Origin
Gilbert, AZ
Late night in Gilbert on Tuesday
Local time
1:07 AM
MST
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gilbert, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
13.4 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gilbert, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
If you are looking to get from Gilbert to Tempe Junction, you are in for a quick, straightforward trip covering just 13.4 miles. This drive typically takes about 23 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. Because the route stays entirely within the Desert Southwest, you won't need to worry about changing landscapes or regional transitions. With fuel costs estimated at around $3, it is an incredibly budget-friendly option for your schedule. You can easily manage this journey in one go, as there is no need to split the drive into multiple days. It is a practical, no-fuss transit that gets you where you need to be without the commitment of a long-haul road trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Superstition Freeway | 8.1 mi | 9m |
| North Gilbert Road | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| South Mill Avenue | 2 mi | 4m |
| North Elm Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 13th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Vaughn Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Superstition Freeway
— 8.1 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gilbert, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on this road
203 ft
·
20 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto North Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Elm Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto East Vaughn Avenue
440 ft
·
23 sec
·
East Vaughn Avenue
4
Turn right onto North Gilbert Road
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
North Gilbert Road
5
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto US 60
8.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 173
Toward Mill Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto South Mill Avenue
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
South Mill Avenue
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto West 13th Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
West 13th Street
Use the left lane.
10
Arrive at destination
West 13th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 11.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Vaughn Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto East Vaughn Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Turn left toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
US 60 / Superstition Freeway
Merge onto US 60 / Superstition Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
10.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward Mill Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 173
Toward Mill Avenue
5
11.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
South Mill Avenue
Turn right onto South Mill Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.67 one way
$5.34 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $2.83 | $5.65 |
| premium | $5.59 | $2.95 | $5.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.96 | $5.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4 | 0 | $1.41 | $0.64 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.17 | $0.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.88 | $0.86 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Tempe Junction, AZ
Late night in Tempe Junction on Tuesday
Local time
1:07 AM
MST
Current temp
62°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
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
21m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate experience, as this route has zero highway share. You will navigate via North Elm Street, East Vaughn Avenue, and North Gilbert Road, which keeps you focused on surface streets for the entire 13.4-mile distance. Since there are no long highway stretches—the longest segment is 0 miles on North Elm Street—you should be prepared for frequent turns and steady urban driving. The personality of this road is defined by its local character, requiring you to stay alert at intersections rather than settling into a cruise-control rhythm. It is a functional, hands-on drive that keeps you moving through the local grid.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.1 mi on Superstition Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near East Vaughn Avenue.
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 13.4 miles you will encounter 8 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: at 0.3 miles (East Vaughn Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (US 60 / Superstition Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Gilbert, AZ
Full guide →Gilbert is in the southeast valley of the Greater Phoenix region of Arizona. With a population of 270,000 (2021 est.) it is the largest town in the US. people. Once a railway town and the "Hay Capital of the World", Gilbert is now a diverse suburban center, retaining its agricultural and railroad history and celebrating its "small town" feel.
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 21m. Total distance: 13.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.1 miles on Superstition Freeway. 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: at 0.3 miles (East Vaughn Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (US 60 / Superstition Freeway): 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 Tempe Junction, AZ 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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