Origin
Howell, MI
Late night in Howell on Sunday
Local time
3:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Howell, MI to Lansing, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
37.7 mi
61 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Howell, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick and straightforward trip across Michigan, the 37.7-mile connection between Howell and Lansing is an ideal choice. Expect to spend about 36 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budget roughly $6 for fuel, keeping the overhead for this commute very low. Since both cities are located within the Midwest, the transition is seamless and familiar. Because there are no required stops, you have the flexibility to head out whenever it fits your schedule. This route is efficient, practical, and gets you to your destination with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 96 | 29.6 mi | 31m |
| Ransom E Olds Freeway | 5.3 mi | 5m |
| North Michigan Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Walnut Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Pinckney Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Allegan Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Townsend Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 96
— 29.6 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Howell, MI and Lansing, MI.
1
Start on North Michigan Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Michigan Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Continue on Pinckney Road
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Pinckney Road
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 96 West: Lansing
4
Merge onto I 96
30 mi
·
31 min
·
I 96
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 106B
Toward I 496, US 127 North: Downtown Lansing
6
Merge onto I 496; US 127
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Ransom E Olds Freeway
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 496
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Ransom E Olds Freeway
Toward I 496 West: Downtown Lansing
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 6
Toward Downtown
9
Turn right onto South Walnut Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South Walnut Street
10
Turn right onto West Allegan Street
412 ft
·
12 sec
·
West Allegan Street
11
Turn right onto Townsend Street
22 ft
·
1 sec
·
Townsend Street
12
Arrive at destination
Townsend Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 37.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 96
Merge onto I 96
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
31 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward I 496, US 127 North: Downtown Lansing
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 106B
Toward I 496, US 127 North: Downtown Lansing
5
34.5 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
I 496 / Ransom E Olds Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 496 / Ransom E Olds Freeway toward I 496 West: Downtown Lansing
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 496 West: Downtown Lansing
5
36.9 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 6
Toward Downtown
5
37.7 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
Townsend Street
Turn right onto Townsend Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.89 one way
$11.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.47 | $12.94 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.26 | $14.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.32 | $16.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.96 | $1.81 |
| Efficient EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.30 | $1.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.28 | $2.41 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Lansing, MI
Late night in Lansing on Sunday
Local time
3:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
44m 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?
This journey is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate grind. You will navigate a mix of roads, starting on Pinckney Road before transitioning to I-96 West and eventually I-496. While you might expect a high-speed highway experience, the road composition is varied, with 0% of the route classified as a dedicated long-distance highway stretch. In fact, your longest uninterrupted segment is 0 miles on Pinckney Road, meaning you should stay alert for frequent turns. It is a functional drive that requires your full attention as you transition between local pavement and the interstate system.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.6 mi on I 96.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 96 and Ransom E Olds Freeway. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near I 96.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 37.7 miles you will encounter 10 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 1.4 miles (I 96): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 31 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.5 miles (I 496 / Ransom E Olds Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 37.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.6 miles on I 96. 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 Lansing, 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: at 1.4 miles (I 96): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 31 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.5 miles (I 496 / Ransom E Olds Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lansing, 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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