Origin
Madison Heights, MI
Night in Madison Heights on Wednesday
Local time
11:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Madison Heights, MI to City of Auburn Hills, MI
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
25m
Distance
19.1 mi
31 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Madison Heights, MI
Josh Sorenson
Trip Overview
The drive from Madison Heights, MI to City of Auburn Hills, MI covers 19.1 miles and takes about 25m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, North Opdyke Road, West 11 Mile Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.8 miles on North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.99 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
This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.
Midpoint
9.6 miles from Madison Heights, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 11m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 25m highway drive covering 19.1 miles, with most of the trip on North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and North Opdyke Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 15.8 miles on North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 15.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and North Opdyke Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near West 11 Mile Road.
Route Complexity
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 19.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (West 11 Mile Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (Stephenson Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West 11 Mile Road
Turn left onto West 11 Mile Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Stephenson Highway
Turn right onto Stephenson Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
17.1 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward University Drive, Rochester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 79
Toward University Drive, Rochester
8
17.4 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight right at fork toward University Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 79
Toward University Drive
8
17.7 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Pontiac
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Pontiac
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Madison Heights, MI and City of Auburn Hills, MI, road signs point toward Rochester and Pontiac.
Rochester
17.1 mi in
|
~19m
Pontiac
17.7 mi in
|
~21m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 15.8 mi | 16m |
| North Opdyke Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West 11 Mile Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| University Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| John R Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Stephenson Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Cowan Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
— 15.8 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Madison Heights, MI and City of Auburn Hills, MI.
1
Start on West Cowan Avenue
24 ft
·
6 sec
·
West Cowan Avenue
2
Turn left onto John R Road
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
John R Road
3
Turn left onto West 11 Mile Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West 11 Mile Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Stephenson Highway
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Stephenson Highway
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 75 North
6
Merge onto I 75
16 mi
·
16 min
·
North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 79
Toward University Drive, Rochester
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 79
Toward University Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward Pontiac
Use the slight left lane.
10
Turn straight onto University Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
University Drive
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn sharp right onto North Opdyke Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Opdyke Road
12
Turn right
371 ft
·
32 sec
13
Turn left
58 ft
·
9 sec
14
Turn left
45 ft
·
3 sec
15
Arrive at destination
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 9.6 miles from Madison Heights, MI, or about 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 15.8 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 19 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 9.6 miles or 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Auburn Hills, MI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Have your navigation ready before leaving Madison Heights, MI.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Madison Heights, MI
This is one driving day of about 19.1 miles and 25m.
At 19.1 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway for about 15.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 9.6 mi from Madison Heights, MI · 11m into the drive
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 9.6 miles from Madison Heights, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in City of Auburn Hills, MI
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into City of Auburn Hills, MI if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.99 one way
$5.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.28 | $6.56 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.68 | $7.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.22 | $8.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$28–$53
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.7 | 0 | $2.01 | $0.92 |
| Efficient EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.67 | $0.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.67 | $1.22 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
City of Auburn Hills, MI
Night in City of Auburn Hills on Wednesday
Local time
11:04 PM
EDT
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
5 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
25m 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 Madison Heights, MI to City of Auburn Hills, MI covers 19.1 miles and takes about 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, North Opdyke Road, West 11 Mile Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.6 miles from Madison Heights, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.99 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 short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 19.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (West 11 Mile Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (Stephenson Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Madison Heights, MI and City of Auburn Hills, MI, road signs point toward Rochester and Pontiac.
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