Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
14.1 mi
23 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Centereach, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
If you are traveling between Brookhaven and Centereach, you can expect a quick, 14.1-mile journey that typically takes about 21 minutes. This short trip is easily managed as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stops. With a modest fuel cost of approximately $2, it is an efficient commute within the Northeast region. Because the total distance is so brief, you have total flexibility in your schedule without needing to worry about complex planning or rest breaks. It is a straightforward, practical drive that gets you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Horseblock Road | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Long Island Expressway | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| Nicolls Road | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Middle Country Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Montauk Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Country Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Express Drive North | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Brookhaven, NY and Centereach, NY.
Start on CR 36
Continue on South Country Road
Turn straight onto CR 80
Turn left onto CR 16
Turn left onto Express Drive North
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Turn straight onto Express Drive North
Take the ramp
Merge onto CR 97
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn slight left onto NY 25
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.5 and 12.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Express Drive North
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 495 / Long Island Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CR 97: Blue Point, Stony Brook, Nicolls Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward NY 25: Riverhead, Smithtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward NY 25 west: Riverhead, Smithtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$2.32 one way
$4.64 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.51 | $5.02 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.73 | $5.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.11 | $6.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.23 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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 Brookhaven on Sunday
Local time
12:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Centereach on Sunday
Local time
12:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°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.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive as you navigate the 14.1-mile path between these two Long Island communities. You will spend roughly 23% of your time on the highway, transitioning between local roads and the Long Island Expressway. The drive features a mix of environments, with the longest uninterrupted stretch occurring over 4.2 miles on Horseblock Road. You should be prepared for frequent turns and shifting road types rather than a monotonous interstate haul. This route requires your full attention as you move from local thoroughfares onto the expressway and eventually onto Nicolls Road.
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 5.5 miles in near Express Drive North.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 14.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 21m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.5 miles (Express Drive North): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles (I 495 / Long Island Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Brookhaven, NY and Centereach, NY, road signs point toward Cr 97: Blue Point, Stony Brook, Cr 97 North: Stony Brook and Smithtown.
Cr 97: Blue Point
Stony Brook
Cr 97 North: Stony Brook
Smithtown
Founded 1655
Brookhaven is the largest town in Suffolk County, part of Long Island, New York. With 485,000 residents (2020). It includes a patchwork of villages and other communities, and is the only town on the island to touch both the Long Island Sound and Atlantic Ocean. The villages of Belle Terre, Bellport, Lake Grove, Mastic Beach, Old Field, Patchogue, Poquott, Port Jefferson, and Shoreham are semi-autonomous, and provide their own services in addition to those provided by the town. Other prominent communities include Mount Sinai, Stony Brook, and Fire Island, a long and car-free resort island off the south coast of the town.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 14.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m 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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