Origin
Sun City West, AZ
Late night in Sun City West on Sunday
Local time
3:33 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sun City West, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
39.4 mi
63 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sun City West, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
Sun City West to Tempe Junction is 39.4 miles and takes about 56 minutes via Papago Freeway and Agua Fria Freeway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This relatively short trip stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, making it a straightforward drive. You'll primarily be on well-traveled freeways, so expect consistent traffic and a practical, no-frills experience. This route is ideal for a quick relocation or a short day trip without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Papago Freeway | 11.9 mi | 13m |
| Agua Fria Freeway | 8.9 mi | 10m |
| Grand Avenue | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| Red Mountain Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| North R H Johnson Boulevard | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West University Drive | 1 mi | 1m |
| North 133rd Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Priest Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Papago Freeway
— 11.9 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sun City West, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on West Marble Drive
257 ft
·
14 sec
·
West Marble Drive
2
Turn left onto North Camino Del Sol
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
North Camino Del Sol
3
Turn left onto North 133rd Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North 133rd Avenue
4
Turn left onto North R H Johnson Boulevard
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North R H Johnson Boulevard
5
Turn right onto West Bell Road
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Bell Road
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto North Dysart Road
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
North Dysart Road
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on North Dysart Road
336 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Dysart Road
8
Turn left onto US 60
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop South
10
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
8.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Agua Fria Freeway
Use the straight / left lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1B
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 10
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
14
Continue on I 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit onto Red Mountain Freeway
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147
Toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
17
Keep slight left at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 6
Toward Priest Drive, Center Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on Red Mountain Freeeway
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeeway
Toward Center Parkway, Priest Drive
20
Turn right onto North Priest Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Priest Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Continue on South Priest Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Priest Drive
Use the left lane.
22
Turn left onto West University Drive
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West University Drive
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto South Farmer Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Farmer Avenue
24
At end of road, turn left onto West 13th Street
236 ft
·
8 sec
·
West 13th Street
25
Arrive at destination
West 13th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.7 miles from Sun City West, AZ, 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 195 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 36.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
West Bell Road
Turn right onto West Bell Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
17.8 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
8
31.1 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Take the exit onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 147
Toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
8
31.5 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 202 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
8
36.4 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward Priest Drive, Center Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6
Toward Priest Drive, Center Parkway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.85 one way
$15.70 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $8.31 | $16.61 |
| premium | $5.59 | $8.67 | $17.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.70 | $17.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.14 | $1.89 |
| Efficient EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.45 | $1.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.52 | $2.52 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Tempe Junction, AZ
Late night in Tempe Junction on Sunday
Local time
3:33 AM
MST
Current temp
89°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
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
56m 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 drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 66% of the journey utilizing freeway conditions. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of 11.9 miles on the Papago Freeway. The route transitions from the Agua Fria Freeway onto Grand Avenue, offering a mix of high-speed travel and surface street driving as you approach your destination. Expect a functional commute rather than a scenic tour, with the character of the road remaining largely consistent throughout.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.9 mi on Papago Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Papago Freeway and Agua Fria Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near West Bell Road.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 19 decision points packed into just 39.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (West Bell Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.1 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Sun City West, AZ
Full guide →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 56m. Total distance: 39.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.9 miles on Papago 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 Tempe Junction, AZ 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 2.2 miles (West Bell Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.1 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tempe Junction, AZ 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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