Origin
Rochester Hills, MI
Afternoon in Rochester Hills on Thursday
Local time
2:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rochester Hills, MI to Chelsea, MI
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
67.8 mi
109 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rochester Hills, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Chelsea, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Chelsea, MI covers 67.8 miles and takes about 1h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Downhill Lane, Dressler Lane, South Livernois Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.60 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 67.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 28m drive with frequent turns across 67.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 36 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Downhill Lane is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Chelsea, MI is easy. At 1h 28m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Chelsea, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Downhill Lane | — | — |
| Dressler Lane | — | — |
| South Livernois Road | — | — |
| West Hamlin Road | — | — |
| Crooks Road | — | — |
| M 59 West | — | — |
| I 75 South | — | — |
| I 75 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Downhill Lane
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rochester Hills, MI and Chelsea, MI.
1
Start on Dickson Lane
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Dickson Lane
2
At the end of the road, turn right onto Downhill Lane
377 ft
·
18 sec
·
Downhill Lane
3
Turn right onto Dressler Lane
197 ft
·
14 sec
·
Dressler Lane
4
Turn left onto South Livernois Road
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
South Livernois Road
5
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward West Hamlin Road
16 ft
·
West Hamlin Road
6
Exit the roundabout onto West Hamlin Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West Hamlin Road
7
Turn left onto Crooks Road
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Crooks Road
8
Take the ramp right toward M 59 West: Pontiac
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
M 59 West: Pontiac
9
Merge slight left
3.0 mi
·
3 min
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 75 South: Detroit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
I 75 South: Detroit
11
Merge slight left
1.6 mi
·
1 min
12
Take the exit slight right toward I 75 Business
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
I 75 Business
13
Continue straight
1.5 mi
·
2 min
14
Continue on West Square Lake Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
West Square Lake Road
15
Merge slight left onto South Telegraph Road
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
South Telegraph Road
16
Take the exit left
138 ft
·
13 sec
17
Turn sharp left onto South Telegraph Road
7.7 mi
·
12 min
·
South Telegraph Road
18
Take the exit slight right toward I 696 West, M 10 North: Lansing, Northwestern Highway
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
I 696 West, M 10 North: Lansing, Northwestern Highway
19
Keep slight left to continue on I 696 West: Lansing
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
I 696 West: Lansing
20
Merge slight left onto Walter P Reuther Freeway
6.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Walter P Reuther Freeway
21
Take the exit slight right toward I 96 East, I 275: Toledo
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 96 East, I 275: Toledo
22
Keep slight left to continue on I 96 East, I 275: Toledo
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 96 East, I 275: Toledo
23
Keep slight left to continue on I 96, I 275: Detroit, Toledo
0.4 mi
·
23 sec
·
I 96, I 275: Detroit, Toledo
24
Merge slight right onto Disabled American Veterans Memorial Highway
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Disabled American Veterans Memorial Highway
25
Take the exit slight right toward M 14: Ann Arbor
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
M 14: Ann Arbor
26
Merge slight left
17 mi
·
17 min
27
Keep slight left to continue on M 14: Ann Arbor
5.4 mi
·
5 min
·
M 14: Ann Arbor
28
Merge slight left onto I 94 West: Chicago
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
I 94 West: Chicago
29
Take the exit slight right toward Jackson Road, Old US-12
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
Jackson Road, Old US-12
30
Turn right onto East Old US Highway 12
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East Old US Highway 12
31
Turn right onto South Main Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
32
Turn left
171 ft
·
13 sec
33
Keep slight left
23 ft
·
2 sec
34
Turn right
102 ft
·
8 sec
35
Turn slight left
144 ft
·
11 sec
36
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 33.9 mi from Rochester Hills, MI · 44m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.9 miles from Rochester Hills, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Chelsea, MI
The final approach into Chelsea, 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
$10.60 one way
$21.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.64 | $23.28 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.05 | $26.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.97 | $29.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.12 | $3.25 |
| Efficient EV | 17 | 0 | $5.93 | $2.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.1 | 0 | $9.49 | $4.34 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Chelsea, MI
Afternoon in Chelsea on Thursday
Local time
2:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°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
18 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
1h 28m 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 Rochester Hills, MI to Chelsea, MI covers 67.8 miles and takes about 1h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Downhill Lane, Dressler Lane, South Livernois Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33.9 miles from Rochester Hills, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.60 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.
The drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Chelsea, MI is easy. At 1h 28m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Chelsea, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Rochester Hills, MI to Chelsea, MI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Chelsea, MI
More trips to Chelsea, MI
Explore more options from Rochester Hills, MI or browse trips ending in Chelsea, MI.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MI road trips.
Explore maps for Rochester Hills, MI or Chelsea, MI on MapSof.net.