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Trip from Union City, MI to Livonia, MI

Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026

Drive Time

2h 4m

Distance

102.5 mi

165 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$16

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
1h 56m ★
6 AM
2h 5m
8 AM
2h 23m
10 AM
2h 11m
12 PM
2h 9m
3 PM
2h 12m
5 PM
2h 22m
8 PM
1h 59m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Union City, MI, MI

Union City, MI

Quang Vuong

city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States

Livonia, MI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 102.5-mile drive from Union City to Livonia, Michigan, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 2 hours and 4 minutes. The route primarily utilizes I-94 and M-14, with a portion on M-60, offering a mixed driving experience. With an estimated fuel cost of around $16, this is an economical journey within the Midwest. Given the relatively short distance and duration, there's no need to split this into an overnight stay; you can comfortably complete it in one go. The overall feel is practical, connecting two points within Michigan without extensive detours.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

51.3 miles from Union City, MI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 8m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 38% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches on I-94, which can be quite direct, including one continuous segment of 34.8 miles. As you transition to M-14 and M-60, the character might shift, offering a different pace before merging back onto faster roads. This blend means you'll experience both the efficiency of interstate travel and potentially more varied scenery or traffic patterns on the state routes. It's a drive that keeps you engaged without being overly demanding.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 94 is the longest continuous segment at about 34.8 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 39.9 miles in.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 102.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 39.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 75.1 miles (M 14): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 79.8 miles (M 14): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
39.9 mi into trip | ~55m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 East: Detroit

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 94 East: Detroit
6
75.1 mi into trip | ~1h 33m in | M 14

Keep slight left at fork onto M 14 toward M 14: Plymouth

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 171 Toward M 14: Plymouth
6
79.8 mi into trip | ~1h 38m in | M 14

Keep right at fork onto M 14 toward M 14 East, US 23 South: Plymouth

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward M 14 East, US 23 South: Plymouth
9
82.2 mi into trip | ~1h 41m in | M 14

Keep slight left at fork onto M 14 toward M 14 East: Plymouth, Livonia

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 42 Toward M 14 East: Plymouth, Livonia
7
101.1 mi into trip | ~2h 1m in

Take the exit toward Merriman Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 175 Toward Merriman Road

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Union City, MI and Livonia, MI, road signs point toward M 14: Plymouth, M 14 East and M 14 East: Plymouth.

M 14: Plymouth

75.1 mi in | ~1h 33m | via M 14

M 14 East

79.8 mi in | ~1h 38m | via M 14

M 14 East: Plymouth

82.2 mi in | ~1h 41m | via M 14

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 94 34.8 mi 37m
M 14 22.2 mi 23m
M-60 19.2 mi 25m
Spring Arbor Road 9.9 mi 13m
I 96 3.8 mi 4m
Homer-Concord Road 3 mi 4m
Homer Road 2.2 mi 2m
L Drive South 1.7 mi 2m
Longest stretch: I 94 — 34.8 mi, about 37m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Union City, MI and Livonia, MI.

1

Start on Ellen Street

314 ft · 20 sec · Ellen Street
2

Turn left onto North Broadway Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Broadway Street
3

Turn right onto M 60

3.0 mi · 4 min · M-60
4

Continue on M 60

1.3 mi · 1 min · West Leroy Street
5

Continue on M 60

13 mi · 17 min · M-60
6

Continue on M 60

1.0 mi · 1 min · West Leigh Street
7

Continue on M 60; M 99

1.5 mi · 2 min · Homer-Concord Road
8

Turn slight right onto M 60; M 99

1.7 mi · 2 min · L Drive South
9

Merge onto M 60

1.5 mi · 2 min · Homer-Concord Road
10

Continue on M 60

2.2 mi · 2 min · Homer Road
11

Continue on M 60

6.3 mi · 8 min · Spring Arbor Road
12

Continue on M 60

0.9 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
13

Continue on M 60

3.6 mi · 5 min · Spring Arbor Road
14

Turn straight onto M 60

2.9 mi · 3 min · M-60
15

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 57 sec
Toward I 94 East: Detroit
16

Merge onto I 94

35 mi · 37 min · I 94
17

Keep slight left at fork onto M 14

4.7 mi · 5 min · M 14
Exit 171 Toward M 14: Plymouth
18

Keep right at fork onto M 14

2.4 mi · 2 min · M 14
Toward M 14 East, US 23 South: Plymouth
19

Keep slight left at fork onto M 14

15 mi · 16 min · M 14
Exit 42 Toward M 14 East: Plymouth, Livonia Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Continue on I 96

3.8 mi · 4 min · I 96
21

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Exit 175 Toward Merriman Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Turn straight onto Schoolcraft Road

477 ft · 14 sec · Schoolcraft Road
23

Turn right onto Merriman Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · Merriman Road
24

Turn right

98 ft · 9 sec
25

Turn right

31 ft · 2 sec
26

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

For this 2-hour, 102.5-mile trip, leaving in the morning or late afternoon can help you avoid peak traffic, especially as you approach the Livonia area. Since it's a single-day drive with a fuel cost of about $16, there's ample flexibility to depart when it suits you best. You won't need to plan for extensive stops, but a brief break around the halfway point is always a good idea. Keep an eye on road conditions, particularly on I-94, as it's the longest stretch and a major corridor. Enjoy the straightforward journey connecting Union City to Livonia.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 51.3 miles from Union City, MI, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 34.8 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 23 miles or 32m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 51.3 miles or 1h 8m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 43m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Livonia, MI than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Union City, MI so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Union City, MI

This is one driving day of about 102.5 miles and 2h 4m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Union City, MI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 94 for about 34.8 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 51.3 mi from Union City, MI · 1h 8m into the drive

Downtown Michigan Center, MI, MI

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Michigan Center, MI

51 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

Albion, MI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Michigan Center, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 51.3 miles from Union City, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Livonia, MI

The final approach into Livonia, MI usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Livonia, MI.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$16.02 one way

$32.05 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 36 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $17.59 $35.19
premium $4.89 $19.73 $39.45
diesel $5.61 $22.63 $45.26

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$16

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$41–$66

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 35.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 30.8 0 $10.76 $4.92
Efficient EV 25.6 0 $8.97 $4.10
EV Truck/SUV 41 0 $14.35 $6.56

Gas CO2

36 kg

EV CO2

12 kg (67% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Union City, MI

Evening in Union City on Wednesday

Local time

5:48 PM

EDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Livonia, MI

Evening in Livonia on Wednesday

Local time

5:48 PM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

19 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

2h 4m 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 Union City, MI to Livonia, MI covers 102.5 miles and takes about 2h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, M 14, M-60. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 51.3 miles from Union City, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.02 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 demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 102.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 39.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 75.1 miles (M 14): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 79.8 miles (M 14): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Union City, MI and Livonia, MI, road signs point toward M 14: Plymouth, M 14 East and M 14 East: Plymouth.

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