Origin
Southfield, MI
Late night in Southfield on Saturday
Local time
1:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Southfield, MI to Auburn Hills, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
21.3 mi
34 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Southfield, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Auburn Hills, MI
fish socks
Trip Overview
The drive from Southfield, MI to Auburn Hills, MI covers 21.3 miles and takes about 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Telegraph Road, Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, John C Lodge Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.6 miles on Telegraph Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 21.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (40%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Southfield, MI to Auburn Hills, MI covers 21.3 miles and takes about 31m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Telegraph Road is the longest continuous segment at about 7.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 21.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.3 miles (US 24 BUS / Franklin Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.4 miles (US 24 BUS / West Square Lake Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
3.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward US 24 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 18A
Toward US 24 North
6
11.3 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 24 BUS / Franklin Road
Keep slight right at fork onto US 24 BUS / Franklin Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
11.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 24 BUS / West Square Lake Road
Turn right onto US 24 BUS / West Square Lake Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
14.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
BL I 75
Keep slight left at fork onto BL I 75 toward I 75 North: Flint
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 75 North: Flint
7
19.9 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward M 24: Lapeer
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 81
Toward M 24: Lapeer
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Southfield, MI and Auburn Hills, MI, road signs point toward M 10 North and M 24: Lapeer.
M 10 North
1.2 mi in
|
~2m
M 24: Lapeer
19.9 mi in
|
~27m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Telegraph Road | 7.6 mi | 11m |
| Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| John C Lodge Freeway | 2 mi | 2m |
| East Square Lake Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| West Square Lake Road | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| West 10 Mile Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| BL I 75 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| I 75 BL | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Telegraph Road
— 7.6 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Southfield, MI and Auburn Hills, MI.
1
Start on West 10 Mile Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West 10 Mile Road
2
Turn right onto Northwestern Highway
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Northwestern Highway
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward M 10 North
4
Merge onto M 10
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
John C Lodge Freeway
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 18A
Toward US 24 North
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto US 24
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Telegraph Road
Use the right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 24 BUS
450 ft
·
11 sec
·
Franklin Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn right onto US 24 BUS
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
West Square Lake Road
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on I 75 BL; US 24 BUS
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
East Square Lake Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto BL I 75
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
BL I 75
Toward I 75 North: Flint
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 75
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 81
Toward M 24: Lapeer
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on I 75 BL
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
I 75 BL
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 75 BL
0.6 mi
·
57 sec
·
I 75 BL
Toward I 75 Business South: Pontiac
15
Turn left
88 ft
·
3 sec
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left
154 ft
·
7 sec
17
Continue on Shimmons Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Shimmons Road
18
Arrive at destination
Shimmons Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.33 one way
$6.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.66 | $7.31 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.10 | $8.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.70 | $9.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.5 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 | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.86 | $0.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
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
Auburn Hills, MI
Late night in Auburn Hills on Saturday
Local time
1:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
22 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
31m 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 Southfield, MI to Auburn Hills, MI covers 21.3 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Telegraph Road, Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, John C Lodge Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.6 miles from Southfield, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.33 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 14 decision points packed into just 21.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.3 miles (US 24 BUS / Franklin Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.4 miles (US 24 BUS / West Square Lake Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Between Southfield, MI and Auburn Hills, MI, road signs point toward M 10 North and M 24: Lapeer.
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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