Origin
Sun City West, AZ
Late night in Sun City West on Saturday
Local time
12:01 AM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sun City West, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
39.4 mi
63 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sun City West, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
Sun City West to Tempe Junction is 39.4 miles and takes about 56 minutes via Papago Freeway and Agua Fria Freeway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This relatively short trip stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, making it a straightforward drive. You'll primarily be on well-traveled freeways, so expect consistent traffic and a practical, no-frills experience. This route is ideal for a quick relocation or a short day trip without needing an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 39.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 66% of the journey utilizing freeway conditions. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of 11.9 miles on the Papago Freeway. The route transitions from the Agua Fria Freeway onto Grand Avenue, offering a mix of high-speed travel and surface street driving as you approach your destination. Expect a functional commute rather than a scenic tour, with the character of the road remaining largely consistent throughout.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 25 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 2.2 miles in near West Bell Road.
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 19 decision points packed into just 39.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (West Bell Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.1 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
West Bell Road
Turn right onto West Bell Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
17.8 mi into trip
|
~27m 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
31.1 mi into trip
|
~42m 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
8
31.5 mi into trip
|
~43m 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
36.4 mi into trip
|
~49m 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 |
| Grand Avenue | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| Red Mountain Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| North R H Johnson Boulevard | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West University Drive | 1 mi | 1m |
| North 133rd Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Priest Drive | 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 West, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on West Marble Drive
257 ft
·
14 sec
·
West Marble Drive
2
Turn left onto North Camino Del Sol
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
North Camino Del Sol
3
Turn left onto North 133rd Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North 133rd Avenue
4
Turn left onto North R H Johnson Boulevard
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North R H Johnson Boulevard
5
Turn right onto West Bell Road
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Bell Road
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto North Dysart Road
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
North Dysart Road
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on North Dysart Road
336 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Dysart Road
8
Turn left onto US 60
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop South
10
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
8.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Agua Fria Freeway
Use the straight / left lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1B
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 10
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
14
Continue on I 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
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.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
17
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.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 6
Toward Priest Drive, Center Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on Red Mountain Freeeway
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeeway
Toward Center Parkway, Priest Drive
20
Turn right onto North Priest Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Priest Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Continue on South Priest Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Priest Drive
Use the left lane.
22
Turn left onto West University Drive
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West University Drive
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto South Farmer Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Farmer Avenue
24
At end of road, turn left onto West 13th Street
236 ft
·
8 sec
·
West 13th Street
25
Arrive at destination
West 13th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.7 mi from Sun City West, AZ · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.7 miles from Sun City West, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tempe Junction, AZ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Tempe Junction, AZ if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.85 one way
$15.70 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $8.31 | $16.61 |
| premium | $5.59 | $8.67 | $17.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.70 | $17.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.14 | $1.89 |
| Efficient EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.45 | $1.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.52 | $2.52 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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 Saturday
Local time
12:01 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
56m 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 West, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 39.4 miles and takes about 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Papago Freeway, Agua Fria Freeway, Grand Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.7 miles from Sun City West, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.85 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 19 decision points packed into just 39.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (West Bell Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.1 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Sun City West, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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