Origin
Lowell, MI
Late night in Lowell on Tuesday
Local time
4:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lowell, MI to Lansing, 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
1h 1m
Distance
47.9 mi
77 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lowell, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 47.9-mile drive from Lowell to Lansing, Michigan, can easily be completed in about an hour, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on I-96 and West Grand River Avenue/Grand River Avenue. The route is focused on highway travel, with a significant 64% of the journey on interstates. With an estimated fuel cost of just $7, this is an economical option for getting between these two Midwest communities. Since it's a short trip with no designated stops, you have plenty of flexibility to depart when it suits you best.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 96 | 30.5 mi | 32m |
| West Grand River Avenue | 5.7 mi | 8m |
| Grand River Avenue | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| North Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Oberley Drive Southeast | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Hastings Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Conklin Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Hudson Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 96
— 30.5 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lowell, MI and Lansing, MI.
1
Start on M 21
23 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Main Street
2
Turn right onto South Hudson Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Hudson Street
Use the right lane.
3
Turn left onto Grand River Drive Southeast
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Grand River Drive Southeast
4
Continue on Oberley Drive Southeast
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Oberley Drive Southeast
5
Continue on Montcalm Avenue Southeast
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Montcalm Avenue Southeast
6
Turn straight onto Montcalm Ware Cutoff
465 ft
·
7 sec
·
Montcalm Ware Cutoff
7
Continue on Ware Road
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
·
Ware Road
8
Turn slight right onto Conklin Ware Cutoff
461 ft
·
7 sec
·
Conklin Ware Cutoff
9
Continue on Conklin Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Conklin Road
10
Turn slight left
400 ft
·
6 sec
11
Continue on Peck Lake Road
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
Peck Lake Road
12
Turn slight right onto Hastings Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Hastings Road
13
Turn left onto Grand River Avenue
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Grand River Avenue
14
Turn right onto Nash Highway
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Nash Highway
15
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
16
Merge onto I 96
30 mi
·
32 min
·
I 96
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit onto I 96 BL
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
I 96 BL
Exit 90
Toward BL I 96: Grand River Ave
18
Turn left onto I 96 BL
5.7 mi
·
8 min
·
West Grand River Avenue
19
Turn right onto North Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
20
Continue on North Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
21
Continue on North Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
North Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
22
Turn left onto CL
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Allegan Street
23
Turn right onto Townsend Street
22 ft
·
1 sec
·
Townsend Street
24
Arrive at destination
Townsend Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.9 miles from Lowell, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 39.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Hudson Street
Turn right onto South Hudson Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Grand River Drive Southeast
Turn left onto Grand River Drive Southeast
Navigation decision point
4
5.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
Grand River Avenue
Turn left onto Grand River Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
8.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 96
Merge onto I 96
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
39.2 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
I 96 BL
Take the exit onto I 96 BL toward BL I 96: Grand River Ave
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 90
Toward BL I 96: Grand River Ave
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.49 one way
$14.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.22 | $16.44 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.22 | $18.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.58 | $21.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.71 | $3.07 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Lansing, MI
Late night in Lansing on Tuesday
Local time
4:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Portland, MI
24 mi in
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
18 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
1h 1m 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 for most of this 47.9-mile journey. Around 64% of your drive will be on faster-paced roads like I-96. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 30.5 miles on I-96, offering a good opportunity to settle into a rhythm. While the majority is highway, you will also navigate sections of West Grand River Avenue and Grand River Avenue, which may offer a slightly different driving feel as you approach your destination. It's a practical route designed for efficient travel.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.5 mi on I 96.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 96 and West Grand River Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Hudson Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 1m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Hudson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (Grand River Drive Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 5.5 miles (Grand River Avenue): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Lansing, MI
Full guide →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.
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 1h 1m. Total distance: 47.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.5 miles on I 96. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (South Hudson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (Grand River Drive Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 5.5 miles (Grand River Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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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