Origin
Porterdale, GA
Morning in Porterdale on Tuesday
Local time
11:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Porterdale, GA to Sandy Springs, GA
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
58m
Distance
47.5 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Porterdale, GA
RDNE Stock project
Trip Overview
This 47.5-mile drive from Porterdale, GA, to Sandy Springs, GA, will take you about 58 minutes, making it a perfect single-day trip. You'll navigate primarily via the Purple Heart Highway and Washington Street Southwest, with a segment on Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter. With a fuel cost estimated at $8, this is an economical journey. Since you'll be spending time on local roads, expect a more turn-heavy experience rather than a straight highway cruise. This route stays within the Southeast region of Georgia, offering a straightforward connection between two communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Highway | 22.5 mi | 24m |
| Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter | 18.8 mi | 21m |
| Washington Street Southwest | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Turner Lake Road Northwest | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Roswell Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Broad Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Turner Lake Road Southwest | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| US 19 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Highway
— 22.5 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Porterdale, GA and Sandy Springs, GA.
1
Start on GA 81
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Broad Street
2
Continue on GA 81
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Street Southwest
3
Turn left onto Turner Lake Road Southwest
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Turner Lake Road Southwest
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on Turner Lake Road Northwest
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
Turner Lake Road Northwest
5
Enter roundabout onto Turner Lake Road Northwest
160 ft
·
7 sec
·
Turner Lake Road Northwest
6
Continue on Turner Lake Road Northwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Turner Lake Road Northwest
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on this road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
8
Merge onto I 20; US 278; GA 12
22 mi
·
24 min
·
Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 67B
Toward I 285 Bypass North: Greenville, Chattanooga
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 285
19 mi
·
21 min
·
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
518 ft
·
12 sec
Exit 25; 27B
Toward US 19 South, GA 400 North: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on this road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
this road
Exit 25
Toward US 19 South: Roswell Road
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 19
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
US 19
Toward US 19 South: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn right onto GA 9
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Roswell Road
Use the right lane.
15
Turn right onto Mount Vernon Highway
180 ft
·
3 sec
·
Mount Vernon Highway
16
Arrive at destination
Mount Vernon Highway
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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.8 miles from Porterdale, GA, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 46.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Turner Lake Road Southwest
Turn left onto Turner Lake Road Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Turner Lake Road Northwest
Enter roundabout onto Turner Lake Road Northwest
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
8
25.8 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward I 285 Bypass North: Greenville, Chattanooga
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 67B
Toward I 285 Bypass North: Greenville, Chattano...
8
45.1 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward US 19 South, GA 400 North: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
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 25; 27B
Toward US 19 South, GA 400 North: Roswell Road,...
8
46.5 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
US 19
Keep slight right at fork onto US 19 toward US 19 South: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 19 South: Roswell Road, Sandy Springs
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.43 one way
$14.86 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $8.12 | $16.24 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.79 | $17.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.49 | $20.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.6 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 | 14.3 | 0 | $4.99 | $2.28 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19 | 0 | $6.65 | $3.04 |
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
Sandy Springs, GA
Morning in Sandy Springs on Tuesday
Local time
11:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°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
58m 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 is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive' with no highway percentage, meaning you'll be actively navigating through towns and intersections for the majority of the 47.5 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 22.5 miles on the Purple Heart Highway. Be prepared for frequent turns and adjustments as you transition between Washington Street Southwest and the Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter. The drive's personality is more about engaging with the local road network than experiencing high-speed travel.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.5 mi on Purple Heart Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near Turner Lake Road Southwest.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 47.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (Turner Lake Road Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (Turner Lake Road Northwest): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 25.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Porterdale, GA to Sandy Springs, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Chattanooga along the way.
Chattanooga
25.8 mi in
|
~30m
About the Cities
Arriving in Sandy Springs, GA
Full guide →Founded 2005
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 58m. Total distance: 47.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.5 miles on Purple Heart Highway. 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 Sandy Springs, GA 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 1.6 miles (Turner Lake Road Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (Turner Lake Road Northwest): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 25.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sandy Springs, GA 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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