Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
56.2 mi
90 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grand Rapids, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Wacousta, MI
fish socks
Grand Rapids to Wacousta is 56.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 4 minutes via I 96 and Gerald R Ford Freeway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest and entirely within Michigan, making it a straightforward point-to-point drive. The route is predominantly highway, so expect a quick transit between these two locations. Given its short duration and minimal stops, it's ideal for a day trip or as a segment of a larger journey.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 96 | 45.9 mi | 49m |
| Gerald R Ford Freeway | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| West Clark Road | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| West Herbison Road | 2 mi | 2m |
| South Wright Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Division Avenue North | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Division Avenue Northeast | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Grange Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,878 veh/hr typical · worst 2,548
Quietest
2 AM
~121 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Grand Rapids, MI and Wacousta, MI.
Start on Fulton Street West
Turn left onto Division Avenue North
Continue on Division Avenue Northeast
Turn left onto Michigan Street Northeast
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 196
Merge onto I 96
Take the exit
Turn sharp left onto South Grange Road
Turn right onto West Clark Road
Turn left onto South Wright Road
Turn right onto West Herbison Road
Turn left onto Wacousta Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 28.1 miles from Grand Rapids, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 50.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Division Avenue North
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Michigan Street Northeast
Navigation decision point
Take the ramp toward I 196 East: Lansing
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward Westphalia, Eagle
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn sharp left onto South Grange Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Regular Gas
$8.71 one way
$17.43 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $9.55 | $19.11 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.90 | $21.81 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $12.39 | $24.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.90 | $2.70 |
| Efficient EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.5 | 0 | $7.87 | $3.60 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Late night in Grand Rapids on Tuesday
Local time
4:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Clear
Destination
Late night in Wacousta on Tuesday
Local time
4:31 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Partly Cloudy
75°F
Lowell, MI
28 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
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 highway, with 89% of the 56.2 miles on major roads like I 96. You'll experience a long stretch of 45.9 miles on I 96 before transitioning to surface roads like West Clark Road. Expect frequent exits and merges as you navigate this mostly highway profile.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 96 and Gerald R Ford Freeway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Division Avenue North.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 4m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Division Avenue North): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (Michigan Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
323 ft
Total Descent
165 ft
Highest Point
863 ft
~32.1 mi in
Elevation Range
224 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Grand Rapids, MI and Wacousta, MI, road signs point toward Westphalia and Eagle.
Westphalia
Eagle
Founded 1826
Not to be confused with Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Grand Rapids is in West Michigan, in the United States. Grand Rapids is the second largest city in Michigan with a population of just under 200,000 in the city limits (2018), and nearly 570,000 in the surrounding county (2010). The federal West Michigan metropolitan area, which includes Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and Holland (and some intervening farmland), has 1.4 million people (2010).
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 56.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.
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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