Bedford, NY to Tonawanda, NY is 370.9 miles and takes about 8h 4m via Long Mountain Parkway and New York State Thruway, with a fuel budget near $60 and enough daylight to finish in a day.
This drive primarily stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. While it's possible to complete in a single day, the recommended two-day pace allows for a more relaxed experience. Consider this route if you prefer a mix of highway cruising and surface road travel.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
185.4 miles from Bedford, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 4m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Long Mountain Parkway
107.6 mi
2h 14m
New York State Thruway
99.6 mi
1h 55m
I 81
39.3 mi
46m
NY 17
33.7 mi
40m
Clinton Street
10.5 mi
15m
East Lake Road
9.9 mi
14m
Chase Street
9.8 mi
11m
East Genesee Street
7.3 mi
13m
Longest stretch:
Long Mountain Parkway
— 107.6 mi, about 2h 14m
Traffic on I-81
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,020 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~94 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 3 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bedford, NY and Tonawanda, NY.
1
Start on Court Road
0.3 mi·43 sec·Court Road
2
Turn left onto Seminary Road
0.2 mi·53 sec·Seminary Road
3
Turn left onto NY 121
0.3 mi·28 sec·State Highway 121
4
Turn right
266 ft·10 sec
5
Turn straight onto NY 22
0.1 mi·15 sec·Cantitoe Road
6
Continue on NY 22
0.9 mi·1 min·Cantitoe Street
7
Continue on NY 22
2.0 mi·3 min·Cantitoe Street
8
Continue on NY 22
1.5 mi·2 min·Jay Street
9
Continue on NY 22
0.3 mi·29 sec·Goldens Bridge Road
10
Turn left onto NY 35
0.6 mi·1 min·Cross River Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on NY 35
1.4 mi·1 min·Woods Bridge Road
12
Continue on NY 35
3.5 mi·6 min·Amawalk Road
13
Continue on US 202; NY 35; NY 118
1.1 mi·2 min·Saw Mill River Road
14
Turn right onto Ridge Street
71 ft·9 sec·Ridge Street
15
Turn left onto Hallocks Mill Road
0.4 mi·56 sec·Hallocks Mill Road
16
At end of road, turn right onto US 202; NY 35
5.1 mi·9 min·Crompond Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn right onto Bear Mountain Parkway
3.9 mi·6 min·Bear Mountain Parkway
Use the right lane.
18
Turn right onto US 6; US 9; US 202
0.2 mi·12 sec·US 6; US 9; US 202
Use the right lane.
19
Enter roundabout onto Bear Mountain Bridge Road
128 ft·1 sec·Bear Mountain Bridge Road
20
Continue on Bear Mountain Bridge Road
4.2 mi·7 min·Bear Mountain Bridge Road
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
21
Turn slight right onto US 6; US 202
319 ft·7 sec·US 6; US 202
22
Enter roundabout onto US 6
295 ft·4 sec·Palisades Interstate Parkway
23
Continue on US 6
2.5 mi·3 min·Palisades Interstate Parkway
24
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6
0.3 mi·21 sec·US 6
Exit 18Toward US 6: Central Valley, Seven Lakes Drive, New York State Thruway
25
Enter roundabout onto US 6
177 ft·2 sec·Long Mountain Parkway
26
Continue on US 6
108 mi·2 hr 14 min·Long Mountain Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Continue on NY 17
34 mi·40 min·NY 17
28
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
1.8 mi·2 min·I 81
Toward I 81 North: Syracuse, Albany
29
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
37 mi·43 min·I 81
Toward I 81 North: Syracuse
30
Take the exit
0.1 mi·21 sec
Exit 52Toward NY 13: Cortland
31
Turn right onto NY 13
39 ft·5 sec·Clinton Avenue
32
Turn left onto Locust Avenue
1.2 mi·2 min·Locust Avenue
33
Continue on Albany Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Albany Street
34
At end of road, turn right onto US 11; NY 41
0.4 mi·1 min·South Main Street
35
Turn left onto NY 41
10 mi·15 min·Clinton Street
36
Continue on NY 41
0.5 mi·49 sec·East Lake Road
37
Continue on NY 41
4.8 mi·7 min·State Route 41
38
Continue on NY 41
9.4 mi·13 min·East Lake Road
39
Continue on NY 41
0.5 mi·48 sec·East Lake Street
40
Turn left onto US 20
7.3 mi·13 min·East Genesee Street
41
Turn right onto US 20
0.2 mi·12 sec·North Fulton Street
42
Turn left onto US 20; NY 5
0.4 mi·1 min·Arterial West
43
Continue on US 20; NY 5; NY 38
9.8 mi·11 min·Chase Street
Use the left lane.
44
Continue on US 20; NY 5
1.9 mi·2 min·Auburn Road
45
Turn right onto NY 318
4.1 mi·7 min·NY 318
46
Continue on NY 318
319 ft·10 sec·NY 318
Use the right lane.
47
Turn right onto NY 414
0.3 mi·28 sec·State Route 414
Use the right lane.
48
Continue on NY 414
217 ft·11 sec·Ridge Road
Use the left lane.
49
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
Use the left lane.
50
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 90 West: BuffaloUse the straight / right lanes.
51
Merge onto I 90
100 mi·1 hr 55 min·New York State Thruway
52
Take the exit
0.4 mi·36 sec
Exit 50Toward I 290: Niagara FallsUse the straight / slight right lanes.
53
Continue on I 290
6.1 mi·8 min·Youngmann Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
54
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 2Toward NY 425: Colvin BoulevardUse the slight right lane.
55
Turn right onto NY 425
1.2 mi·2 min·Twin Cities Memorial Highway
56
Turn left onto Fillmore Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Fillmore Avenue
57
Turn left onto Fremont Street
0.1 mi·25 sec·Fremont Street
58
Turn right onto Young Street
0.3 mi·41 sec·Young Street
59
Continue on Broad Street
0.3 mi·44 sec·Broad Street
60
Turn right onto NY 265
0.1 mi·21 sec·Seymour Street
61
Arrive at destination
NY 265
Trip Plan
With an 8-hour estimated drive time, splitting this trip into two days is a good idea to avoid fatigue. Plan your first day to cover roughly half the distance, perhaps ending around the halfway point. The longest stretch on Long Mountain Parkway is over 100 miles, so be sure to fuel up before entering it. Given the $60 fuel cost estimate, monitor your gas gauge, especially on the surface road portions.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 185.4 miles from Bedford, NY, or about 4h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 107.6 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 82 miles or 1h 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 185.4 miles or 4h 4m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 185.4 miles or 4h 4m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tonawanda, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bedford, NY 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bedford, NY
Aim for roughly 185 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Tonawanda, NY
Aim for roughly 185 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 82 miles from Bedford, NY.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Long Mountain Parkway for about 107.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 37
5 decision points cluster between mile 28.4 and 368.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
28.4 mi into trip|~50m in|US 6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6 toward US 6: Central Valley, Seven Lakes Drive, New York State Thruway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 18
Toward US 6: Central Valley, Seven Lakes Drive,...
7
261.4 mi into trip|~5h 52m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
261.5 mi into trip|~5h 52m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 West: Buffalo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo
7
361.7 mi into trip|~7h 49m in
Take the exit toward I 290: Niagara Falls
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50
Toward I 290: Niagara Falls
7
368.2 mi into trip|~7h 58m in
Take the exit toward NY 425: Colvin Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2
Toward NY 425: Colvin Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$60.28 one way
$120.56 round trip
$4.13/gal25.4 MPG avg130 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.47
$65.24
$130.49
premium
$4.87
$71.06
$142.11
diesel
$5.40
$78.90
$157.79
Estimated Tolls: $4.98
New York State Thruway
(99.6 mi)$4.98
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$60
Tolls
$5
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$195–$305
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 129.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $39 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
111.3
1
$38.94
$17.80
Efficient EV
92.7
1
$32.45
$14.84
EV Truck/SUV
148.4
1
$51.93
$23.74
Gas CO2
130 kg
EV CO2
43 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 25, 2026
Origin
Bedford, NY
Late night
in Bedford on Sunday
Local time
2:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Mostly Cloudy
SE 6 mph11% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 11:36AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Tonawanda, NY
Late night
in Tonawanda on Sunday
Local time
2:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Rain Showers
E 13 mph78% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 11:36AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
2 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
8h 4m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Harriet Tubman was guided by a deep faith and devotion to family, freedom, and community. After emancipating herself and members of her family, she moved them from Ontario, Canada to Fleming and Aubur...
Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19-20, 1848. It is a story of struggles for civil rights, human r...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 255.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is about 55% highway, with the longest continuous stretch on Long Mountain Parkway measuring 107.6 miles. You'll encounter the New York State Thruway for a significant portion of the trip, featuring dense exits and occasional urban merging. After the highway sections conclude, expect more surface road driving.
Only 55% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
61 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 107.6 mi on Long Mountain Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 28.4 miles in near US 6.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 37 significant decision points across 370.9 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 28.4 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 261.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 261.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bedford, NY and Tonawanda, NY, road signs point toward New York State Thruway and Albany.
Tonawanda is the name of both a city in the Northtowns of Erie County, New York, and the unincorporated suburban township that surrounds it. The incorporated village of Kenmore also makes up part of the Town of Tonawanda. All three of these places are covered in this article.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 107.6 miles on Long Mountain Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 185 miles on day one.
Expect about $4.98 in tolls one way, starting with New York State Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 26 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Tonawanda, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. There are 26 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 28.4 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 261.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 261.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and Women's Rights National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.1 hours each way, a round trip means 16.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Tonawanda, NY before the return drive.
