Origin
Rochester Hills, MI
Morning in Rochester Hills on Tuesday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rochester Hills, MI to Saint Clair Shores, 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
38m
Distance
26.7 mi
43 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rochester Hills, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Saint Clair Shores, MI
fish socks
Trip Overview
Rochester Hills to Saint Clair Shores is 26.7 miles and takes about 38 minutes via Walter P Reuther Freeway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive entirely within Michigan's Midwest region. Expect a mixed driving profile, meaning you'll encounter both highway and local road conditions. Given its brief duration and minimal stops, this route is perfect for a quick transit or an easy day trip, making it ideal for those who prefer to get to their destination without a lengthy journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Walter P Reuther Freeway | 9.6 mi | 10m |
| Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 5.9 mi | 6m |
| South Rochester Road | 5.3 mi | 9m |
| East 11 Mile Road | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| South Livernois Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Auburn Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| I-75 South to I-696 East | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Dickson Lane | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Walter P Reuther Freeway
— 9.6 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rochester Hills, MI and Saint Clair Shores, 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
·
14 sec
·
Dressler Lane
4
Turn left onto South Livernois Road
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
South Livernois Road
5
Enter roundabout onto South Livernois Road
115 ft
·
2 sec
·
South Livernois Road
6
Continue on South Livernois Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
South Livernois Road
7
Turn left onto West Auburn Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West Auburn Road
8
Turn right onto M 150
5.3 mi
·
9 min
·
South Rochester Road
Use the right lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 75 South: Detroit
10
Merge onto I 75
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 61
Toward I 696: Port Huron, Lansing
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I-75 South to I-696 East
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I-75 South to I-696 East
Toward I 696 East: Port Huron
Use the slight left lane.
13
Continue on I 696
9.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Walter P Reuther Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 28
Toward 11 Mile Road, Saint Clair Shores
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn straight onto East 11 Mile Road
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
East 11 Mile Road
16
Continue on East 11 Mile Road
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
East 11 Mile Road
17
Turn left
58 ft
·
4 sec
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right
131 ft
·
10 sec
19
Turn right
240 ft
·
17 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 26.7 — 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
8
14.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 696: Port Huron, Lansing
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 61
Toward I 696: Port Huron, Lansing
7
14.5 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I-75 South to I-696 East
Keep slight left at fork onto I-75 South to I-696 East toward I 696 East: Port Huron
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 696 East: Port Huron
8
24.6 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward 11 Mile Road, Saint Clair Shores
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 28
Toward 11 Mile Road, Saint Clair Shores
6
26.7 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.17 one way
$8.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.58 | $9.17 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.14 | $10.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.90 | $11.79 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
| Efficient EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.34 | $1.07 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Saint Clair Shores, MI
Morning in Saint Clair Shores on Tuesday
Local time
6:37 AM
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
1 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
38m 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 offers a mixed driving experience, with 60% of it being highway travel. You'll spend a significant portion on the Walter P Reuther Freeway, including a continuous stretch of 9.6 miles. The drive begins with sections on South Rochester Road before transitioning onto the freeway. As you approach Saint Clair Shores, the character will shift from faster freeway speeds to more localized roads. This blend means you'll experience both efficient highway cruising and the need for more attention as you navigate urban environments.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.6 mi on Walter P Reuther Freeway.
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 0.2 miles in near Downhill Lane.
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 14 decision points packed into just 26.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Downhill Lane): Navigation decision point; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.5 miles (I-75 South to I-696 East): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Rochester Hills, MI to Saint Clair Shores, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Lansing along the way.
Lansing
14.3 mi in
|
~21m
About the Cities
Arriving in Saint Clair Shores, MI
Full guide →St. Clair Shores is in Macomb County, Michigan and is an inner ring suburb of Detroit.
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 38m. Total distance: 26.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.6 miles on Walter P Reuther 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 Saint Clair Shores, 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 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.5 miles (I-75 South to I-696 East): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Saint Clair Shores, 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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