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Trip from Waterford, MI to Taylor, MI

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 1m

Distance

35.4 mi

57 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 56m ★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Waterford, MI, MI

Waterford, MI

Adrien Olichon

city in Michigan, United States

Taylor, MI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Waterford, MI to Taylor, MI is 35.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 1 minute via South Telegraph Road and Telegraph Road, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive stays within Michigan, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. It's a local road trip, so expect a more urban and suburban feel rather than wide-open country. This route is best suited for a quick, no-fuss journey between these two points, perfect for a day trip or an easy commute.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 35.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

This is a turn-heavy local drive with no highway miles, meaning you'll be navigating city streets and main thoroughfares for the entire 35.4 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.8 miles on South Telegraph Road. As you progress, you'll transition from one local road to another, including Highland Road, making it a continuous series of turns and traffic signals. The pace is generally slower, reflecting its local nature, so be prepared for a more stop-and-go experience.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Telegraph Road is the longest continuous segment at about 17.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Williams Lake Road.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 35.4 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Williams Lake Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (Airport Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (M 59 / Highland Road): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

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

6
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | Williams Lake Road

At end of road, turn left onto Williams Lake Road

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

6
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | Airport Road

Turn right onto Airport Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
4
2.4 mi into trip | ~5m in | M 59 / Highland Road

Turn left onto M 59 / Highland Road

Navigation decision point

5
7.3 mi into trip | ~13m in | US 24 / South Telegraph Road

Turn right onto US 24 / South Telegraph Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
5
35.4 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Telegraph Road 17.8 mi 29m
Telegraph Road 10.3 mi 18m
Highland Road 3.3 mi 5m
Airport Road 2 mi 3m
Voorheis Street 0.9 mi 1m
West Huron Street 0.7 mi 1m
David K Drive 0.3 mi 1m
Williams Lake Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: South Telegraph Road — 17.8 mi, about 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Waterford, MI and Taylor, MI.

1

Start on David K Drive

0.3 mi · 1 min · David K Drive
2

At end of road, turn left onto Williams Lake Road

245 ft · 8 sec · Williams Lake Road
3

Turn right onto Airport Road

2.0 mi · 3 min · Airport Road
Use the right lane.
4

Turn left onto M 59

3.3 mi · 5 min · Highland Road
5

Continue on M 59

0.7 mi · 1 min · West Huron Street
6

Turn right onto Voorheis Street

0.9 mi · 1 min · Voorheis Street
Use the right lane.
7

Turn right onto US 24

18 mi · 29 min · South Telegraph Road
Use the straight lane.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto US 24

10 mi · 18 min · Telegraph Road
9

Turn right

142 ft · 12 sec
10

Turn right

102 ft · 9 sec
11

Turn right onto Wick Road

227 ft · 7 sec · Wick Road
12

Arrive at destination

Wick Road

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 17.7 mi from Waterford, MI · 30m into the drive

city in Oakland County, Michigan, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Southfield, MI

18 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

Allen Park, MI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Southfield, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 17.7 miles from Waterford, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Taylor, MI

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

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.53 one way

$11.07 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $6.08 $12.15
premium $4.89 $6.81 $13.62
diesel $5.61 $7.82 $15.63

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.6 0 $3.72 $1.70
Efficient EV 8.9 0 $3.10 $1.42
EV Truck/SUV 14.2 0 $4.96 $2.27

Gas CO2

12 kg

EV CO2

4 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 18, 2026

Origin

Waterford, MI

Morning in Waterford on Saturday

Local time

10:05 AM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

WSW 14 mph 89% chance Live forecast

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 18 at 3:10AM EDT until April 19 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Flash Flood Watch

Flash Flood Watch issued April 18 at 3:10AM EDT until April 19 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Destination

Taylor, MI

Morning in Taylor on Saturday

Local time

10:05 AM

EDT

Current temp

49°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

15 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

1h 1m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Waterford, MI to Taylor, MI covers 35.4 miles and takes about 1h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are South Telegraph Road, Telegraph Road, Highland Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 17.7 miles from Waterford, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.53 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 35.4 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Williams Lake Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (Airport Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (M 59 / Highland Road): Navigation decision point.

The route from Waterford, MI to Taylor, MI 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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