Trip from Griffith, IN to Portage, IN

Q: How long is the trip from Griffith, IN to Portage, IN?

The drive from Griffith, IN to Portage, IN covers 15.9 miles and takes about 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are Central Avenue, Borman Expressway, North Colfax Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 7.9 miles from Griffith, IN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.49 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Q: What towns show up on signs driving from Griffith, IN to Portage, IN?

The route from Griffith, IN to Portage, IN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

30m

Distance

15.9 mi

26 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min

4 AM

0h 27m ★

6 AM

0h 30m

8 AM

0h 35m

10 AM

0h 32m

12 PM

0h 31m

3 PM

0h 32m

5 PM

0h 35m

8 PM

0h 28m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Trip Overview

This short, 15.9-mile drive from Griffith to Portage, Indiana, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 30 minutes. You'll primarily navigate via Central Avenue, the Borman Expressway, and North Colfax Street, with about 30% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $2, making this an economical option for a quick hop within the Midwest region. Given its brevity, this route is perfect for a spontaneous outing or a brief leg of a larger Indiana adventure. It offers a straightforward transition between two similar Midwestern locales.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 15.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

30m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (30%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a mixed driving experience on this route, blending highway speeds with more local road conditions. With 30% of the drive on highways, you'll encounter some faster-paced stretches, but the majority is on surface streets. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll experience is 5.7 miles along Central Avenue, offering a chance to settle into a consistent rhythm before transitioning. This blend means you'll need to be adaptable to changing speed limits and traffic patterns throughout the 30-minute trip.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Central Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 5.7 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 early in the drive near North Wood Street.

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 10 decision points packed into just 15.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Wood Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (Burr Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

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

4

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Wood Street

Turn left onto North Wood Street

Navigation decision point

6

2.5 mi into trip | ~6m in | Burr Street

Turn left onto Burr Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

7

8.9 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the exit toward I 65 North: Central Avenue

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 12-13 Toward I 65 North: Central Avenue

6

9.2 mi into trip | ~16m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit, Central Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit...

8

9.9 mi into trip | ~17m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Central Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 13 Toward Central Avenue

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Central Avenue	5.7 mi	11m
Borman Expressway	4.7 mi	6m
North Colfax Street	1.4 mi	3m
Burr Street	1.3 mi	2m
West Ridge Road	0.5 mi	1m
East Elm Street	0.5 mi	1m
North Wood Street	0.1 mi	<1m
East Miller Street	<0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: Central Avenue — 5.7 mi, about 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Griffith, IN and Portage, IN.

1

Start on East Miller Street

232 ft · 15 sec · East Miller Street

2

Turn left onto North Wood Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · North Wood Street

3

Turn right onto East Elm Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · East Elm Street

4

Turn left onto North Colfax Street

1.4 mi · 3 min · North Colfax Street

5

Turn right onto US 6 Business

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Ridge Road

6

Turn left onto Burr Street

1.3 mi · 2 min · Burr Street

Use the left lane.

7

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 45 sec

Toward I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit

8

Merge onto I 80; I 94; US 6

4.7 mi · 6 min · Borman Expressway

9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 30 sec

Exit 12-13 Toward I 65 North: Central Avenue Use the slight right lane.

10

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 55 sec

Toward I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit, Central Avenue

11

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 37 sec

Exit 13 Toward Central Avenue Use the slight right lane.

12

Turn right onto Central Avenue

4.3 mi · 8 min · Central Avenue

13

Continue on Central Avenue

1.4 mi · 3 min · Central Avenue

14

Arrive at destination

Central Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.49 one way

$4.97 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$2.73	$5.46
premium	$4.89	$3.06	$6.12
diesel	$5.61	$3.51	$7.02

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

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	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	4.8	$1.67	$0.76
Efficient EV	4	$1.39	$0.64
EV Truck/SUV	6.4	$2.23	$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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Griffith, IN

Evening in Griffith on Thursday

Local time

5:09 PM

CDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Portage, IN

Evening in Portage on Thursday

Local time

5:09 PM

CDT

Current temp

50°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

21 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

30m 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