How far is Sterling Heights, MI from Washington, MI?

The driving distance from Sterling Heights, MI to Washington, MI is about 11.7 miles (18.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 15m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 9.9 miles (16 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 31m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
11.71 mi
00h 15m
Flight
9.97 mi
16.04 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sterling Heights.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
9.97 mi
Kilometers
16.04 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
11.71 mi
Kilometers
18.85 km
Drive Time
00h 15m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 15m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Washington
Wed, Apr 15, 12:39 PM EDT
Return by in Sterling Heights
Wed, Apr 15, 12:54 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sterling Heights
2026-04-15T12:23
Arrive Washington
Wed, Apr 15, 12:39 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 15m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:16 AM to 7:16 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:58 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Sterling Heights
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Shelby
MI

City in and the county seat of Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States

From Sterling Heights
5.8 mi
00h 07m
To Washington
5.8 mi
00h 07m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Overnight

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 2:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 mph SW
Destination
74°F
Wednesday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Sterling Heights and Washington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sterling Heights and Washington.

  1. 1

    Start on 17 Mile Road

    928 ft · 27 sec · 17 Mile Road

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Fanning Road

    69 m · 14 sec · Fanning Road

  3. 3

    Turn right onto New Bradford Boulevard

    919 ft · 43 sec · New Bradford Boulevard

  4. 4

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Van Dyke Avenue

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Van Dyke Avenue

  5. 5

    Keep slight right to continue on M 53 North: Imlay City

    8.5 mi · 9 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward 26 Mile Road West

    1164 ft · 30 sec

  7. 7

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward 26 Mile Road

    3 m · 1 sec · 26 Mile Road

  8. 8

    Exit the roundabout onto 26 Mile Road

    1044 ft · 19 sec · 26 Mile Road

  9. 9

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward 26 Mile Road

    37 m · 5 sec · 26 Mile Road

  10. 10

    Exit the roundabout onto 26 Mile Road

    1810 ft · 35 sec · 26 Mile Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Van Dyke Road

    1.2 km · 1 min · Van Dyke Road

  12. 12

    Turn left onto West Road

    11 m · 2 sec · West Road

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Sterling Heights and Washington.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
13 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
0 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
111.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
M 53 North
8.49 mi · 72%
Van Dyke Avenue
1.3 mi · 11%
Van Dyke Road
0.74 mi · 6%
26 Mile Road
0.57 mi · 5%
26 Mile Road West
0.22 mi · 2%
17 Mile Road
0.18 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

M 53 North

Keep slight right to continue on M 53 North: Imlay City

8.49 mi · 00h 09m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 15m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 32m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.8 mi
9.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Shelby
00h 07m from Sterling Heights
Leave By
7:58 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Sterling Heights and Showers And Thunderstorms near Washington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Sterling Heights to Washington?

The road trip is about 11.7 miles (18.9 km) and usually takes 00h 15m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Shelby is a useful midpoint, sitting about 5.8 miles from Sterling Heights and 5.8 miles from Washington.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 9.9 miles (16 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:58 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.55 one way or $3.09 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Sterling Heights and Showers And Thunderstorms near Washington.

Stop Ideas Near Shelby

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Shelby and the surrounding midpoint area.
Stop photo coming soon
Scenic stop 14.6 mi away

City of Ferndale City Hall

Ferndale , MI
300 E 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI 48220
Rating 1.0/5 1 reviews Parking lot
Stop photo coming soon
Practical stop 6.6 mi away

Rochester Municipal Complex

Rochester , MI
400 6th St, Rochester, MI 48307
City Hall,Emergency services,School,University
Stop photo coming soon
Meeting point 10.3 mi away

City of Madison Heights

Madison Heights , MI
300 W 13 Mile Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071
Rating 4.8/5 32 reviews City Hall

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Shelby.

RAIL

Birmingham, Michigan

19 mi away
449 South Eton St.
RAIL

Troy Transit Center

19 mi away
1201 Doyle Drive
RAIL

Pontiac Transportation Center

22 mi away
51000 Woodward Avenue
RAIL

Royal Oak station

22 mi away
202 South Sherman Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sterling Heights and Washington. Straight-line distance: 9.97 mi (16.04 km).

Sterling Heights

#1 Sterling Heights

The second most populous city in Macomb County, Michigan.

Population131,709
Coordinates42.5803100, -83.0302000
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Washington

Township in Macomb County, Michigan

Population28,846
Coordinates42.7244800, -83.0360400
Altitude214
CountryUnited States
Start: Sterling Heights (-83.0302, 42.58031)
End: Washington (-83.03604, 42.72448)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 19 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 23m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 14m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 10m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.41 gal
1.56 L · about $1.55
Round trip
$3.09
0.82 gal · 3.12 L
Estimated CO2
3.6 kg one way
Round trip: 7.3 kg / 16 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $1.55 $3.09
Mid-grade $4.25 $1.74 $3.49
Premium $4.65 $1.91 $3.82
Diesel $5.30 $2.17 $4.35

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Michigan · Apr 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Sterling Heights and Washington. The current time is 12:23:16.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.