Origin
Harper Woods, MI
Late night in Harper Woods on Tuesday
Local time
4:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Harper Woods, MI to Detroit, MI
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
19m
Distance
12 mi
19 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Harper Woods, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Detroit, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are traveling from Harper Woods to Detroit, you are looking at a quick 12-mile trip that typically takes about 19 minutes. This short commute is perfect for a single-day excursion, as it requires no overnight stops and keeps your fuel costs remarkably low at roughly $2. You will spend the vast majority of your time navigating via the Edsel Ford Freeway and the Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, with some local navigation on Harper Avenue. Since both cities are located within the Midwest, the transition is seamless and familiar. This route is highly practical for anyone needing a straightforward connection between these two Michigan locations without any unnecessary detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Edsel Ford Freeway | 7.4 mi | 10m |
| Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Harper Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Congress Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Edsel Ford Service Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Woodward Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Chrysler Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cadillac Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Edsel Ford Freeway
— 7.4 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Harper Woods, MI and Detroit, MI.
1
Start on this road
111 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left
461 ft
·
35 sec
3
At end of road, turn right onto Harper Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Harper Avenue
4
Continue on Edsel Ford Service Drive
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Edsel Ford Service Drive
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 94 West
6
Merge onto I 94
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Edsel Ford Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 216A
Toward I 75: Toledo, Flint
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 75
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 375
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward Jefferson Avenue East
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn straight onto Chrysler Drive
133 ft
·
8 sec
·
Chrysler Drive
12
Turn right onto East Congress Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Congress Street
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto Woodward Avenue
449 ft
·
19 sec
·
Woodward Avenue
14
Turn right onto Cadillac Square
126 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cadillac Square
15
Arrive at destination
Cadillac Square
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 11.4 — 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
At end of road, turn left
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
8
8.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 75: Toledo, Flint
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 216A
Toward I 75: Toledo, Flint
6
10.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
11.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward Jefferson Avenue East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Jefferson Avenue East
6
11.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
East Congress Street
Turn right onto East Congress Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.88 one way
$3.75 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.06 | $4.12 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.31 | $4.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.65 | $5.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.26 | $0.58 |
| Efficient EV | 3 | 0 | $1.05 | $0.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.68 | $0.77 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Detroit, MI
Late night in Detroit on Tuesday
Local time
4:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
19m 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 highway-focused experience, as 78% of this journey is spent on major transit arteries. The most significant portion of your time behind the wheel will be the 7.4-mile stretch along the Edsel Ford Freeway, which serves as the backbone of your trip. While you will eventually transition onto the Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, the drive maintains a consistent, fast-paced rhythm typical of urban interstate travel. You won’t encounter winding backroads or rural scenery here; instead, anticipate a direct and efficient transit experience. It is a no-nonsense commute that prioritizes speed and accessibility over leisurely sight-seeing.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.4 mi on Edsel Ford Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Edsel Ford Freeway and Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 12 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 19m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 8.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.4 miles (I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway): 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.
Between Harper Woods, MI and Detroit, MI, road signs point toward Flint and Jefferson Avenue East.
Flint
8.3 mi in
|
~12m
Jefferson Avenue East
11.1 mi in
|
~17m
About the Cities
Starting in Harper Woods, MI
Full guide →Grosse Pointe is an area in Wayne County in the state of Michigan. It includes the cities of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Shores, and Grosse Pointe Woods. This article also covers the city of Harper Woods.
Arriving in Detroit, MI
Full guide →Detroit is a major metropolis in the US state of Michigan that has had a profound impact on the world. From the advent of the automotive assembly line to the Motown sound, modern techno and rock music, Detroit continues to shape both American and global culture. The city has seen many of its historic buildings renovated, and is bustling with new developments and attractions that complement its world-class museums and theatres. After a long economic slump and decrease in population, Detroit has developed a reputation for crime and urban decline, but revitalization means that it is an exciting destination filled with technological advance and historic charm.
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 19m. Total distance: 12 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.4 miles on Edsel Ford Freeway. 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 Detroit, 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: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 8.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.4 miles (I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway): 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 Detroit, 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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