Origin
Southgate, MI
Afternoon in Southgate on Tuesday
Local time
12:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Southgate, MI to Southfield, MI
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
30m
Distance
19.6 mi
32 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Southgate, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Southfield, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are traveling from Southgate to Southfield, you are looking at a quick 19.6-mile commute across the Michigan Midwest. This highway-focused trip typically takes about 30 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day journey that requires no overnight stay. You can expect to spend roughly $3 on fuel, keeping the overhead for this short transit very low. Since the trip is entirely contained within the state, you will not experience any drastic regional shifts. It is a straightforward, functional drive that gets you from point A to point B without the need for extensive planning or complex logistics.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southfield Freeway | 13.9 mi | 19m |
| Southfield Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Dix Highway | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Dix-Toledo Highway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West 10 Mile Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Southfield Freeway
— 13.9 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Southgate, MI and Southfield, MI.
1
Start on Dix-Toledo Highway
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
Dix-Toledo Highway
2
Continue on Dix Highway
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Dix Highway
3
Turn right onto M 39
397 ft
·
8 sec
·
Southfield Road
4
Take the exit
173 ft
·
7 sec
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto M 39
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Southfield Road
6
Keep slight right at fork onto M 39
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Southfield Road
7
Continue on M 39
14 mi
·
19 min
·
Southfield Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
Toward Southfield Road
9
Turn straight onto Southfield Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Southfield Road
10
Turn left onto West 10 Mile Road
192 ft
·
4 sec
·
West 10 Mile Road
Use the left lane.
11
Arrive at destination
West 10 Mile Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 19.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
M 39 / Southfield Road
Turn right onto M 39 / Southfield Road
Navigation decision point
6
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
4.1 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
M 39 / Southfield Road
Keep slight right at fork onto M 39 / Southfield Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
18.5 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Southfield Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Southfield Road
6
19.6 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
West 10 Mile Road
Turn left onto West 10 Mile Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.06 one way
$6.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.36 | $6.73 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.77 | $7.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.33 | $8.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 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 | 5.9 | 0 | $2.06 | $0.94 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Southfield, MI
Afternoon in Southfield on Tuesday
Local time
12:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
30m 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?
This route leans heavily into highway travel, with 71% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your journey on the Southfield Freeway, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 13.9 miles. While the drive starts on local roads like Dix Highway and Southfield Road, the transition to the freeway creates a consistent, fast-paced rhythm. Expect a predictable experience behind the wheel, as the route is designed for efficiency rather than leisure. It is a utilitarian stretch of asphalt that prioritizes speed over scenery, keeping your focus steady on the road ahead.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.9 mi on Southfield Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southfield Freeway and Southfield Road. You will hit about 5 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in near M 39 / Southfield Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 19.6 miles you will encounter 5 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 2.9 miles (M 39 / Southfield Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (M 39 / Southfield Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
684 ft
589 ft
Total Climb
97 ft
Total Descent
1 ft
Highest Point
684 ft
~19.6 mi in
Elevation Range
96 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Southgate, MI
Full guide →Southern Wayne County is a region in Wayne County in the state of Michigan.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 19.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.9 miles on Southfield Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Southfield, MI 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 2.9 miles (M 39 / Southfield Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (M 39 / Southfield Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Southfield, MI 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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