Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
21 mi
34 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Royal Oak, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Waterford, MI
Adrien Olichon
Royal Oak, MI to Waterford, MI is 21 miles and takes about 38m via Woodward Avenue/Dixie Highway/Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region and the state of Michigan. Expect a route with frequent turns, characteristic of local driving. It's a straightforward journey perfect for a quick local excursion or as part of a larger Michigan road trip. You'll be navigating primarily local roads for the entire 21 miles, so keep an eye on your navigation.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Woodward Avenue | 12.9 mi | 23m |
| Dixie Highway | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| Cesar E. Chavez Avenue | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Williams Lake Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West 11 Mile Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| David K Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Royal Oak, MI and Waterford, MI.
Start on this road
Turn left onto West 11 Mile Road
Continue on West 11 Mile Road
Turn right onto M 1
Turn right onto US 24 BUS
Continue on US 24 BUS
Turn left onto Williams Lake Road
Turn right onto David K Drive
Arrive at destination
4 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 20.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto West 11 Mile Road
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto M 1 / Woodward Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Williams Lake Road
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto David K Drive
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$3.28 one way
$6.57 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.60 | $7.21 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.04 | $8.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.64 | $9.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.01 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.84 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Royal Oak on Tuesday
Local time
5:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Late night in Waterford on Tuesday
Local time
5:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive is characterized by its 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, with 0% highway share. You won't encounter any interstate speeds here. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 12.9 miles along Woodward Avenue. As you progress, you'll transition from Woodward Avenue to Dixie Highway and then Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, indicating a series of directional changes rather than a continuous, high-speed journey. Be prepared for city-like traffic patterns and frequent intersections throughout the 38-minute trip.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 11 Mile Road.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 38m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 11 Mile Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (M 1 / Woodward Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.4 miles (Williams Lake Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Royal Oak is a suburb of Detroit in Oakland County, Michigan known for its trendy downtown shopping area and bars. 1 mile South of Royal Oak is Ferndale, a place very similar to Royal Oak, known for its large lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender population. North of Royal Oak is Birmingham, an opulent area known for its upscale boutiques.
Oakland County is in Southeast Michigan.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 21 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 (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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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