Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 23, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
46.5 mi
75 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brookhaven, NY
Wikimedia Commons
University Gardens, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Brookhaven, NY to University Gardens, NY is 46.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 5 minutes via South Country Road and Montauk Highway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. You'll be navigating primarily surface streets for the entire duration, so expect a local driving experience rather than an interstate cruise. It's a straightforward connection perfect for a quick errand or a short hop across Long Island.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island Expressway | 39 mi | 52m |
| Horseblock Road | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Montauk Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Lakeville Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Merrivale Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Country Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North Service Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Express Drive North | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~4,892 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~524 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 74 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Brookhaven, NY and University Gardens, 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 North Service Road
Turn right onto Lakeville Road
Turn left onto Merrivale Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 23.2 miles from Brookhaven, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.5 and 46 — 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 Community Drive, Lakeville Road, Great Neck
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn right onto Lakeville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Merrivale Road
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$8.14 one way
$16.28 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.82 | $8.82 | $17.64 |
| premium | $5.23 | $9.57 | $19.15 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $11.49 | $22.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14 | 0 | $4.88 | $2.23 |
| Efficient EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.07 | $1.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.6 | 0 | $6.51 | $2.98 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Night in Brookhaven on Thursday
Local time
10:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Clear
Destination
Night in University Gardens on Thursday
Local time
10:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Clear
48°F
Huntington, NY
23 mi in
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 entirely surface roads, with 0% highway driving. You'll be on local streets for the full 46.5 miles. Expect to encounter frequent intersections and traffic signals as you make your way across town. The longest stretch without a significant interruption is not specified, but the profile indicates a consistent surface road experience.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Horseblock Road. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5.5 miles in near Express Drive North.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.5 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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 44.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
262 ft
Total Descent
127 ft
Highest Point
235 ft
~26.6 mi in
Elevation Range
227 ft
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 1h 5m. Total distance: 46.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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