Origin
Alhambra, AZ
Evening in Alhambra on Thursday
Local time
8:06 PM
MST
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alhambra, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
23m
Distance
16 mi
26 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 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alhambra, AZ
David Vives
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
The drive from Alhambra, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 16 miles and takes about 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Maricopa Freeway, Black Canyon Freeway, East Broadway Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.3 miles on Maricopa Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.19 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 16 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m 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.
Drive Character
This is a 23m highway drive covering 16 miles, with most of the trip on Maricopa Freeway and Black Canyon Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 7.3 miles on Maricopa Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Maricopa Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 7.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Maricopa Freeway and Black Canyon Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near US 60 / West Thomas Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 11 decision points packed into just 16 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (US 60 / West Thomas Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 13 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 60 / West Thomas Road
Turn left onto US 60 / West Thomas Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / slight left lanes.
8
13 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward AZ 143: 48th Street, Broadway Road
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 153
Toward AZ 143: 48th Street, Broadway Road
7
13.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
13.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
15.2 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
South Roosevelt Street
Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maricopa Freeway | 7.3 mi | 8m |
| Black Canyon Freeway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| East Broadway Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| US 60 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Roosevelt Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West 13th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Black Canyon Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Maricopa Freeway
— 7.3 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alhambra, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on North 35th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North 35th Avenue
2
Turn left onto US 60
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Avenue
3
Take the exit onto US 60
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 60
Toward 27th Avenue
4
Turn left onto US 60
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Thomas Road
Use the left / slight left lanes.
5
Turn right onto US 60
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Black Canyon Highway
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 17 South
7
Merge onto I 17; US 60
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 17; US 60
7.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 153
Toward AZ 143: 48th Street, Broadway Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
501 ft
·
12 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on Maricopa Freeway
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Maricopa Freeway
13
Turn left onto East Broadway Road
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
East Broadway Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Roosevelt Street
Use the left lane.
15
At end of road, turn right onto West 13th Street
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
West 13th Street
16
Arrive at destination
West 13th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.19 one way
$6.37 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $3.37 | $6.75 |
| premium | $5.59 | $3.52 | $7.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.53 | $7.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.68 | $0.77 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.40 | $0.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Tempe Junction, AZ
Evening in Tempe Junction on Thursday
Local time
8:06 PM
MST
Current temp
90°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
31 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
23m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Alhambra, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 16 miles and takes about 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Maricopa Freeway, Black Canyon Freeway, East Broadway Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8 miles from Alhambra, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.19 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 16 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (US 60 / West Thomas Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 13 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Alhambra, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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