Origin
Rochester Hills, MI
Morning in Rochester Hills on Saturday
Local time
7:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rochester Hills, MI to Dearborn, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
29.9 mi
48 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rochester Hills, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Dearborn, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Dearborn, MI covers 29.9 miles and takes about 42m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, Edsel Ford Freeway, South Rochester Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.3 miles on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.67 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 29.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 42m highway drive covering 29.9 miles, with most of the trip on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and Edsel Ford Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 14.3 miles on 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 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 14.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and Edsel Ford Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Downhill Lane.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 29.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Downhill Lane): Navigation decision point; at 22.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Downhill Lane
At end of road, turn right onto Downhill Lane
Navigation decision point
8
22.6 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward I 94: Port Huron, Chicago
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 53B
Toward I 94: Port Huron, Chicago
8
22.9 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 West: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 94 West: Chicago
8
28.8 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward US 12: Michigan Avenue, Dearborn
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 210A
Toward US 12: Michigan Avenue, Dearborn
6
29.2 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
US 12 / Michigan Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto US 12 / Michigan Avenue
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.
On the drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Dearborn, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago along the way.
Chicago
22.6 mi in
|
~30m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 14.3 mi | 15m |
| Edsel Ford Freeway | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| South Rochester Road | 5.3 mi | 9m |
| South Livernois Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Auburn Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Michigan Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Dickson Lane | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Downhill Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
— 14.3 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rochester Hills, MI and Dearborn, MI.
1
Start on Dickson Lane
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Dickson Lane
2
At end of road, turn right onto Downhill Lane
378 ft
·
18 sec
·
Downhill Lane
3
Turn right onto Dressler Lane
196 ft
·
14 sec
·
Dressler Lane
4
Turn left onto South Livernois Road
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
South Livernois Road
5
Enter roundabout onto South Livernois Road
115 ft
·
2 sec
·
South Livernois Road
6
Continue on South Livernois Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
South Livernois Road
7
Turn left onto West Auburn Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West Auburn Road
8
Turn right onto M 150
5.3 mi
·
9 min
·
South Rochester Road
Use the right lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 75 South: Detroit
10
Merge onto I 75
14 mi
·
15 min
·
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 53B
Toward I 94: Port Huron, Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 94 West: Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto I 94
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Edsel Ford Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 210A
Toward US 12: Michigan Avenue, Dearborn
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
At end of road, turn right onto US 12
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Michigan Avenue
Use the right lane.
16
Arrive at destination
US 12
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.67 one way
$9.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.13 | $10.26 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.75 | $11.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.60 | $13.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 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 | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.62 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.91 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Dearborn, MI
Morning in Dearborn on Saturday
Local time
7:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
14 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
42m 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 Dearborn, MI covers 29.9 miles and takes about 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, Edsel Ford Freeway, South Rochester 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 15 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 $4.67 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 29.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Downhill Lane): Navigation decision point; at 22.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Dearborn, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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