This 52.8-mile drive from South Bel Air, MD to Highland, MD is designed for a single day, taking about 1 hour and 12 minutes. You'll navigate primarily using the Harbor Tunnel Thruway and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, with about 25% of the journey on express toll lanes. The estimated fuel cost is around $9. This route offers a practical northeastern Maryland connection, ideal for a quick trip without needing an overnight stay. Its turn-heavy local drive profile means you'll be actively engaged with the road.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
12 mi
15m
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
8.1 mi
9m
Express Toll Lanes
7.7 mi
9m
I 95
6.6 mi
7m
Patuxent Freeway
6.5 mi
8m
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
3.9 mi
5m
Clarksville Pike
2.2 mi
3m
Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
— 12 mi, about 15m
Traffic on I-95
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~6,324 veh/hr typical
· worst 8,056
Quietest
2 AM
~710 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 51 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Bel Air, MD and Highland, MD.
1
Start on South Shamrock Road
0.3 mi·1 min·South Shamrock Road
2
At end of road, turn right onto East MacPhail Road
0.3 mi·44 sec·East MacPhail Road
3
Turn left onto MD 924
496 ft·14 sec·South Main Street
4
Continue on MD 924
0.6 mi·1 min·Emmorton Road
5
Turn right onto West Ring Factory Road
0.6 mi·1 min·West Ring Factory Road
6
Turn left onto MD 24
3.9 mi·5 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the left lane.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 95 South: BaltimoreUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 95
8.1 mi·9 min·John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto Express Toll Lanes
6.5 mi·7 min·Express Toll Lanes
Use the slight left lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto Express Toll Lanes
1.2 mi·1 min·Express Toll Lanes
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 895
3.8 mi·5 min·Harbor Tunnel Thruway
12
Continue on I 895
1.4 mi·2 min·Baltimore Harbor Tunnel
13
Continue on I 895
2.2 mi·3 min·Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 895
0.5 mi·39 sec·Harbor Tunnel Throughway
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 895
0.5 mi·41 sec·Harbor Tunnel Throughway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 895
6.0 mi·7 min·Harbor Tunnel Thruway
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 95
6.6 mi·7 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 38BToward MD 32 West: ColumbiaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto MD 32
6.5 mi·8 min·Patuxent Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Exit 20Toward MD 108: ClarksvilleUse the slight right lane.
21
Turn left onto MD 108
2.2 mi·3 min·Clarksville Pike
Use the right lane.
22
Turn left onto MD 216
70 ft·1 sec·Scaggsville Road
23
Arrive at destination
MD 216
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 26.4 miles from South Bel Air, MD, 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.8 and 50.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
5.8 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Baltimore
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South: Baltimore
6
14.6 mi into trip|~21m in|Express Toll Lanes
Keep slight left at fork onto Express Toll Lanes
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
6
21 mi into trip|~29m in|Express Toll Lanes
Keep slight left at fork onto Express Toll Lanes
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
7
43.2 mi into trip|~57m in
Take the exit toward MD 32 West: Columbia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 38B
Toward MD 32 West: Columbia
7
50.3 mi into trip|~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward MD 108: Clarksville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 20
Toward MD 108: Clarksville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.42 one way
$16.84 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg19 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$9.32
$18.63
premium
$4.81
$9.99
$19.99
diesel
$4.80
$9.97
$19.94
Estimated Tolls: $0.84
Harbor Tunnel Thruway
(12 mi)$0.84
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
15.8
0
$5.54
$2.53
Efficient EV
13.2
0
$4.62
$2.11
EV Truck/SUV
21.1
0
$7.39
$3.38
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Forecast as of Jul 7, 2026
Origin
South Bel Air, MD
Afternoon
in South Bel Air on Sunday
Local time
12:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Patchy Fog
NE 6 mph38% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 6 at 10:38PM EDT until July 7 at 1:45AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 6 at 2:23PM EDT until July 7 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
Destination
Highland, MD
Afternoon
in Highland on Sunday
Local time
12:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NE 6 mph67% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 6 at 10:38PM EDT until July 7 at 1:45AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 6 at 2:23PM EDT until July 7 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
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
1h 12m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive experience for this 52.8-mile trip. While only 25% of the route utilizes highways like the Harbor Tunnel Thruway and John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, you'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of 12 miles on the Harbor Tunnel Thruway. The road profile suggests a dynamic journey with frequent changes in direction and pace, rather than a straightforward interstate cruise. This means you'll likely be navigating more local roads and intersections as you progress toward Highland, MD.
Only 25% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12 mi on Harbor Tunnel Thruway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.8 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.8 miles you will encounter 16 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 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles (Express Toll Lanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles (Express Toll Lanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 52.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12 miles on Harbor Tunnel Thruway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.84 in tolls one way, starting with Harbor Tunnel Thruway. 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.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Highland, MD 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 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles (Express Toll Lanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles (Express Toll Lanes): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Monocacy National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Highland, MD before heading back.
