Origin
New Baltimore, MI
Late night in New Baltimore on Tuesday
Local time
4:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Baltimore, MI to Royal Oak, 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
40m
Distance
32.3 mi
52 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Baltimore, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Royal Oak, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 32.3-mile drive from New Baltimore, MI to Royal Oak, MI is a quick trip, typically taking around 40 minutes. It's a straightforward, highway-focused journey with an estimated fuel cost of just $5, making it an easy day trip. You'll primarily be on the Ford Freeway and Walter P Reuther Freeway, with a short section on 23 Mile Road. Given the short distance and duration, no overnight stay is necessary, and you'll likely find yourself needing no dedicated stops along the way. This route is entirely within the Midwest region of Michigan.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ford Freeway | 12.4 mi | 13m |
| Walter P Reuther Freeway | 11.6 mi | 12m |
| 23 Mile Road | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Edsel Ford Freeway | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Green Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West 2nd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ford Freeway
— 12.4 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Baltimore, MI and Royal Oak, MI.
1
Start on M 29
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Green Street
2
Continue on M 29
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
23 Mile Road
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 94 West: Detroit
4
Merge onto I 94
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Ford Freeway
5
Continue on I 94
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Edsel Ford Freeway
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 229
Toward I 696 West: Lansing, 11 Mile Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 696 West: Lansing
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on I 696
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Walter P Reuther Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 16
Toward MI 1: Woodward Avenue, Detroit Zoo
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto South Main Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto West 2nd Street
168 ft
·
9 sec
·
West 2nd Street
12
Turn right
185 ft
·
13 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 18.8 and 32.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
18.8 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward I 696 West: Lansing, 11 Mile Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 229
Toward I 696 West: Lansing, 11 Mile Road
7
19 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 696 West: Lansing
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 696 West: Lansing
8
31 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward MI 1: Woodward Avenue, Detroit Zoo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 16
Toward MI 1: Woodward Avenue, Detroit Zoo
6
31.3 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
South Main Street
Turn right onto South Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
32.2 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.05 one way
$10.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.54 | $11.09 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.22 | $12.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.13 | $14.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Royal Oak, MI
Late night in Royal Oak on Tuesday
Local time
4:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°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
4 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
40m 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 an 80% highway-focused experience on this route. The bulk of your journey will be on fast-moving freeways, offering a smooth and direct path. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.4 miles on the Ford Freeway. While predominantly highway, the transition onto local roads for brief periods might offer a slight change of pace, but the overall character remains that of efficient travel between these two Michigan cities.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.4 mi on Ford Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Ford Freeway and Walter P Reuther Freeway. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 18.8 miles in.
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 32.3 miles you will encounter 8 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 18.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Royal Oak, MI
Full guide →Royal Oak is a suburb of Detroit in Oakland County, Michigan known for its trendy downtown shopping area and bars. 1 mile South of Royal Oak is Ferndale, a place very similar to Royal Oak, known for its large lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender population. North of Royal Oak is Birmingham, an opulent area known for its upscale boutiques.
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 40m. Total distance: 32.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.4 miles on Ford Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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 Royal Oak, 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 18.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Royal Oak, 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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