Origin
Plainfield, MI
Afternoon in Plainfield on Sunday
Local time
3:00 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plainfield, MI to Farmington Hills, 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
48.3 mi
78 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plainfield, MI
fish socks
Farmington Hills, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Plainfield to Farmington Hills is 48.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via I 96 and Walter P Reuther Freeway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive entirely within Michigan, connecting two Midwest locales. Given its brief duration, it's ideal for a same-day trip, allowing plenty of time for activities at your destination. You'll primarily be on well-maintained highways, making for an easy journey with minimal planning needed.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 96 | 14.9 mi | 15m |
| West Carr Street | 13.6 mi | 21m |
| Walter P Reuther Freeway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| US 23 | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| Winans Lake Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| M 36 | 2 mi | 3m |
| Plainfield Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West 11 Mile Road | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 96
— 14.9 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plainfield, MI and Farmington Hills, MI.
1
Start on Plainfield Avenue
39 ft
·
3 sec
·
Plainfield Avenue
2
Turn right onto Bradley Road
445 ft
·
13 sec
·
Bradley Road
3
Turn left onto M 36
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Plainfield Road
4
Continue on M 36
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Spears Road
5
Turn straight onto M 36
299 ft
·
5 sec
·
Spears/Gregory Cutoff
6
Continue on M 36
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Gregory Road
7
Continue on M 36
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Main Street
8
Turn left onto M 36
14 mi
·
21 min
·
West Carr Street
9
Continue on M 36
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
M 36
10
Continue on Hamburg Road
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Hamburg Road
11
Enter roundabout onto Winans Lake Road
14 ft
·
0 sec
·
Winans Lake Road
12
Continue on Winans Lake Road
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Winans Lake Road
13
Enter roundabout onto Winans Lake Road
116 ft
·
3 sec
·
Winans Lake Road
14
Continue on Winans Lake Road
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Winans Lake Road
15
At end of road, turn left onto Whitmore Lake Road
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Whitmore Lake Road
16
Enter roundabout onto Silver Lake Road
89 ft
·
1 sec
·
Silver Lake Road
17
Continue on Silver Lake Road
485 ft
·
9 sec
·
Silver Lake Road
18
Enter roundabout
367 ft
·
7 sec
Toward US 23 North: Flint
19
Continue
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
Toward US 23 North: Flint
20
Merge onto US 23
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
US 23
21
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 60A
Toward I 96 East: Detroit
Use the slight right lane.
22
Merge onto I 96
15 mi
·
15 min
·
I 96
Use the straight lane.
23
Continue on I 696
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Walter P Reuther Freeway
Toward I 696 East, M 5 East: Port Huron
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 5
Toward Farmington Hills
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Turn right onto Orchard Lake Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Orchard Lake Road
Use the right lane.
26
Turn right onto West 11 Mile Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West 11 Mile Road
Use the right lane.
27
Turn right onto Farmington Road
443 ft
·
9 sec
·
Farmington Road
28
Arrive at destination
Farmington Road
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 24.1 miles from Plainfield, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 21.7 and 47.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
21.7 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Enter roundabout toward US 23 North: Flint
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward US 23 North: Flint
7
25.5 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward I 96 East: Detroit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 60A
Toward I 96 East: Detroit
7
46 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m 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
46.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
Orchard Lake Road
Turn right onto Orchard Lake Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
47.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
West 11 Mile Road
Turn right onto West 11 Mile Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.55 one way
$15.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.29 | $16.58 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.29 | $18.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.66 | $21.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.9 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 | 14.5 | 0 | $5.07 | $2.32 |
| Efficient EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.23 | $1.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.76 | $3.09 |
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
Farmington Hills, MI
Afternoon in Farmington Hills on Sunday
Local time
3:00 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°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
19 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 drive offers a mixed experience, with 48% of the journey on highways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on I 96, including a longest stretch of 14.9 miles on this interstate. Expect a good balance of faster-paced highway driving and potentially some local road segments as you approach your destination. The transition from the interstate to city streets will be noticeable, so be prepared to adjust your speed and awareness.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.9 mi on I 96.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 21.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.3 miles you will encounter 17 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 21.7 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 25.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 46 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Plainfield, MI to Farmington Hills, MI, road signs begin pointing toward M 5 East: Port Huron along the way.
M 5 East: Port Huron
41.1 mi in
|
~56m
|
via I 696
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 48.3 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 (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.9 miles on I 96. 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 Farmington Hills, 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 21.7 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 25.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 46 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 Farmington Hills, 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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