Origin
Macomb, MI
Afternoon in Macomb on Sunday
Local time
1:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Macomb, MI to Garden City, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
44.8 mi
72 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
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Garden City, MI
Thomas Renaud
Trip Overview
Macomb, MI to Garden City, MI is 44.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via Southfield Freeway and Walter P Reuther Freeway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip within the Midwest region, connecting two points in Michigan. You'll be navigating primarily urban and suburban environments for the entirety of this drive. It's a relatively short distance, making it ideal for a quick commute or an easy leg of a larger journey without requiring overnight planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southfield Freeway | 8.8 mi | 12m |
| Walter P Reuther Freeway | 7.8 mi | 8m |
| Mound Road | 7.3 mi | 11m |
| Ford Road | 5.8 mi | 10m |
| Christopher Columbus Freeway | 5 mi | 5m |
| 23 Mile Road | 3 mi | 5m |
| Garfield Road | 2 mi | 2m |
| 18 1/2 Mile Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Southfield Freeway
— 8.8 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Macomb, MI and Garden City, MI.
1
Start on this road
104 ft
·
2 sec
·
this road
2
Continue on Garfield Road
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Garfield Road
3
Turn right onto 23 Mile Road
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
23 Mile Road
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
Toward M 53 South: Detroit
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto M 53
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Christopher Columbus Freeway
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 15
Toward Van Dyke Road North, 18 ½ Mile Road West
Use the slight right lane.
7
Enter roundabout onto 18 1/2 Mile Road
184 ft
·
7 sec
·
18 1/2 Mile Road
8
Continue on 18 1/2 Mile Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
18 1/2 Mile Road
9
Turn straight onto Mound Road
7.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Mound Road
Use the right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto Mound Road
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Mound Road
11
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 696: Lansing, Port Huron
12
Keep slight right at fork onto Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West
Toward I 696 West: Lansing
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 696
7.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Walter P Reuther Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 13
Toward Greenfield Road
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn left onto Greenfield Road
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Greenfield Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto West 10 Mile Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West 10 Mile Road
17
Turn left onto Southfield Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Southfield Road
18
Continue on Southfield Freeway
8.8 mi
·
12 min
·
Southfield Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 7
Toward M 153
Use the slight right lane.
20
Continue on South M 39 Service Drive
380 ft
·
8 sec
·
South M 39 Service Drive
21
Turn slight right
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
22
Turn right onto M 153
5.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Ford Road
Use the right lane.
23
Arrive at destination
M 153
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.4 miles from Macomb, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 5.1 and 38.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
5.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward M 53 South: Detroit
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward M 53 South: Detroit
8
10.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward Van Dyke Road North, 18 ½ Mile Road West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 15
Toward Van Dyke Road North, 18 ½ Mile Road West
7
19.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West
Keep slight right at fork onto Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West toward I 696 West: Lansing
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 696 West: Lansing
7
27.4 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward Greenfield Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13
Toward Greenfield Road
7
38.6 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward M 153
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 7
Toward M 153
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.00 one way
$14.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.69 | $15.38 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.62 | $17.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.89 | $19.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.70 | $2.15 |
| Efficient EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.92 | $1.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.27 | $2.87 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Garden City, MI
Afternoon in Garden City on Sunday
Local time
1:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°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
21 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 6m 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 route offers a mixed drive experience, with 49% of the journey utilizing highway speeds. You can expect to encounter stretches of freeway driving, including an uninterrupted segment of 8.8 miles on the Southfield Freeway. The roads will transition from main arteries to potentially more local roads as you approach your destination. This blend means you'll experience both higher-speed travel and more stop-and-go conditions.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.8 mi on Southfield Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.8 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 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.2 miles (Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West): 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 Macomb, MI and Garden City, MI, road signs point toward M 53 South: Detroit, Van Dyke Road North, 18 ½ Mile Road West, Port Huron and M 153.
M 53 South: Detroit
5.1 mi in
|
~7m
Van Dyke Road North
10.2 mi in
|
~13m
18 ½ Mile Road West
10.2 mi in
|
~13m
Port Huron
19 mi in
|
~28m
M 153
38.6 mi in
|
~55m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 44.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.8 miles on Southfield 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 Garden City, 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 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.2 miles (Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West): 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 Garden City, 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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