Trip from Stockton, CA to Modesto, CA

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are Crosstown Freeway, CA 99, North Center Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 15.8 miles from Stockton, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.26 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Q: What towns show up on signs driving from Stockton, CA to Modesto, CA?

The route from Stockton, CA to Modesto, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

39m

Distance

31.6 mi

51 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min

4 AM

0h 36m ★

6 AM

0h 39m

8 AM

0h 46m

10 AM

0h 42m

12 PM

0h 41m

3 PM

0h 42m

5 PM

0h 46m

8 PM

0h 37m

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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Trip Overview

The drive from Stockton, CA to Modesto, CA covers 31.6 miles and takes about 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Crosstown Freeway, CA 99, North Center Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15 miles on Crosstown Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.26 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 31.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

39m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 39m highway drive covering 31.6 miles, with most of the trip on Crosstown Freeway and CA 99. The longest continuous stretch is about 15 miles on Crosstown Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Crosstown Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 15 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Crosstown Freeway and CA 99. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Center Street.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 31.6 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (East Lafayette Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (CA 4 / Crosstown Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

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

4

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Center Street

Turn left onto North Center Street

Navigation decision point

4

0.7 mi into trip | ~1m in | East Lafayette Street

Turn left onto East Lafayette Street

Navigation decision point

5

0.9 mi into trip | ~2m in | CA 4 / Crosstown Freeway

Merge onto CA 4 / Crosstown Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

4

15.8 mi into trip | ~19m in | CA 99

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 99

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5

30.7 mi into trip | ~36m in

Take the exit toward 6th Street, G Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward 6th Street, G Street

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Crosstown Freeway	15 mi	17m
CA 99	14.8 mi	17m
North Center Street	0.6 mi	1m
G Street	0.4 mi	1m
5th Street	0.2 mi	<1m
East Fremont Street	<0.1 mi	<1m
11th Street	<0.1 mi	<1m
East Lafayette Street	<0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: Crosstown Freeway — 15 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Stockton, CA and Modesto, CA.

1

Start on East Fremont Street

501 ft · 31 sec · East Fremont Street

2

Turn left onto North Center Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · North Center Street

3

Turn left onto East Lafayette Street

385 ft · 9 sec · East Lafayette Street

4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 20 sec

5

Merge onto CA 4

15 mi · 17 min · Crosstown Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

6

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 99

15 mi · 17 min · CA 99

7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec

Toward 6th Street, G Street

8

Turn straight onto 5th Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · 5th Street

9

Turn left onto G Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · G Street

10

Turn left onto 11th Street

400 ft · 17 sec · 11th Street

11

Arrive at destination

11th Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.26 one way

$14.53 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.02	$7.48	$14.97
premium	$6.18	$7.68	$15.37
diesel	$5.61	$6.98	$13.95

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	9.5	$3.32	$1.52
Efficient EV	7.9	$2.77	$1.26
EV Truck/SUV	12.6	$4.42	$2.02

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Stockton, CA

Night in Stockton on Thursday

Local time

9:06 PM

PDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Modesto, CA

Night in Modesto on Thursday

Local time

9:06 PM

PDT

Current temp

69°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

39m 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 Stockton, CA to Modesto, CA covers 31.6 miles and takes about 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.