Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
38.2 mi
62 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Southfield, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Hartland, MI
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Southfield, MI to Hartland, MI covers 38.2 miles and takes about 47m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 96, Walter P Reuther Freeway, US 23 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.3 miles on I 96. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.92 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 96 | 15.3 mi | 16m |
| Walter P Reuther Freeway | 8.2 mi | 8m |
| US 23 | 7 mi | 7m |
| John C Lodge Freeway | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Old US-23 | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| West 10 Mile Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Crouse Road | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Northwestern Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,746 veh/hr typical · worst 5,778
Quietest
2 AM
~267 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.8×
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 Southfield, MI and Hartland, MI.
Start on West 10 Mile Road
Turn right onto Northwestern Highway
Take the ramp
Merge onto M 10
Take the exit
Merge onto I 696
Merge onto I 96
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto US 23
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto M 59
Turn right onto Old US-23
Turn right onto Crouse Road
Turn left onto Washington Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 19.1 miles from Southfield, MI, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.8 and 36 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 696 West: Lansing
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spencer Road, Flint
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward US 23 North: Flint
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward M 59: Howell, Pontiac
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward M 59 West: Howell
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$5.92 one way
$11.85 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $6.49 | $12.99 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.41 | $14.82 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $8.42 | $16.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.01 | $1.83 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.34 | $1.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.35 | $2.44 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Evening in Southfield on Tuesday
Local time
8:14 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Evening in Hartland on Tuesday
Local time
8:14 PM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Mostly Sunny
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.
38.2 mi in 47m, mostly highway — 15.3 mi of that is on I 96.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 96 and Walter P Reuther Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.8 miles in.
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 15 decision points packed into just 38.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
197 ft
Total Descent
9 ft
Highest Point
920 ft
~24.6 mi in
Elevation Range
197 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Southfield, MI and Hartland, MI, road signs point toward Flint, M 59: Howell, Pontiac and M 59 West: Howell.
Flint
M 59: Howell
Pontiac
M 59 West: Howell
Founded 1823
Southfield is a suburban city in Oakland County, in the Metro Detroit region of Michigan. It is one of Metro Detroit's major suburban commercial and business centers. Inside of Southfield is the enclave city of Lathrup Village.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 38.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). 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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