Origin
Sun City, AZ
Late night in Sun City on Friday
Local time
1:16 AM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sun City, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
31.6 mi
51 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sun City, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
This 31.6-mile drive from Sun City, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is a quick, highway-focused journey perfect for a single day. Expect to spend about 41 minutes on the road, primarily navigating the Papago Freeway, Agua Fria Freeway, and Red Mountain Freeway. With an estimated fuel cost of $6, this short trip is budget-friendly and requires no overnight stays. The route stays within the Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward commute. Given its short duration and highway nature, it’s an easy addition to any Arizona itinerary.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 31.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
You'll find this drive to be predominantly highway, with 83% of the journey utilizing major freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.9 miles on the Papago Freeway. This means you'll be on high-speed roads for most of the trip, with limited opportunities for scenic detours or slower-paced exploration. The character remains consistently highway-focused, offering efficiency rather than varied landscapes.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Papago Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 11.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Papago Freeway and Agua Fria Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10 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 13 decision points packed into just 31.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 10 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.4 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
10 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
8
23.3 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Take the exit onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 147
Toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
6
23.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 202 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
8
23.7 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 202 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
8
28.6 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward Priest Drive, Center Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6
Toward Priest Drive, Center Parkway
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Papago Freeway | 11.9 mi | 13m |
| Agua Fria Freeway | 8.9 mi | 10m |
| Red Mountain Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| West University Drive | 1 mi | 1m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Priest Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Priest Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Papago Freeway
— 11.9 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sun City, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on US 60
23 ft
·
2 sec
·
Grand Avenue
2
Continue on US 60
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop South
4
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
8.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Agua Fria Freeway
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1B
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 10
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
8
Continue on I 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto Red Mountain Freeway
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147
Toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
11
Keep slight left at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 6
Toward Priest Drive, Center Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on Red Mountain Freeeway
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeeway
Toward Center Parkway, Priest Drive
14
Turn right onto North Priest Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Priest Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on South Priest Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Priest Drive
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left onto West University Drive
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West University Drive
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto South Farmer Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Farmer Avenue
18
At end of road, turn left onto West 13th Street
236 ft
·
8 sec
·
West 13th Street
19
Arrive at destination
West 13th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.30 one way
$12.59 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $6.66 | $13.32 |
| premium | $5.59 | $6.96 | $13.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.98 | $13.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
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 | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.77 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $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.
Destination
Tempe Junction, AZ
Late night in Tempe Junction on Friday
Local time
1:16 AM
MST
Current temp
90°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
2 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
41m 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 Sun City, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 31.6 miles and takes about 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Papago Freeway, Agua Fria Freeway, Red Mountain Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.8 miles from Sun City, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.30 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 13 decision points packed into just 31.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
The main spots that need attention: at 10 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.4 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Sun City, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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