Origin
Carleton, MI
Morning in Carleton on Friday
Local time
10:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carleton, MI to Detroit, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
30.1 mi
48 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carleton, MI
TBD Tuyên
Trip Overview
This straightforward 30.1-mile drive from Carleton to Detroit, Michigan, is easily manageable within a single day, taking approximately 44 minutes. The journey primarily utilizes Fisher Freeway and Telegraph Road, with a portion on East Newburg Road. Given the short distance and duration, it's a perfect option for a quick trip without needing an overnight stay. You can expect a fuel cost of around $5 for this route. This is a classic Midwest drive, connecting two points within the same vibrant region.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 30.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The road character here is a mixed drive, with 53% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 14.9 miles along Fisher Freeway, offering a taste of faster-paced travel. The drive transitions between these main arteries and potentially more local road segments, creating a varied driving experience. It's not a purely monotonous interstate journey, but rather a blend that reflects typical Midwestern travel corridors.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Fisher Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 14.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.6 miles in near US 24 Connector / Dix-Toledo Highway.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 30.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 10.6 miles (US 24 Connector / Dix-Toledo Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 25.1 miles (I 75 / Fisher Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
10.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
US 24 Connector / Dix-Toledo Highway
Turn right onto US 24 Connector / Dix-Toledo Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
12.7 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the ramp toward I 75 North: Detroit
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 75 North: Detroit
6
25.1 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
I 75 / Fisher Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75 / Fisher Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
29 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward Grand River Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 50
Toward Grand River Avenue
7
30 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
Woodward Avenue
Turn right onto Woodward Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Fisher Freeway | 14.9 mi | 17m |
| Telegraph Road | 4.8 mi | 8m |
| East Newburg Road | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Dix-Toledo Highway | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Briar Hill Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Detroit-Toledo Expressway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Carleton-Rockwood Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Monroe Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Fisher Freeway
— 14.9 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carleton, MI and Detroit, MI.
1
Start on Monroe Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Monroe Street
2
Turn left onto Grafton Road
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Grafton Road
3
Turn right onto Carleton-Rockwood Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Carleton-Rockwood Road
4
Continue on Carlton Rockwood Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Carlton Rockwood Road
5
Turn left onto Briar Hill Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Briar Hill Road
6
Turn right onto East Newburg Road
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
East Newburg Road
7
At end of road, turn left onto US 24
4.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Telegraph Road
8
Turn right onto US 24 Connector
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Dix-Toledo Highway
Use the right lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 75 North: Detroit
Use the left lane.
10
Merge onto I 75
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Detroit-Toledo Expressway
11
Continue on I 75
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Fisher Freeway
Toward I 75
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Fisher Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 50
Toward Grand River Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
14
Continue on Fisher Drive West
442 ft
·
16 sec
·
Fisher Drive West
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn right onto M 5
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand River Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto Griswold Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Griswold Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn left onto Michigan Avenue
341 ft
·
15 sec
·
Michigan Avenue
18
Turn right onto Woodward Avenue
179 ft
·
6 sec
·
Woodward Avenue
Use the right lane.
19
Continue on Woodward Avenue
124 ft
·
8 sec
·
Woodward Avenue
20
Continue on Woodward Avenue
231 ft
·
14 sec
·
Woodward Avenue
21
Turn right onto Cadillac Square
126 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cadillac Square
22
Arrive at destination
Cadillac Square
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.71 one way
$9.41 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.17 | $10.33 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.79 | $11.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.65 | $13.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.16 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.21 | $1.93 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Detroit, MI
Morning in Detroit on Friday
Local time
10:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
16 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
44m 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 Carleton, MI to Detroit, MI covers 30.1 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Fisher Freeway, Telegraph Road, East Newburg Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15 miles from Carleton, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.71 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 17 decision points packed into just 30.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
The main spots that need attention: at 10.6 miles (US 24 Connector / Dix-Toledo Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 25.1 miles (I 75 / Fisher Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Carleton, MI to Detroit, MI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Detroit, MI
More from Carleton, MI
More trips to Detroit, MI
Explore more options from Carleton, MI or browse trips ending in Detroit, MI.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MI road trips.