Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
21 mi
34 km
Drive Score
7/10
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
University Heights, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Borough Park, NY to University Heights, NY is 21 miles and takes about 42 minutes via FDR Drive and Major Deegan Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a drive that involves frequent turns and navigating city traffic, rather than long, open highway stretches. It's a straightforward, same-day journey perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently within the metropolitan area.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| FDR Drive | 9.5 mi | 18m |
| Major Deegan Expressway | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| Prospect Expressway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Fort Hamilton Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Sedgwick Avenue | 0.6 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 University Heights, 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
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 87
Take the exit
Continue on West 179th Street
Turn left onto Sedgwick Avenue
Turn right onto West 183rd Street
Keep slight right at fork onto West 183rd Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 20.1 — 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
Take the exit toward West 179th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$3.46 one way
$6.91 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.74 | $7.48 |
| premium | $4.92 | $4.07 | $8.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.64 | $9.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.01 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.84 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Morning in Borough Park on Tuesday
Local time
9:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in University Heights on Tuesday
Local time
9:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°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 drive has a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, with only 29% of the route being on highways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on city streets, navigating intersections and traffic lights. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 9.5 miles on the FDR Drive, offering a brief period of faster travel before you're back to more complex urban navigation. The Major Deegan Expressway provides another highway segment, but be prepared for the overall character to be one of frequent adjustments and city driving.
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 19 decision points packed into just 21 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
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 University Heights, 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 42m. Total distance: 21 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m 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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