Origin
South Bel Air, MD
Late night in South Bel Air on Tuesday
Local time
5:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Bel Air, MD to Highland, MD
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
1h 12m
Distance
52.8 mi
85 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Bel Air, MD
Da Khatri
Highland, MD
Rámon van Raaij
Trip Overview
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
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: Baltimore
Use 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 38B
Toward MD 32 West: Columbia
Use 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 20
Toward MD 108: Clarksville
Use 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.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
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 165 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
$8.75 one way
$17.51 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.59 | $19.17 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.24 | $20.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.66 | $23.32 |
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
$9
Tolls
$1
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
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.
Destination
Highland, MD
Late night in Highland on Tuesday
Local time
5:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°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
13 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
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?
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 Effort
10/10
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.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
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.
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. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Highland, MD 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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