Origin
Drexel Heights, AZ
Late night in Drexel Heights on Saturday
Local time
2:05 AM
MST
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Drexel Heights, AZ to Tucson, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
11 mi
18 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 19m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Drexel Heights, AZ
Quang Vuong
Tucson, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Drexel Heights to Tucson is 11 miles and takes about 20 minutes via West Irvington Road, West 22nd Street, and Nogales–Tucson Highway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick drive stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward local transit experience. Given its short distance and duration, this trip is ideal for a single-day excursion. Plan for a straightforward journey with minimal travel time, perfect for a quick errand or connecting to other nearby destinations.
About the Cities
Arriving in Tucson, AZ
Full guide →Tucson (TOO-sawn), also known as the "Old Pueblo", is the second-largest city in the state of Arizona and the county seat of Pima County in the Sonoran Desert. It is at a higher elevation than nearby Phoenix and is correspondingly cooler. Although with half a million residents it is smaller than the capital city, its cultural life is just as vibrant.
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 20m. Total distance: 11 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (11%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive with only 11% of the route on highways. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be 2.7 miles on West Irvington Road. This drive involves navigating through local streets, so be prepared for frequent turns and traffic signals. The road character is consistent, primarily serving as a connection within urban and suburban areas rather than a long-distance scenic route.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Irvington Road is the longest continuous segment at about 2.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Cardinal Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 20m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Cardinal Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (West Irvington Road): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Cardinal Avenue
Turn right onto South Cardinal Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
West Irvington Road
At end of road, turn right onto West Irvington Road
Navigation decision point
6
4 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 19 North: Phoenix, El Paso
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 19 North: Phoenix, El Paso
9
6.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 29th Street/22nd Street, Silverlake Road, Starr Pass Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 102
Toward 29th Street/22nd Street, Silverlake Road...
5
10 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
East Broadway Boulevard
Turn right onto East Broadway Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Drexel Heights, AZ to Tucson, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward El Paso along the way.
El Paso
4 mi in
|
~7m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Irvington Road | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| West 22nd Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Nogales–Tucson Highway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| South Cardinal Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East Broadway Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| South Freeway Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Kino Parkway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Campbell Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West Irvington Road
— 2.7 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Drexel Heights, AZ and Tucson, AZ.
1
Start on West Bilby Road
71 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Bilby Road
2
Turn right onto South Cardinal Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Cardinal Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto West Irvington Road
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
West Irvington Road
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 19 North: Phoenix, El Paso
5
Merge onto I 19
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Nogales–Tucson Highway
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 102
Toward 29th Street/22nd Street, Silverlake Road, Starr Pass Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
7
Continue on South Freeway Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Freeway Road
8
Turn right onto West 22nd Street
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West 22nd Street
9
Turn slight left
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
10
Turn straight onto South Kino Parkway
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Kino Parkway
11
Continue on South Campbell Avenue
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
South Campbell Avenue
12
Turn right onto East Broadway Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Broadway Boulevard
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto North Country Club Road
131 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Country Club Road
14
Arrive at destination
North Country Club Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.19 one way
$4.38 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $2.32 | $4.64 |
| premium | $5.59 | $2.42 | $4.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.43 | $4.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.53 |
| Efficient EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.96 | $0.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.54 | $0.70 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Tucson, AZ
Late night in Tucson on Saturday
Local time
2:05 AM
MST
Current temp
54°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
20m 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 Drexel Heights, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 11 miles and takes about 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Irvington Road, West 22nd Street, Nogales–Tucson Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 5.5 miles from Drexel Heights, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.19 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 straightforward 20m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Cardinal Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (West Irvington Road): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Drexel Heights, AZ to Tucson, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward El Paso along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Saguaro National Park.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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