Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
18.2 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Borough Park, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Melrose, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Borough Park, NY to Melrose, NY is 18.2 miles and takes about 38m via FDR Drive, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a relatively short trip, ideal for a single day, taking you within the Northeast region and entirely within New York state. Expect a drive characterized by frequent turns and navigating urban environments. Given its brevity, this route is best suited for those who prefer a direct journey with minimal time commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| FDR Drive | 9.5 mi | 18m |
| Willis Avenue Bridge | 1 mi | 3m |
| Prospect Expressway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Third Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Fort Hamilton Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Gowanus Expressway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| McDonald Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| NY 27 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Borough Park, NY and Melrose, NY.
Start on 12th Avenue
Turn slight left onto New Utrecht Avenue
Turn right onto Fort Hamilton Parkway
Continue on Caton Avenue
Turn left onto NY 27 Truck
Turn right onto Terrace Place
Turn left onto 18th Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto NY 27
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 27
Merge onto I 278
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto NY 9A
Continue on FDR
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Willis Avenue Bridge
Turn left onto East 147th Street
Turn right onto Third Avenue
Turn left onto East 163rd Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 6.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto NY 27 Truck / McDonald Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 27 toward I 278 East: Queens, Bronx
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward Hugh L Carey Tunnel, Manhattan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward FDR Drive, East Side, Staten Island Ferry
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto NY 9A / West Street
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$3.00 one way
$5.99 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.24 | $6.48 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.53 | $7.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.02 | $8.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.91 | $0.87 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.59 | $0.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.55 | $1.16 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Borough Park on Sunday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Melrose on Sunday
Local time
4:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This route is a turn-heavy local drive with only 14% highway share, meaning you'll be doing a lot of navigating through city streets rather than cruising on interstates. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 9.5 miles on the FDR Drive, offering a brief period of more consistent speed before you transition back to more complex urban driving. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that requires constant attention to traffic signals and turns.
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 1.4 miles in near NY 27 Truck / McDonald Avenue.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 18.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (NY 27 Truck / McDonald Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (NY 27): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Borough Park, NY and Melrose, NY, road signs point toward Bronx, Manhattan, Side, Staten Island Ferry and Fdr Drive North.
Bronx
Manhattan
Side
Staten Island Ferry
Fdr Drive North
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 18.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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