Origin
New River, AZ
Late night in New River on Sunday
Local time
12:41 AM
MST
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New River, AZ to Phoenix, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
35.6 mi
57 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New River, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Phoenix, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from New River to Phoenix covers 36.6 miles and typically takes about 40 minutes, making it a quick and straightforward journey through the Desert Southwest. Because of the short duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You can expect to spend approximately $7 on fuel for the trek, keeping your travel expenses low. The route primarily utilizes West New River Road, I-17, and New River Road to connect the two locations. Whether you are commuting or just heading into the city for the afternoon, this drive offers a simple, efficient connection between these Arizona points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Black Canyon Freeway | 27.5 mi | 31m |
| North Black Canyon Highway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| North 1st Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Papago Freeway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| West Roosevelt Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West New River Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| New River Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| I-17 Frontage Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Black Canyon Freeway
— 27.5 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New River, AZ and Phoenix, AZ.
1
Start on North Kelley Road
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
North Kelley Road
2
Turn left onto West New River Road
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
West New River Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto I-17 Frontage Road
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
I-17 Frontage Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto New River Road
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
New River Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I-17 South: Phoenix
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 17
2.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 17
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Black Canyon Highway
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on I 17
25 mi
·
28 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 200A
Toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Central Phoenix, Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 East: Central Phoenix, Tucson
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 10
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
Papago Freeway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 144A
Toward 7th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward 7th Avenue South, Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus, Downtown Cultural/Sport Facilities
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Turn straight onto North 7th Avenue
445 ft
·
16 sec
·
North 7th Avenue
15
Turn left onto West Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Roosevelt Street
16
Turn right onto North 1st Avenue
29 ft
·
0 sec
·
North 1st Avenue
17
Keep slight right at fork onto North 1st Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North 1st Avenue
18
Turn left onto West Adams Street
0.1 mi
·
40 sec
·
West Adams Street
19
Turn right onto North 1st Street
408 ft
·
18 sec
·
North 1st Street
20
Turn right onto East Washington Street
453 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Washington Street
21
Arrive at destination
West Washington Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 34 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I-17 Frontage Road
At end of road, turn left onto I-17 Frontage Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
32.1 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Central Phoenix, Los Angeles
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 200A
Toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Central Phoenix, L...
8
32.3 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East: Central Phoenix, Tucson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 10 East: Central Phoenix, Tucson
7
33.7 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward 7th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 144A
Toward 7th Avenue
9
34 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 7th Avenue South, Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus, Downtown Cultural/Sport Facilities
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward 7th Avenue South, Arizona State Universi...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.09 one way
$14.18 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $7.51 | $15.01 |
| premium | $5.59 | $7.84 | $15.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.86 | $15.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
| Efficient EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.11 | $1.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.98 | $2.28 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Phoenix, AZ
Late night in Phoenix on Sunday
Local time
12:41 AM
MST
Current temp
93°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
7 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
44m 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 turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you navigate away from New River. Unlike a long-haul interstate cruise, this trip features a 0% highway share, emphasizing local roads over high-speed transit. You will not find any long, uninterrupted stretches here, as the longest segment on West New River Road is 0 miles before you encounter a turn. The road transitions dynamically, shifting from rural local paths into the denser infrastructure of the Phoenix area. Staying alert through the curves is essential, as the route lacks the monotonous rhythm of a traditional highway.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.5 mi on Black Canyon Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Black Canyon Freeway and North Black Canyon Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near I-17 Frontage Road.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 35.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (I-17 Frontage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 32.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 New River, AZ and Phoenix, AZ, road signs point toward Los Angeles and Tucson.
Los Angeles
32.1 mi in
|
~37m
Tucson
32.3 mi in
|
~37m
About the Cities
Arriving in Phoenix, AZ
Full guide →Founded 1868
Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona, the most populous city in the American Southwest. Warm and sunny winter weather have ensured a thriving tourism industry, and the city has become the region's primary political, cultural, economic, and transportation center. Phoenix is extremely hot and dry in the summertime, so always have sunscreen with you! It had about 1,625,000 residents in 2021, and is the fifth largest city in the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Arizona State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Arizona
- • Phoenix Art Museum — art museum in Phoenix, Arizona
- • St. Mary's Basilica — Roman Catholic church in Phoenix, Arizona
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 44m. Total distance: 35.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m 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 27.5 miles on Black Canyon 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 Phoenix, AZ 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 0.5 miles (I-17 Frontage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 32.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Phoenix, AZ 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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