Origin
Griffith, IN
Morning in Griffith on Tuesday
Local time
6:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Griffith, IN to Portage, IN
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
30m
Distance
15.9 mi
26 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Griffith, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Portage, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 15.9-mile drive from Griffith to Portage, Indiana, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 30 minutes. You'll primarily navigate via Central Avenue, the Borman Expressway, and North Colfax Street, with about 30% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $2, making this an economical option for a quick hop within the Midwest region. Given its brevity, this route is perfect for a spontaneous outing or a brief leg of a larger Indiana adventure. It offers a straightforward transition between two similar Midwestern locales.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Central Avenue | 5.7 mi | 11m |
| Borman Expressway | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| North Colfax Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Burr Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Ridge Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Elm Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Wood Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Miller Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Central Avenue
— 5.7 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Griffith, IN and Portage, IN.
1
Start on East Miller Street
232 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Miller Street
2
Turn left onto North Wood Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
North Wood Street
3
Turn right onto East Elm Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Elm Street
4
Turn left onto North Colfax Street
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
North Colfax Street
5
Turn right onto US 6 Business
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Ridge Road
6
Turn left onto Burr Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Burr Street
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit
8
Merge onto I 80; I 94; US 6
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Borman Expressway
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 12-13
Toward I 65 North: Central Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit, Central Avenue
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 13
Toward Central Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn right onto Central Avenue
4.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Central Avenue
13
Continue on Central Avenue
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Central Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 9.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Wood Street
Turn left onto North Wood Street
Navigation decision point
6
2.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
Burr Street
Turn left onto Burr Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
8.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward I 65 North: Central Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 12-13
Toward I 65 North: Central Avenue
6
9.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit, Central Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit...
8
9.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Central Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13
Toward Central Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.49 one way
$4.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.73 | $5.46 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.06 | $6.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.51 | $7.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.67 | $0.76 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.39 | $0.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.23 | $1.02 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Portage, IN
Morning in Portage on Tuesday
Local time
6:00 AM
CDT
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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
30m 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 mixed driving experience on this route, blending highway speeds with more local road conditions. With 30% of the drive on highways, you'll encounter some faster-paced stretches, but the majority is on surface streets. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll experience is 5.7 miles along Central Avenue, offering a chance to settle into a consistent rhythm before transitioning. This blend means you'll need to be adaptable to changing speed limits and traffic patterns throughout the 30-minute trip.
30% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.7 mi on Central Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 Wood Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 15.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Wood Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (Burr Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 15.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.7 miles on Central Avenue. 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 Portage, IN 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 (North Wood Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (Burr Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Indiana Dunes National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Portage, IN 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Portage, IN
More trips to Portage, IN
Explore more options from Griffith, IN or browse trips ending in Portage, IN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IN road trips.