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Trip from Sterling Heights, MI to Deerfield, MI

Data updated 2 hours ago

Drive Time

1h 44m

Distance

86.3 mi

139 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 37m ★
6 AM
1h 45m
8 AM
2h 0m
10 AM
1h 50m
12 PM
1h 48m
3 PM
1h 51m
5 PM
1h 59m
8 PM
1h 40m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Sterling Heights, MI, MI

Sterling Heights, MI

fish socks

Downtown Deerfield, MI, MI

Deerfield, MI

fish socks

Trip Overview

The drive from Sterling Heights, MI to Deerfield, MI covers 86.3 miles and takes about 1h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 23, Walter P Reuther Freeway, M 14 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28.7 miles on US 23. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.49 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

43.1 miles from Sterling Heights, MI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 53m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

The drive from Sterling Heights, MI to Deerfield, MI covers 86.3 miles and takes about 1h 44m, 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 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 23 is the longest continuous segment at about 28.7 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 7.5 miles in near Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 86.3 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 7.5 miles (Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 20 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
7.5 mi into trip | ~12m in | Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West

Keep slight right at fork onto Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West toward I 696 West: Lansing

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 696 West: Lansing
8
27.9 mi into trip | ~34m in

Take the exit toward I 96 East, I 275: Toledo

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 1 Toward I 96 East, I 275: Toledo
6
28.3 mi into trip | ~35m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 96 East, I 275: Toledo

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 96 East, I 275: Toledo
7
50 mi into trip | ~1h in

Take the exit toward US 23 South: Toledo

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 8 Toward US 23 South: Toledo
8
79.4 mi into trip | ~1h 32m in

Take the exit toward Ida, Petersburg

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 13 Toward Ida, Petersburg

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Sterling Heights, MI and Deerfield, MI, road signs point toward Port Huron, Toledo, M 14: Ann Arbor, Ida and Petersburg.

Port Huron

7.2 mi in | ~11m

Toledo

29.1 mi in | ~37m

M 14: Ann Arbor

35.3 mi in | ~44m

Ida

79.4 mi in | ~1h 32m

Petersburg

79.4 mi in | ~1h 32m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 23 28.7 mi 30m
Walter P Reuther Freeway 20 mi 21m
M 14 14.1 mi 15m
Mound Road 6.2 mi 10m
Disabled American Veterans Memorial Highway 5.8 mi 6m
Deerfield Road 2.8 mi 4m
Ida West Road 2.6 mi 4m
17 Mile Road 1 mi 1m
Longest stretch: US 23 — 28.7 mi, about 30m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sterling Heights, MI and Deerfield, MI.

1

Start on 17 Mile Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · 17 Mile Road
2

Turn right onto Mound Road

302 ft · 5 sec · Mound Road
3

Continue on Mound Road

6.0 mi · 9 min · Mound Road
Use the right lane.
4

Keep slight left at fork onto Mound Road

0.2 mi · 16 sec · Mound Road
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Toward I 696: Lansing, Port Huron
6

Keep slight right at fork onto Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West

0.4 mi · 50 sec · Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West
Toward I 696 West: Lansing Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto I 696

20 mi · 21 min · Walter P Reuther Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Exit 1 Toward I 96 East, I 275: Toledo Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward I 96 East, I 275: Toledo
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 22 sec
Toward I 96, I 275: Detroit, Toledo
11

Merge onto I 275; I 96

5.8 mi · 6 min · Disabled American Veterans Memorial Highway
12

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward M 14: Ann Arbor Use the slight right lane.
13

Merge onto M 14

14 mi · 15 min · M 14
14

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 41 sec
Exit 8 Toward US 23 South: Toledo Use the slight left lane.
15

Merge onto US 23

29 mi · 30 min · US 23
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 19 sec
Exit 13 Toward Ida, Petersburg Use the slight right lane.
17

Turn right onto Ida West Road

2.6 mi · 4 min · Ida West Road
18

Continue on Division Street

400 ft · 10 sec · Division Street
19

Turn right onto East Center Street

0.2 mi · 27 sec · East Center Street
20

Turn right onto Saline Street

343 ft · 12 sec · Saline Street
21

At end of road, turn left onto West Railroad Street

0.1 mi · 12 sec · West Railroad Street
22

Continue on Deerfield Road

2.8 mi · 4 min · Deerfield Road
23

Continue on East Keegan Street

0.5 mi · 58 sec · East Keegan Street
24

Turn left onto Carey Street

0.3 mi · 35 sec · Carey Street
25

At end of road, turn left onto East River Street

109 ft · 3 sec · East River Street
26

Arrive at destination

East River Street

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 43.1 miles from Sterling Heights, MI, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.7 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 33m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 43.1 miles or 53m 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 25m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Deerfield, MI than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Sterling Heights, MI 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 Sterling Heights, MI

This is one driving day of about 86.3 miles and 1h 44m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Sterling Heights, MI.
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 US 23 for about 28.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 43.1 mi from Sterling Heights, MI · 53m into the drive

charter township in Wayne County, Michigan, USA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Canton, MI

43 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

Toledo, OH

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Canton, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 43.1 miles from Sterling Heights, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Deerfield, MI

The final approach into Deerfield, MI 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 Deerfield, MI.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.49 one way

$26.98 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 30 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $14.81 $29.63
premium $4.89 $16.61 $33.22
diesel $5.61 $19.05 $38.11

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 30.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 25.9 0 $9.06 $4.14
Efficient EV 21.6 0 $7.55 $3.45
EV Truck/SUV 34.5 0 $12.08 $5.52

Gas CO2

30 kg

EV CO2

10 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.

Forecast data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

Sterling Heights, MI

Night in Sterling Heights on Tuesday

Local time

10:44 PM

EDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Deerfield, MI

Night in Deerfield on Tuesday

Local time

10:44 PM

EDT

Current temp

72°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

24 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 44m 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 Sterling Heights, MI to Deerfield, MI covers 86.3 miles and takes about 1h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 23, Walter P Reuther Freeway, M 14. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43.1 miles from Sterling Heights, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.49 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 20 significant decision points across 86.3 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 7.5 miles (Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Sterling Heights, MI and Deerfield, MI, road signs point toward Port Huron, Toledo, M 14: Ann Arbor, Ida and Petersburg.

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