Origin
Tolleson, AZ
Morning in Tolleson on Saturday
Local time
6:28 AM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tolleson, 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
31m
Distance
21.6 mi
35 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tolleson, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
Tolleson, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is 21.6 miles and takes about 31 minutes via Papago Freeway and Red Mountain Freeway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward drive. It's a pragmatic choice for connecting two points efficiently, ideal if you're looking for a quick transition between areas rather than an extended journey. Expect mostly freeway driving for this segment.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 21.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 77% of the route utilizing major freeways. You'll spend most of your time on the Papago Freeway and Red Mountain Freeway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.3 miles on the Papago Freeway, allowing for a consistent pace. The character of the drive is predominantly urban and suburban freeway, designed for efficient travel between these adjacent parts of the Phoenix metropolitan area.
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 11.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Papago Freeway and Red Mountain 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 14 decision points packed into just 21.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
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 14 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
8
18.6 mi into trip
|
~24m 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 | 11.3 mi | 13m |
| Red Mountain Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| West University Drive | 1 mi | 1m |
| North 91st Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Priest Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Priest Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South Farmer Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Papago Freeway
— 11.3 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tolleson, AZ and Tempe Junction, 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
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
$4.30 one way
$8.61 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $4.55 | $9.11 |
| premium | $5.59 | $4.75 | $9.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.77 | $9.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.27 | $1.04 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Morning in Tempe Junction on Saturday
Local time
6:28 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
31m 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 Tempe Junction, AZ covers 21.6 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Papago Freeway, Red Mountain 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 10.8 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 $4.30 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 14 decision points packed into just 21.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
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 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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