Lansing to Franklin is 73.1 miles and takes about 1h 28m via I 96 and Walter P Reuther Freeway, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Michigan, connecting two points in the Midwest region. With 89% of the drive on highways, expect a straightforward trip focused on covering distance efficiently. It's a short enough drive that you can easily complete it in one day, making it a convenient option for a quick hop between cities.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 96
56.1 mi
1h
Walter P Reuther Freeway
4.9 mi
5m
US 127
3.4 mi
3m
West 13 Mile Road
2.7 mi
4m
East Michigan Avenue
2.1 mi
5m
Orchard Lake Road
1.3 mi
2m
I 496
0.9 mi
1m
Franklin Road
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 96
— 56.1 mi, about 1h
Traffic on I-96
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,672 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,292
Quietest
2 AM
~164 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lansing, MI and Franklin, MI.
1
Start on Townsend Street
22 ft·3 sec·Townsend Street
2
Turn right onto West Allegan Street
0.2 mi·32 sec·West Allegan Street
3
Turn left onto Washington Square South
339 ft·11 sec·Washington Square South
4
Enter roundabout onto East Michigan Avenue
20 ft·1 sec·East Michigan Avenue
5
Continue on East Michigan Avenue
2.1 mi·5 min·East Michigan Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn right onto South Howard Avenue
0.2 mi·36 sec·South Howard Avenue
7
Take the ramp
440 ft·10 sec
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·17 sec
Toward I 496 EAST, US 127 SOUTH
9
Merge onto US 127
3.4 mi·3 min·US 127
10
Take the exit onto I 496
0.9 mi·1 min·I 496
Exit 73AToward I 96 East: DetroitUse the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 96
56 mi·1 hr·I 96
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on I 696
4.9 mi·5 min·Walter P Reuther Freeway
Toward I 696 East, M 5 East: Port HuronUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 5Toward Farmington HillsUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto Orchard Lake Road
1.3 mi·2 min·Orchard Lake Road
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto West 13 Mile Road
2.7 mi·4 min·West 13 Mile Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto Franklin Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Franklin Road
17
Turn left onto Scenic Drive
64 ft·2 sec·Scenic Drive
18
Arrive at destination
Scenic Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 36.6 miles from Lansing, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 69.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2.6 mi into trip|~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 496 EAST, US 127 SOUTH
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 496 EAST, US 127 SOUTH
7
6.1 mi into trip|~10m in|I 496
Take the exit onto I 496 toward I 96 East: Detroit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 73A
Toward I 96 East: Detroit
7
68 mi into trip|~1h 18m in
Take the exit toward Farmington Hills
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5
Toward Farmington Hills
6
68.5 mi into trip|~1h 19m in|Orchard Lake Road
Turn left onto Orchard Lake Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
69.8 mi into trip|~1h 21m in|West 13 Mile Road
Turn right onto West 13 Mile Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.15 one way
$24.31 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$13.24
$26.48
premium
$5.18
$14.92
$29.83
diesel
$5.35
$15.40
$30.79
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
21.9
0
$7.68
$3.51
Efficient EV
18.3
0
$6.40
$2.92
EV Truck/SUV
29.2
0
$10.23
$4.68
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of May 25, 2026
Origin
Lansing, MI
Evening
in Lansing on Wednesday
Local time
5:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Areas Of Fog then Sunny
WSW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 25 at 3:34AM EDT until May 25 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Marquette MI
Destination
Franklin, MI
Evening
in Franklin on Wednesday
Local time
5:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Sunny
SE 1 to 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 25 at 3:34AM EDT until May 25 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Marquette MI
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
1h 28m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 89% of the 73.1 miles on major roads like I 96 and Walter P Reuther Freeway. You'll experience a solid stretch of 56.1 miles on I 96 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a high volume of exits for much of the drive, typical for interstates connecting urban and suburban areas.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 56.1 mi on I 96.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 96 and Walter P Reuther Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.6 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 73.1 miles you will encounter 16 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 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.1 miles (I 496): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 68 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
984 ft835 ft
Total Climb
173 ft
Total Descent
192 ft
Highest Point
984 ft
~47 mi in
Elevation Range
149 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Lansing, MI and Franklin, MI, road signs point toward M 5 East: Port Huron and Farmington Hills.
Lansing is a pleasant city, and as Michigan's state capital, it is home to many government offices. Downtown Lansing has a historic shopping district amidst the campus of Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
Top landmarks
•Michigan State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Michigan
•Boji Tower — building in Lansing, Michigan, United States completed in 1931
•Accident Fund Building — office building and former power plant in Lansing, Michigan, US
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 73.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 56.1 miles on I 96. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Franklin, 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 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.1 miles (I 496): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 68 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Franklin, MI before heading back.
