Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
28.5 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grand Rapids, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Beechwood, MI
fish socks
The drive from Grand Rapids, MI to Beechwood, MI covers 28.5 miles and takes about 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Gerald R Ford Freeway, Byron Road, East Lakewood Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.5 miles on Gerald R Ford Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.46 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 28.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This is a 39m highway drive covering 28.5 miles, with most of the trip on Gerald R Ford Freeway and Byron Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 17.5 miles on Gerald R Ford Freeway.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
165 ft
Total Descent
170 ft
Highest Point
741 ft
~18.3 mi in
Elevation Range
135 ft
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Gerald R Ford Freeway and Byron Road. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Market Avenue Southwest.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 28.5 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.3 miles (Market Avenue Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 20.4 miles (I 196 BL): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left onto Market Avenue Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 196 West: Holland
Navigation decision point
Take the exit onto I 196 BL toward BL I 196: Zeeland, Holland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 196 BL
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Turn right onto 112th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Grand Rapids, MI and Beechwood, MI, road signs point toward Bl I 196: Zeeland and Holland.
Bl I 196: Zeeland
Holland
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Gerald R Ford Freeway | 17.5 mi | 18m |
| Byron Road | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| East Lakewood Boulevard | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Market Avenue Southwest | 2.5 mi | 5m |
| Douglas Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| I 196 BL | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Fulton Street West | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Howard Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Grand Rapids, MI and Beechwood, MI.
Start on Fulton Street West
Turn left onto Market Avenue Southwest
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 196
Take the exit onto I 196 BL
Keep slight left at fork onto I 196 BL
Turn right onto I 196 BL
Turn right onto 112th Avenue
Turn left onto East Lakewood Boulevard
Continue on Howard Avenue
Continue on Douglas Avenue
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$4.46 one way
$8.91 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.89 | $9.78 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.48 | $10.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.29 | $12.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 10 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.99 | $1.37 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.99 | $1.82 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Grand Rapids on Saturday
Local time
1:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Beechwood on Saturday
Local time
1:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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