Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 9m
Distance
269.8 mi
434 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sandy Springs, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Whitemarsh Island, GA
Efrem Efre
Sandy Springs to Whitemarsh Island is 269.8 miles and takes about 5 hours 9 minutes via I-75 and I-16, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Georgia, taking you from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, making it a straightforward drive. With only one recommended stop and a total travel time under six hours, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
134.9 miles from Sandy Springs, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 34m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 16 | 163.9 mi | 2h 57m |
| I 75 | 77.1 mi | 1h 25m |
| T Harvey Mathis Parkway | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| Downtown Connector | 5 mi | 6m |
| East Victory Drive | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| Northeast Expressway | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| GA 204 | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| James Wendell George Parkway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 280 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~5,640 veh/hr typical · worst 6,598
Quietest
2 AM
~925 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Sandy Springs, GA and Whitemarsh Island, GA.
Start on Mount Vernon Highway
Continue on Johnson Ferry Road Northeast
Turn right onto Glenridge Drive Northeast
Keep slight left at fork onto Glenridge Connector
Take the ramp
Merge onto GA 400
Merge onto I 85
Continue on I 75; I 85
Continue on I 75; I 85
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
Take the exit
Continue on I 16
Take the exit onto GA 204
Turn right onto Bee Road
Turn left onto US 80; GA 26
Turn right onto Johnny Mercer Boulevard
Turn right onto Bradley Point Road
Turn right onto Commodore Drive
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Given the 5-hour duration, departing in the morning from Sandy Springs allows ample time to reach Whitemarsh Island before evening. You'll want to factor in one stop for fuel or a quick break, as the longest stretch without a significant change in road type is over 160 miles. The fuel cost is estimated at $41, so ensure your tank is adequately filled before embarking. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility with your departure time, but an early start is recommended to avoid any potential traffic, especially near urban areas.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 59 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 134.9 miles or 2h 34m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Whitemarsh Island, GA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Sandy Springs, GA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sandy Springs, GA
This is one driving day of about 269.8 miles and 5h 9m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
135 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.
A short stop after about 59 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 134.9 miles from Sandy Springs, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 16 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 163.9 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 260.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward GA 400 South
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75 toward Macon, Savannah
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 16 East: Jim Gillis Highway, Savannah
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit onto GA 204 toward 37th Street, Abercorn Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$41.34 one way
$82.68 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $45.37 | $90.73 |
| premium | $4.64 | $49.25 | $98.51 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $59.47 | $118.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 94.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 80.9 | 0 | $28.33 | $12.95 |
| Efficient EV | 67.5 | 0 | $23.61 | $10.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 107.9 | 1 | $37.77 | $17.27 |
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Sandy Springs on Wednesday
Local time
3:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Whitemarsh Island on Wednesday
Local time
3:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 94% of the 269.8 miles on interstates. You'll experience a long stretch of 163.9 miles on I-16, which will likely feel like consistent cruising. The highway portion ends as you approach Whitemarsh Island, transitioning to surface roads for the final segment of your trip.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 16 and I 75. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 269.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 83.4 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
163 ft
Total Descent
1,245 ft
Highest Point
1,091 ft
Elevation Range
1,082 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Sandy Springs, GA and Whitemarsh Island, GA, road signs point toward Macon and Savannah.
Macon
Savannah
Founded 2005
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 9m. Total distance: 269.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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