | $4.93 | $35.68 | $71.36 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $40.54 | $81.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 64.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 55.2 | 0 | $19.31 | $8.83 |
| Efficient EV | 46 | 0 | $16.09 | $7.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 73.6 | 0 | $25.75 | $11.77 |
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (66% 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
Middletown, IN
Late night in Middletown on Monday
Local time
12:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
22 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
3h 34m 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?
You'll spend about 22% of your time on highways, with the majority of the 183.9 miles on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch without a significant change in road type is 128.7 miles on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway. Expect a more local driving feel for much of this trip, with frequent intersections and varying speed limits as you pass through different towns.
Only 22% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 128.7 mi on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 0.1 miles in near West 11th Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 183.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West 11th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 133.5 miles (I 865): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 149.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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.
On the drive from Gary, IN to Middletown, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Indianapolis along the way.
Indianapolis
149.3 mi in
|
~2h 48m
About the Cities
Starting in Gary, IN
Full guide →Founded 1906
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana. It is perhaps best known as the birthplace of the legendary pop star Michael Jackson. Founded in 1906 as a company town for U.S. Steel, it thrived in the 1950s and early 60s and earned the nickname "The Magic City". In 2007, it was described by writer Jessica Hopper as "the Pompeii of the Midwest, a city of ruins where life can seem to have just suddenly stopped".
Top landmarks
- • Van Buren Terrace Historic District — historic district in Indiana, United States
- • Gary City Center Historic District — historic district in Gary, Indiana
- • Union Station — former railroad station in Gary, Indiana, United States
Arriving in Middletown, IN
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 3h 34m. Total distance: 183.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 128.7 miles on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Middletown, IN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West 11th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 133.5 miles (I 865): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 149.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Middletown, IN, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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