Origin
Rochester Hills, MI
Morning in Rochester Hills on Tuesday
Local time
6:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rochester Hills, MI to Elba, 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
59m
Distance
37.9 mi
61 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rochester Hills, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Elba, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 37.9-mile trip from Rochester Hills, MI to Elba, MI is a straightforward 59-minute drive, perfect for a single day trip. With a modest fuel cost of around $6, it's an economical option for exploring the Midwest. The route primarily uses North Lapeer Road and I-69, with a small portion on North Adams Road, suggesting a mix of local roads and highway travel. Given its short duration, you won't need an overnight stay, offering flexibility in your schedule. This drive is characterized by frequent turns, making it a more engaging local experience than a long-haul journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Lapeer Road | 16.6 mi | 23m |
| I 69 | 5.9 mi | 5m |
| North Adams Road | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| Orion Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| West Avon Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| South Elba Road | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| South Adams Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Adams Road | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
North Lapeer Road
— 16.6 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rochester Hills, MI and Elba, MI.
1
Start on Dickson Lane
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Dickson Lane
2
At end of road, turn right onto Downhill Lane
378 ft
·
18 sec
·
Downhill Lane
3
Turn right onto Dressler Lane
196 ft
·
10 sec
·
Dressler Lane
4
Turn right onto South Livernois Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Livernois Road
5
Turn left onto West Avon Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
West Avon Road
Use the left lane.
6
At end of road, turn right onto South Adams Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
South Adams Road
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on North Adams Road
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
North Adams Road
Use the straight lane.
8
Enter roundabout onto Adams Road
70 ft
·
4 sec
·
Adams Road
9
Continue on Adams Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Adams Road
10
Turn left onto Orion Road
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Orion Road
Use the left lane.
11
Enter roundabout
92 ft
·
8 sec
12
Continue
373 ft
·
8 sec
13
Turn straight onto Orion Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Orion Road
14
Enter roundabout onto East Flint Street
90 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Flint Street
15
Continue on East Flint Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
East Flint Street
16
Continue on East Flint Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
East Flint Street
17
Turn right onto M 24
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lapeer Road
Use the right lane.
18
Continue on M 24
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Washington Street
19
Continue on M 24
14 mi
·
19 min
·
North Lapeer Road
Use the right lane.
20
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 69 West: Flint
Use the slight right lane.
21
Merge onto I 69
5.9 mi
·
5 min
·
I 69
22
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward Elba Road
Use the slight right lane.
23
Turn right onto South Elba Road
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
South Elba Road
24
Arrive at destination
South Elba Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19 miles from Rochester Hills, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 36.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Downhill Lane
At end of road, turn right onto Downhill Lane
Navigation decision point
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
West Avon Road
Turn left onto West Avon Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
South Adams Road
At end of road, turn right onto South Adams Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
9.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Orion Road
Turn left onto Orion Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
36.2 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward Elba Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Elba Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.93 one way
$11.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.51 | $13.01 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.29 | $14.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.37 | $16.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.31 | $2.43 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Elba, MI
Morning in Elba on Tuesday
Local time
6:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°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
20 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
59m 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 for this 37.9-mile journey. While 16% of the route is on the highway, you'll spend most of your time navigating local roads, including a significant 16.6-mile stretch on North Lapeer Road. The road character will likely shift from more urban or suburban environments as you depart Rochester Hills to a more rural feel as you approach Elba. The frequent turns mean you'll be actively engaged with the driving, rather than settling into a monotonous highway pace.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.6 mi on North Lapeer Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Downhill Lane.
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 37.9 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.2 miles (Downhill Lane): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (West Avon Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles (South Adams Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 37.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.6 miles on North Lapeer Road. 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 Elba, 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 0.2 miles (Downhill Lane): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (West Avon Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles (South Adams Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Elba, 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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