Origin
Rockwall, TX
Late night in Rockwall on Tuesday
Local time
3:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockwall, TX to McKinney, TX
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
44m
Distance
34 mi
55 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockwall, TX
Wikimedia Commons
McKinney, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel between Rockwall and McKinney, you are looking at a straightforward 33.9-mile journey across the Texas Great Plains. Expect to spend about 47 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. Because the route relies entirely on local roads rather than interstates, you won't need to worry about high-speed highway traffic. With a fuel budget of just $5, it is a very economical trip to make on short notice. Since both cities are located within the same region, you will experience a consistent landscape throughout the entire drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| President George Bush Turnpike | 12.4 mi | 13m |
| Central Expressway | 10.3 mi | 11m |
| West Rusk Street | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| South Tennessee Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South McDonald Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Spur 399 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| President George Bush Highway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Alamo Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
President George Bush Turnpike
— 12.4 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockwall, TX and McKinney, TX.
1
Start on this road
169 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto TX 205
222 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Goliad Street
3
Turn left onto West Kaufman Street
261 ft
·
16 sec
·
West Kaufman Street
4
Turn left onto TX 205
261 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Alamo Road
5
Turn right onto TX 66
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
West Rusk Street
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto TX 190
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
President George Bush Highway
Use the right lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward PGBT Toll North
8
Merge onto PGBT
12 mi
·
13 min
·
President George Bush Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 75 North: McKinney
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto US 75
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Central Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 38C
Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto Spur 399
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Spur 399
15
Continue on TX 5
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South McDonald Street
16
Turn slight left
281 ft
·
10 sec
17
Continue on South Tennessee Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Tennessee Street
18
Arrive at destination
North Tennessee Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 30.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
TX 66 / West Rusk Street
Turn right onto TX 66 / West Rusk Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
TX 190 / President George Bush Highway
Turn right onto TX 190 / President George Bush Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
19 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 75 North: McKinney
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 75 North: McKinney
8
29.9 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
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 38C
Toward SRT South, TX 5: Sam Rayburn Tollway
6
30.2 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.14 one way
$10.27 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $5.62 | $11.25 |
| premium | $4.54 | $6.07 | $12.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.51 | $15.01 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.81
President George Bush Turnpike
(12.4 mi)
$0.99
Central Expressway
(10.3 mi)
$0.82
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$2
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 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 | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.18 |
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
McKinney, TX
Late night in McKinney on Tuesday
Local time
3:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°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
4 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?
This trip is defined by a turn-heavy local drive profile rather than a monotonous interstate grind. You will navigate through North Goliad Street, West Kaufman Street, and North Alamo Road, which keep the journey engaging and require your full attention. Because there is a 0% highway share, you should prepare for a slower, more deliberate pace compared to typical freeway travel. Without any long, uninterrupted stretches, the route demands frequent navigation changes. It is a practical, functional drive that keeps you moving through local corridors for the full duration of your trip.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.4 mi on President George Bush Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on President George Bush Turnpike and Central Expressway. 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 TX 66 / West Rusk Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 13 decision points packed into just 34 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 0.2 miles (TX 66 / West Rusk Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (TX 190 / President George Bush Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 19 miles: 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.
Between Rockwall, TX and McKinney, TX, road signs point toward Pgbt Toll North and Srt South.
Pgbt Toll North
6.1 mi in
|
~10m
Srt South
29.9 mi in
|
~36m
About the Cities
Starting in Rockwall, TX
Full guide →Founded 1854
Rockwall is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Texas.
Arriving in McKinney, TX
Full guide →Founded 1848
McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas.
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: 34 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 (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.4 miles on President George Bush Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.81 in tolls one way, starting with President George Bush Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 McKinney, TX 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 (TX 66 / West Rusk Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (TX 190 / President George Bush Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 19 miles: 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 McKinney, TX 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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