Origin
Brookhaven, NY
Afternoon in Brookhaven on Sunday
Local time
3:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brookhaven, NY to West Elmira, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 10m
Distance
297 mi
478 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$48
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 58m
★
6 AM
6h 11m
8 AM
6h 36m
10 AM
6h 19m
12 PM
6h 17m
3 PM
6h 21m
5 PM
6h 35m
8 PM
6h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brookhaven, NY
Wikimedia Commons
West Elmira, NY
Beth Fitzpatrick
Trip Overview
Brookhaven, NY to West Elmira, NY is 297 miles and takes about 6h 10m via Christopher Columbus Highway and I 81, with a fuel budget near $48 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York State, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. You'll spend most of your time on the highway, making for a relatively straightforward drive. With a duration under seven hours, it's a manageable one-day trip, but consider that the longest stretch without a major road change is over an hour long.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
148.5 miles from Brookhaven, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 13m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 68.2 mi | 1h 20m |
| I 81 | 58.1 mi | 1h 9m |
| I 86 | 54.7 mi | 1h 4m |
| Long Island Expressway | 41.4 mi | 55m |
| I 380 | 27.7 mi | 30m |
| Keystone Shortway | 17.3 mi | 24m |
| Cross Bronx Expressway | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| Horseblock Road | 4.2 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
Christopher Columbus Highway
— 68.2 mi, about 1h 20m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 168 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~4,210 veh/hr typical · worst 4,900
Quietest
1 AM
~430 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 52 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 Brookhaven, NY and West Elmira, NY.
1
Start on CR 36
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
South Country Road
2
Continue on South Country Road
354 ft
·
16 sec
·
South Country Road
3
Turn straight onto CR 80
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Montauk Highway
4
Turn left onto CR 16
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Horseblock Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto Express Drive North
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
Express Drive North
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 495 WEST: New York
7
Merge onto I 495
41 mi
·
55 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 31N-S
Toward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge, Kennedy Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 31N
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto CI
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Cross Island Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 33
Toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx, New England
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 295
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Throgs Neck Bridge
13
Continue on I 295
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Throgs Neck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 1
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Trans-Manhattan Expressway
Toward Upper Level
16
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
17
Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; NJTP
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
22
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 69
Toward I 80 West: Paterson, Hackensack
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Continue on I 80
68 mi
·
1 hr 20 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Keystone Shortway
27
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 293
Toward I 380 North: Scranton
28
Continue on I 380
28 mi
·
30 min
·
I 380
Use the straight lane.
29
Merge onto I 81
58 mi
·
1 hr 9 min
·
I 81
Use the straight lane.
30
Keep slight left at fork onto I 86; NY 17
55 mi
·
1 hr 4 min
·
I 86; NY 17
Toward I 86: Corning
31
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 56
Toward NY 352: Elmira, Jerusalem Hill
32
Keep slight left at fork
103 ft
·
6 sec
33
Turn left onto NY 352
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
East Water Street
34
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
North Main Street
35
Turn left onto NY 352
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
West Church Street
36
Turn left onto Durland Avenue
524 ft
·
25 sec
·
Durland Avenue
37
Turn right
204 ft
·
16 sec
38
At end of road, turn left
174 ft
·
14 sec
39
Turn right
168 ft
·
12 sec
40
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 10m estimated drive time, leaving Brookhaven, NY in the morning is your best bet to arrive in West Elmira, NY with plenty of daylight. Plan for one stop, perhaps around the halfway point, to stretch your legs and refuel. The fuel cost is estimated at $48, so ensure your tank is full before you depart. Since this is a manageable one-day drive, you have flexibility in your departure time, but sticking to a morning start will keep you on schedule and out of potential rush hour traffic as you get closer to your destination.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 148.5 miles from Brookhaven, NY, or about 3h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 68.2 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 65 miles or 1h 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 148.5 miles or 3h 13m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near West Elmira, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Brookhaven, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Brookhaven, NY
This is one driving day of about 297 miles and 6h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 65 miles from Brookhaven, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Christopher Columbus Highway for about 68.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
149 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 65 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 148.5 miles from Brookhaven, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Christopher Columbus Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 68.2 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 315 decision points cluster between mile 47.3 and 63.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
47.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge, Kennedy Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31N-S
Toward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge,...
10
47.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 31N
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone B...
8
50.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx, New England
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 33
Toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx,...
8
63.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 28m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
8
63.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 28m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$48.27 one way
$96.54 round trip
$4.13/gal
25.4 MPG avg
104 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $52.24 | $104.49 |
| premium | $4.87 | $56.90 | $113.80 |
| diesel | $3.75 | $43.85 | $87.70 |
Estimated Tolls: $22.83
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
New Jersey Turnpike
(2 mi)
$0.28
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
$48
Tolls
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$96–$121
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 103.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 89.1 | 1 | $31.18 | $14.26 |
| Efficient EV | 74.3 | 0 | $25.99 | $11.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 118.8 | 1 | $41.58 | $19.01 |
Gas CO2
104 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (66% 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.
Destination
West Elmira, NY
Afternoon in West Elmira on Sunday
Local time
3:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
42°F
Montague, NJ
149 mi in
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.
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
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
6h 10m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
About 66% of this drive is on highways like I 81 and I 86, so expect a good amount of time cruising at higher speeds. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 68.2 miles on Christopher Columbus Highway. You'll transition from highway to surface roads at some point, but the majority of your time will be spent on the interstate system. Watch for frequent exits as you navigate these major thoroughfares.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
40 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 68.2 mi on Christopher Columbus Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Christopher Columbus Highway and I 81. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 47.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 31 significant decision points across 297 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 47.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Brookhaven, NY and West Elmira, NY, road signs point toward Kennedy Airport, Cross Island Parkway North, Bronx, New England, Upper Level and Njtp South: Hackensack - among others.
Kennedy Airport
47.3 mi in
|
~1h 4m
Cross Island Parkway North
47.5 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Bronx
50.9 mi in
|
~1h 10m
New England
50.9 mi in
|
~1h 10m
Upper Level
60.6 mi in
|
~1h 24m
|
via I 95; US 1
Njtp South: Hackensack
63.1 mi in
|
~1h 28m
Hackensack
65.7 mi in
|
~1h 32m
About the Cities
Starting in Brookhaven, NY
Full guide →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
- • Wardenclyffe Tower — early experimental wireless transmission station designed and built by Nikola Te...
- • West Meadow Beach Historic District — historic district in the United States
- • Stony Brook Grist Mill — watermill
Arriving in West Elmira, NY
Full guide →City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 10m. Total distance: 297 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 10m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 68.2 miles on Christopher Columbus Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $22.83 in tolls one way, starting with George Washington Bridge. 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.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 West Elmira, 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 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 47.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.2 hours each way, a round trip means 12.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at West Elmira, NY before the return drive.
How this page is built
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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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