Origin
Tolleson, AZ
Morning in Tolleson on Saturday
Local time
9:20 AM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tolleson, AZ to Mesa, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
28.9 mi
46 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
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.
Tolleson, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Mesa, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Tolleson, AZ to Mesa, AZ is 28.9 miles and takes about 39 minutes via Red Mountain Freeway and Papago Freeway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Desert Southwest, connecting two areas in Arizona. It's a straightforward drive primarily on major freeways, making it a convenient option for quick transit between these two cities. You can expect a relatively quick journey, ideal for a day trip or as part of a larger itinerary within the region.
About the Cities
Arriving in Mesa, AZ
Full guide →Mesa, population 518,000 (2019), is in Maricopa County. It is Arizona's third-largest city, and is part of the Greater Phoenix urban complex.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 28.9 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 (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 80% of the route utilizing major freeways like the Red Mountain Freeway and Papago Freeway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.7 miles on the Red Mountain Freeway, offering a consistent pace. For the most part, you'll be on multi-lane, high-speed roadways, characteristic of urban desert driving. While predominantly freeway, the transition onto West University Drive at the end will bring you into a more local road environment as you approach Mesa.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Red Mountain Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 11.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Red Mountain Freeway and Papago Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near North 91st Avenue.
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 11 decision points packed into just 28.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (North 91st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 13.3 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 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
North 91st Avenue
Turn left onto North 91st Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
8
13.3 mi into trip
|
~17m 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
13.7 mi into trip
|
~18m 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
7
24.9 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward Alma School Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 11
Toward Alma School Road
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Red Mountain Freeway | 11.7 mi | 13m |
| Papago Freeway | 11.3 mi | 13m |
| West University Drive | 2 mi | 3m |
| North Alma School Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| North 91st Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Van Buren Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North 92nd Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Red Mountain Freeway
— 11.7 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tolleson, AZ and Mesa, AZ.
1
Start on this road
168 ft
·
17 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto North 92nd Drive
176 ft
·
8 sec
·
North 92nd Drive
3
Turn right onto West Van Buren Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
West Van Buren Street
4
Turn left onto North 91st Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North 91st Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 10
9.9 mi
·
11 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
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 11
Toward Alma School Road
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto North Alma School Road
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
North Alma School Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto West University Drive
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
West University Drive
Use the left lane.
15
Arrive at destination
East University Drive
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.76 one way
$11.51 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $6.09 | $12.19 |
| premium | $5.59 | $6.36 | $12.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.38 | $12.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.03 | $1.39 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.53 | $1.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Mesa, AZ
Morning in Mesa on Saturday
Local time
9:20 AM
MST
Current temp
93°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
3 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
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 Tolleson, AZ to Mesa, AZ covers 28.9 miles and takes about 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Red Mountain Freeway, Papago Freeway, West University Drive. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.4 miles from Tolleson, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.76 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 11 decision points packed into just 28.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (North 91st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 13.3 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 Tolleson, AZ to Mesa, 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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