Origin
Sun Lakes, AZ
Late night in Sun Lakes on Friday
Local time
5:57 AM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sun Lakes, AZ to Avondale, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
39.7 mi
64 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 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sun Lakes, AZ
Kris Møklebust
Avondale, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
This straightforward 39.7-mile drive from Sun Lakes, AZ to Avondale, AZ, is easily manageable in about 53 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate via the Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway and Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, with a significant portion on these main arteries. Given the short duration and modest 49% highway share, this trip doesn't require an overnight stay. Expect a fuel cost of around $8 for this journey. Both your origin and destination are within the Desert Southwest region, so you'll experience consistent arid landscapes throughout.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 39.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route offers a mixed drive experience, balancing efficient freeway travel with stretches on local roads. Nearly half of your journey, 49%, will be on highways, allowing for quicker progress. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is 19.6 miles along the Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway. As you transition between the freeway and roads like West Buckeye Road, you'll notice changes in speed and the surrounding environment, moving from faster-paced travel to more community-focused areas.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 19.6 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 0.6 miles in near East Riggs Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 39.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (East Riggs Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
East Riggs Road
Turn left onto East Riggs Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
3.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
7
8.9 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward AZ 202 Loop
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A-B
Toward AZ 202 Loop
8
9.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 202 Loop West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 161A
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
7
29.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward Buckeye Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 76
Toward Buckeye Road
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway | 19.6 mi | 22m |
| West Buckeye Road | 8.9 mi | 13m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 5.5 mi | 6m |
| East Riggs Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| East Western Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South Dobson Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Foster Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Glenburn Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
— 19.6 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sun Lakes, AZ and Avondale, AZ.
1
Start on East Bud Court
144 ft
·
10 sec
·
East Bud Court
2
Turn left onto South Glenburn Drive
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
South Glenburn Drive
3
Turn left onto East Foster Avenue
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
East Foster Avenue
4
Turn left onto East Palomino Place
182 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Palomino Place
5
Turn right onto South Dobson Road
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
South Dobson Road
6
Turn left onto East Riggs Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East Riggs Road
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 10
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 161A-B
Toward AZ 202 Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Exit 161A
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 76
Toward Buckeye Road
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on South 59th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
South 59th Avenue
14
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
8.9 mi
·
13 min
·
West Buckeye Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
15
Turn slight right
363 ft
·
13 sec
Toward South Dysart Road
16
Turn straight onto South Dysart Road
300 ft
·
9 sec
·
South Dysart Road
17
Turn left onto East Western Avenue
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
East Western Avenue
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right onto North Central Avenue
89 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Central Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn right
27 ft
·
1 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.9 mi from Sun Lakes, AZ · 26m 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 39.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.9 miles from Sun Lakes, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Avondale, AZ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Avondale, 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
$7.91 one way
$15.82 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $8.37 | $16.74 |
| premium | $5.59 | $8.74 | $17.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.77 | $17.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.9 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 | 11.9 | 0 | $4.17 | $1.91 |
| Efficient EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.47 | $1.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.56 | $2.54 |
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
Avondale, AZ
Late night in Avondale on Friday
Local time
5:57 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
53m 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 Lakes, AZ to Avondale, AZ covers 39.7 miles and takes about 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway, West Buckeye Road, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.9 miles from Sun Lakes, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.91 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 15 decision points packed into just 39.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (East Riggs Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Sun Lakes, AZ to Avondale, 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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