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Trip from Kettering, OH to Fairborn, OH

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

25m

Distance

16.1 mi

26 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 23m ★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 24m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Montgomery and Greene counties, Ohio, United States

Kettering, OH

Wikimedia Commons

city in Ohio, USA

Fairborn, OH

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Traveling between Kettering and Fairborn is a quick, straightforward journey covering 16.1 miles through the Midwest. You can easily complete this trip in about 25 minutes, making it a perfect one-day excursion. Budgeting approximately $2 for fuel should be more than sufficient for this short distance. Since both cities are located in Ohio, you will stay within the same regional landscape throughout the drive. This route is highly practical for those needing to commute or visit neighboring areas without the need for an overnight stay. It serves as a simple, efficient connection that fits seamlessly into a busy schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 675 6.4 mi 7m
West Stroop Road 3.9 mi 7m
McClernon Memorial Skyway 2.2 mi 2m
Kauffman Avenue 1.4 mi 3m
SR 444 0.6 mi <1m
Indian Ripple Road 0.5 mi <1m
South Central Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
South Pleasant Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 675 — 6.4 mi, about 7m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kettering, OH and Fairborn, OH.

1

Start on West Stroop Road

3.9 mi · 7 min · West Stroop Road
2

Turn right onto Indian Ripple Road

0.5 mi · 43 sec · Indian Ripple Road
Use the left lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 50 sec
4

Merge onto I 675

6.4 mi · 7 min · I 675
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Keep slight right at fork onto SR 844

2.2 mi · 2 min · McClernon Memorial Skyway
Exit 17 Toward SR 844: North Fairfield Road, Wright Patterson AFB Area A
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Exit 3 Toward SR 444: Fairborn Use the left lane.
7

Turn left onto SR 444

0.5 mi · 46 sec · SR 444
Use the left lane.
8

Turn right onto SR 444

287 ft · 6 sec · SR 444
9

Turn left onto SR 444

1.4 mi · 3 min · Kauffman Avenue
10

Continue on SR 444

0.3 mi · 46 sec · South Central Avenue
11

Turn right onto East Dayton Drive

422 ft · 17 sec · East Dayton Drive
12

Turn left onto South Pleasant Street

0.1 mi · 30 sec · South Pleasant Street
13

Turn right onto Tacoma Lane

73 ft · 5 sec · Tacoma Lane
14

Arrive at destination

Tacoma Lane

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 3.9 and 13.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
3.9 mi into trip | ~7m in | Indian Ripple Road

Turn right onto Indian Ripple Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
4.7 mi into trip | ~8m in | I 675

Merge onto I 675

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
11.1 mi into trip | ~16m in | SR 844 / McClernon Memorial Skyway

Keep slight right at fork onto SR 844 / McClernon Memorial Skyway toward SR 844: North Fairfield Road, Wright Patterson AFB Area A

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 17 Toward SR 844: North Fairfield Road, Wright Pat...
7
13.3 mi into trip | ~19m in

Take the exit toward SR 444: Fairborn

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Exit 3 Toward SR 444: Fairborn
5
13.6 mi into trip | ~19m in | SR 444

Turn left onto SR 444

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.50 one way

$5.00 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.38 $2.77 $5.55
premium $4.91 $3.11 $6.22
diesel $5.61 $3.55 $7.11

Estimated Tolls: $0.15

McClernon Memorial Skyway (2.2 mi) $0.15

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Tolls

$0

Total

$3

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 $1.69 $0.77
Efficient EV 4 0 $1.41 $0.64
EV Truck/SUV 6.4 0 $2.25 $1.03

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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Kettering, OH

Late night in Kettering on Sunday

Local time

3:28 AM

EDT

Current temp

65°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 13 mph 26% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 17 at 10:34PM EDT until April 22 at 6:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 17 at 10:34PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

Destination

Fairborn, OH

Late night in Fairborn on Sunday

Local time

3:28 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°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

9 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

25m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a mixed driving experience as you transition between local streets and highway infrastructure. You will spend roughly 43% of your time on highways, utilizing I-675, West Stroop Road, and the McClernon Memorial Skyway to bridge the gap. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 6.4-mile segment on I-675, which provides the most consistent pace of the trip. Because this is a relatively short drive, the road conditions shift quickly from urban surface streets to more open interstate travel. You can anticipate a blend of city navigation and brief highway cruising that keeps the drive feeling varied despite the short duration.

43% 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: 6.4 mi on I 675.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.9 miles in near Indian Ripple Road.

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 16.1 miles you will encounter 9 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 3.9 miles (Indian Ripple Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles (I 675): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles (SR 844 / McClernon Memorial Skyway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,037 ft 837 ft

Total Climb

273 ft

Total Descent

442 ft

Highest Point

1,037 ft

~0.7 mi in

Elevation Range

201 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Kettering, OH to Fairborn, OH, road signs begin pointing toward Wright Patterson Afb Area A along the way.

Wright Patterson Afb Area A

11.1 mi in | ~16m | via SR 844

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 25m. Total distance: 16.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

25m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (43%). 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 6.4 miles on I 675. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.15 in tolls one way, starting with McClernon Memorial Skyway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

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 Fairborn, OH 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 3.9 miles (Indian Ripple Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles (I 675): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles (SR 844 / McClernon Memorial Skyway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park and Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument. 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 Fairborn, OH 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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