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Trip from Corona de Tucson, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ

Data updated 1 hour ago

Drive Time

2h 26m

Distance

131 mi

211 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$26

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 17m ★
6 AM
2h 27m
8 AM
2h 47m
10 AM
2h 34m
12 PM
2h 32m
3 PM
2h 35m
5 PM
2h 46m
8 PM
2h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Tempe Junction, AZ, AZ

Tempe Junction, AZ

Abhishek Navlakha

Trip Overview

The drive from Corona de Tucson, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 131 miles and takes about 2h 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Tucson-Benson Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.5 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.10 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

65.5 miles from Corona de Tucson, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 15m into the drive .

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Drive Character

Expect a 2h 26m drive with frequent turns across 131 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 54.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 32.3 miles in near I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 131 miles you will encounter 8 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 32.3 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 126.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 127.5 miles (South Priest Drive): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
32.3 mi into trip | ~41m in | I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
126.9 mi into trip | ~2h 18m in

Take the exit toward Baseline Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 155 Toward Baseline Road
6
127.5 mi into trip | ~2h 19m in | South Priest Drive

Turn left onto South Priest Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
129.5 mi into trip | ~2h 23m in | West Broadway Road

Turn right onto West Broadway Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
130.3 mi into trip | ~2h 25m in | South Roosevelt Street

Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway 54.5 mi 55m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway 38.1 mi 38m
Tucson-Benson Highway 14.6 mi 16m
South Houghton Road 6.9 mi 11m
South Freeway 6 mi 6m
Maricopa Freeway 5.8 mi 6m
South Priest Drive 2 mi 4m
West Broadway Road 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Casa Grande-Tucson Highway — 54.5 mi, about 55m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Corona de Tucson, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.

1

Start on East Sahuarita Road

0.2 mi · 43 sec · East Sahuarita Road
2

Continue on East Sahuarita Road

0.3 mi · 35 sec · East Sahuarita Road
3

Turn left onto South Houghton Road

6.9 mi · 11 min · South Houghton Road
4

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 58 sec
5

Merge onto I 10

15 mi · 16 min · Tucson-Benson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on I 10

6.0 mi · 6 min · South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on I 10

3.7 mi · 4 min · Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10

51 mi · 51 min · Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on I 10

38 mi · 38 min · Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on I 10

5.8 mi · 6 min · Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 45 sec
Exit 155 Toward Baseline Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Turn right onto West Baseline Road

0.2 mi · 34 sec · West Baseline Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
13

Turn left onto South Priest Drive

2.0 mi · 4 min · South Priest Drive
Use the left lane.
14

Turn right onto West Broadway Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · West Broadway Road
Use the right lane.
15

Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Roosevelt Street
Use the left lane.
16

At end of road, turn right onto West 13th Street

0.3 mi · 47 sec · West 13th Street
17

Arrive at destination

West 13th Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 65.5 miles from Corona de Tucson, AZ, or about 1h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.5 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 29m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 65.5 miles or 1h 15m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 57m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tempe Junction, AZ than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Corona de Tucson, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Corona de Tucson, AZ

This is one driving day of about 131 miles and 2h 26m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Corona de Tucson, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 54.5 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 65.5 mi from Corona de Tucson, AZ · 1h 15m into the drive

city in Pinal County, Arizona, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Casa Grande, AZ

66 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

Casa Grande, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Casa Grande, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 65.5 miles from Corona de Tucson, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Tempe Junction, AZ

The final approach into Tempe Junction, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Tempe Junction, AZ.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$26.10 one way

$52.19 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 46 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $27.62 $55.24
premium $5.59 $28.84 $57.67
diesel $5.61 $28.92 $57.85

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$26

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$51–$76

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 45.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 39.3 0 $13.75 $6.29
Efficient EV 32.8 0 $11.46 $5.24
EV Truck/SUV 52.4 0 $18.34 $8.38

Gas CO2

46 kg

EV CO2

15 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.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Corona de Tucson, AZ

Afternoon in Corona de Tucson on Wednesday

Local time

12:03 PM

MST

Current temp

86°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Tempe Junction, AZ

Afternoon in Tempe Junction on Wednesday

Local time

12:03 PM

MST

Current temp

90°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

4 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

2h 26m 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 Corona de Tucson, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 131 miles and takes about 2h 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Tucson-Benson Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 65.5 miles from Corona de Tucson, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $26.10 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 131 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 32.3 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 126.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 127.5 miles (South Priest Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Corona de Tucson, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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