Origin
South Tucson, AZ
Late night in South Tucson on Monday
Local time
5:56 AM
MST
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Tucson, AZ to Avondale, AZ
Drive Time
2h 23m
Distance
129.5 mi
208 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$26
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 13m
★
6 AM
2h 23m
8 AM
2h 43m
10 AM
2h 30m
12 PM
2h 28m
3 PM
2h 31m
5 PM
2h 42m
8 PM
2h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Tucson, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Avondale, AZ
Atlantic Ambience
Trip Overview
The drive from South Tucson, AZ to Avondale, AZ covers 129.5 miles and takes about 2h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.5 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $25.77 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
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
64.8 miles from South Tucson, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 8m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 23m drive with frequent turns across 129.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 54.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in near I 10 / South Freeway.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 129.5 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (I 10 / South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 98.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 10 / South Freeway
Merge onto I 10 / South Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
9.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
98.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 42m in
Take the exit toward AZ 202 Loop
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A-B
Toward AZ 202 Loop
8
98.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 42m in
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 202 Loop West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 161A
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
7
119.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 7m in
Take the exit toward Buckeye Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 76
Toward Buckeye Road
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.5 mi | 55m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 38.1 mi | 38m |
| Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway | 19.6 mi | 22m |
| West Buckeye Road | 8.9 mi | 13m |
| South Freeway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| West 22nd Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| South 6th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Western Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.5 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Tucson, AZ and Avondale, AZ.
1
Start on US 80 Hist
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South 6th Avenue
2
Turn left onto West 22nd Street
0.6 mi
·
54 sec
·
West 22nd Street
3
Turn right onto South Freeway Road
363 ft
·
11 sec
·
South Freeway Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 10 West
5
Merge onto I 10
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 10
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
51 mi
·
51 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
38 mi
·
38 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 161A-B
Toward AZ 202 Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Exit 161A
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 76
Toward Buckeye Road
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on South 59th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
South 59th Avenue
14
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
8.9 mi
·
13 min
·
West Buckeye Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
15
Turn slight right
363 ft
·
13 sec
Toward South Dysart Road
16
Turn straight onto South Dysart Road
300 ft
·
9 sec
·
South Dysart Road
17
Turn left onto East Western Avenue
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
East Western Avenue
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right onto North Central Avenue
89 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Central Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn right
27 ft
·
1 sec
20
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 64.8 miles from South Tucson, AZ, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.5 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 80 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 64.8 miles or 1h 8m 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 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Avondale, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving South Tucson, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from South Tucson, AZ
This is one driving day of about 129.5 miles and 2h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from South Tucson, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 54.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 64.8 mi from South Tucson, AZ · 1h 8m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
65 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 64.8 miles from South Tucson, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Avondale, AZ
The final approach into Avondale, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Avondale, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.77 one way
$51.55 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
45 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.34 | $27.22 | $54.43 |
| premium | $5.59 | $28.48 | $56.97 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $28.77 | $57.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 38.9 | 0 | $13.60 | $6.22 |
| Efficient EV | 32.4 | 0 | $11.33 | $5.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 51.8 | 0 | $18.13 | $8.29 |
Gas CO2
45 kg
EV CO2
15 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
Avondale, AZ
Late night in Avondale on Monday
Local time
5:56 AM
MST
Current temp
57°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
3 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
2h 23m 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 South Tucson, AZ to Avondale, AZ covers 129.5 miles and takes about 2h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 64.8 miles from South Tucson, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $25.77 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 demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 129.5 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (I 10 / South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 98.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from South Tucson, AZ to Avondale, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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