Trip from Macomb, MI to Tuscola, MI

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 47m

Distance

79.7 mi

128 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min

4 AM

1h 39m ★

6 AM

1h 47m

8 AM

2h 3m

10 AM

1h 53m

12 PM

1h 51m

3 PM

1h 53m

5 PM

2h 2m

8 PM

1h 42m

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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Tuscola, MI

cottonbro studio

Trip Overview

The drive from Macomb, MI to Tuscola, MI covers 79.7 miles and takes about 1h 47m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 69, South State Road, M 53 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.1 miles on I 69. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.46 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.

Midpoint

39.9 miles from Macomb, MI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 47m. Total distance: 79.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 47m drive with frequent turns across 79.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 69 is the longest continuous segment at about 23.1 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 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 7.3 miles in near 32 Mile Road.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 79.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 7.3 miles (32 Mile Road): Navigation decision point; at 9.2 miles (M 53): Navigation decision point; at 18.5 miles (M 53 / North Van Dyke Road): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

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

7.3 mi into trip | ~10m in | 32 Mile Road

Turn left onto 32 Mile Road

Navigation decision point

9.2 mi into trip | ~13m in | M 53

Turn right onto M 53

Navigation decision point

18.5 mi into trip | ~26m in | M 53 / North Van Dyke Road

Turn left onto M 53 / North Van Dyke Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

47.6 mi into trip | ~58m in

Take the exit toward M 15: Clarkston, Davison

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward M 15: Clarkston, Davison

48 mi into trip | ~59m in | M 15 / South State Road

Turn right onto M 15 / South State Road

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.

Between Macomb, MI and Tuscola, MI, road signs point toward M 15: Clarkston and Davison.

M 15: Clarkston

47.6 mi in | ~58m

Davison

47.6 mi in | ~58m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 69	23.1 mi	23m
South State Road	10.2 mi	15m
M 53	9.3 mi	13m
North State Road	7.6 mi	10m
Romeo Plank Road	7.2 mi	10m
State Road	5.7 mi	7m
North Van Dyke Road	5.6 mi	7m
Frankenmuth Road	4.5 mi	7m

Longest stretch: I 69 — 23.1 mi, about 23m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Macomb, MI and Tuscola, MI.

Start on this road

301 ft · 8 sec · this road

Continue on Romeo Plank Road

7.2 mi · 10 min · Romeo Plank Road

Turn left onto 32 Mile Road

2.0 mi · 2 min · 32 Mile Road

Turn right onto M 53

9.3 mi · 13 min · M 53

Turn left onto M 53

5.6 mi · 7 min · North Van Dyke Road

Use the straight lane.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 49 sec

Toward I 69 West: Flint

Merge onto I 69

23 mi · 23 min · I 69

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 55 sec

Toward M 15: Clarkston, Davison Use the slight right lane.

Turn right onto M 15

10 mi · 15 min · South State Road

Use the right lane.

Continue on M 15

0.5 mi · 45 sec · South State Street

Continue on M 15

7.6 mi · 10 min · North State Road

Continue on M 15

1.0 mi · 1 min · State Street

Continue on M 15

5.7 mi · 7 min · State Road

Continue on M 15

0.6 mi · 55 sec · Goodrich Street

At end of road, turn left onto M 15

0.2 mi · 24 sec · East Huron Avenue

Turn left onto South Main Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Main Street

Continue on Frankenmuth Road

2.9 mi · 5 min · Frankenmuth Road

Keep slight left at fork onto Frankenmuth Road

1.6 mi · 2 min · Frankenmuth Road

Keep slight left at fork onto Van Cleve Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · Van Cleve Road

Turn right onto 4th Street

44 ft · 2 sec · 4th Street

Arrive at destination

4th 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 39.9 miles from Macomb, MI, or about 50m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 23.1 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 18 miles or 25m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 39.9 miles or 50m 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 27m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tuscola, MI than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Macomb, MI so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Macomb, MI

This is one driving day of about 79.7 miles and 1h 47m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Macomb, MI.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

The longest stretch is on I 69 for about 23.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 39.9 mi from Macomb, MI · 50m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Davison, MI

40 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

Romeo, MI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Davison, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 39.9 miles from Macomb, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Tuscola, MI

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

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$12.46 one way

$24.92 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 28 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$13.68	$27.36
premium	$4.89	$15.34	$30.68
diesel	$5.61	$17.60	$35.19

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$37–$62

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 27.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	23.9	$8.37	$3.83
Efficient EV	19.9	$6.97	$3.19
EV Truck/SUV	31.9	$11.16	$5.10

Gas CO2

28 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (68% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Macomb, MI

Evening in Macomb on Thursday

Local time

7:40 PM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 7 to 12 mph 90% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 16 at 1:04PM EDT until April 20 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Marquette MI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 16 at 1:04PM EDT until April 22 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Marquette MI

Destination

Tuscola, MI

Evening in Tuscola on Thursday

Local time

7:40 PM

EDT

Current temp

42°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

31 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

1h 47m on the road

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Macomb, MI to Tuscola, MI covers 79.7 miles and takes about 1h 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 69, South State Road, M 53. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 39.9 miles from Macomb, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.46 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.