Trip from Sterling Heights, MI to Lowell, MI

Drive Time

2h 42m

Distance

142.9 mi

230 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$22

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min

4 AM

2h 32m ★

6 AM

2h 42m

8 AM

3h 4m

10 AM

2h 50m

12 PM

2h 48m

3 PM

2h 51m

5 PM

3h 2m

8 PM

2h 36m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Sterling Heights, MI

fish socks

Lowell, MI

fish socks

Trip Overview

The drive from Sterling Heights, MI to Lowell, MI covers 142.9 miles and takes about 2h 42m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Mound Road, I 696, I-696 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.71 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

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

71.5 miles from Sterling Heights, MI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 21m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 42m drive with frequent turns across 142.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Mound Road 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.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Sterling Heights, MI to Lowell, MI is easy. At 2h 42m 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 Sterling Heights, MI to Lowell, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Mound Road	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 696	Unavailable	Refreshing
I-696 West	Unavailable	Refreshing
Walter P Reuther Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 96 West	Unavailable	Refreshing
Clarksville	Unavailable	Refreshing
Nash Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing
Grand River Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Mound Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

Start on 17 Mile Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · 17 Mile Road

Turn right onto Mound Road

302 ft · 5 sec · Mound Road

Continue on Mound Road

6.0 mi · 9 min · Mound Road

Keep slight left to continue on Mound Road

0.2 mi · 16 sec · Mound Road

Take the ramp straight toward I 696: Lansing, Port Huron

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

Keep slight right to continue on Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West

0.4 mi · 51 sec · Southbound Mound Road to I-696 West

Merge slight left onto Walter P Reuther Freeway

22 mi · 23 min · Walter P Reuther Freeway

Merge slight right

18 mi · 19 min

Keep slight left

55 mi · 58 min

Keep slight left to continue on I 96 West: Grand Rapids

32 mi · 34 min · I 96 West: Grand Rapids

Take the exit slight right toward Clarksville

0.4 mi · 49 sec · Clarksville

Turn right onto Nash Highway

0.4 mi · 39 sec · Nash Highway

Turn left onto Grand River Avenue

2.5 mi · 3 min · Grand River Avenue

Turn right onto Hastings Road

1.1 mi · 1 min · Hastings Road

Continue on Peck Lake Road

0.3 mi · 23 sec · Peck Lake Road

Turn slight right

400 ft · 6 sec

Continue on Conklin Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · Conklin Road

Turn slight left onto Conklin Ware Cutoff

463 ft · 7 sec · Conklin Ware Cutoff

Continue on Ware Road

0.4 mi · 31 sec · Ware Road

Keep slight right to continue on Montcalm Ware Cutoff

466 ft · 7 sec · Montcalm Ware Cutoff

Continue on Montcalm Avenue Southeast

0.2 mi · 13 sec · Montcalm Avenue Southeast

Turn left onto Oberley Drive Southeast

1.3 mi · 1 min · Oberley Drive Southeast

Continue on Grand River Drive Southeast

0.6 mi · 1 min · Grand River Drive Southeast

Turn right onto Segwun Avenue

240 ft · 5 sec · Segwun Avenue

Continue on South Hudson Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Hudson Street

Turn left onto West Main Street

23 ft · 1 sec · West Main Street

Arrive at your 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.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 71.5 miles from Sterling Heights, MI, or about 1h 21m into the drive.

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 30m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 71.5 miles or 1h 21m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 13m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lowell, 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 142.9 miles and 2h 42m.

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.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 71.5 mi from Sterling Heights, MI · 1h 21m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ann Arbor, MI

71 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

Ann Arbor, MI

Fuel and coffee

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

Ann Arbor, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 71.5 miles from Sterling Heights, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Lowell, MI

The final approach into Lowell, 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 Lowell, 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

$21.71 one way

$43.41 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 50 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$23.93	$47.85
premium	$4.80	$26.98	$53.95
diesel	$5.64	$31.75	$63.49

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$22

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$47–$72

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 50 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	42.9	$15.00	$6.86
Efficient EV	35.7	$12.50	$5.72
EV Truck/SUV	57.2	$20.01	$9.15

Gas CO2

50 kg

EV CO2

17 kg (66% 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 3 days ago

Origin

Sterling Heights, MI

Evening in Sterling Heights on Sunday

Local time

6:44 PM

EDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lowell, MI

Evening in Lowell on Sunday

Local time

6:44 PM

EDT

Current temp

70°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

22 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 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 Sterling Heights, MI to Lowell, MI covers 142.9 miles and takes about 2h 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Mound Road, I 696, I-696 West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 71.5 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 $21.71 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.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The drive from Sterling Heights, MI to Lowell, MI is easy. At 2h 42m 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 Sterling Heights, MI to Lowell, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Sterling Heights, MI to Lowell, MI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.