Origin
Brooklyn Heights, NY
Afternoon in Brooklyn Heights on Sunday
Local time
1:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brooklyn Heights, NY to Elmhurst, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
7.7 mi
12 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 20m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brooklyn Heights, NY
Sarah O'Shea
Elmhurst, NY
Mel Audelo
Trip Overview
Brooklyn Heights, NY to Elmhurst, NY is 7.7 miles and takes about 16 minutes via Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, with a fuel budget near $1 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 is primarily on highways, making it a quick and efficient way to travel between these boroughs. It's a straightforward journey, ideal for when you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss. Consider it for a quick errand or a connecting drive to a larger trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 5.4 mi | 9m |
| Queens Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 3m |
| Tillary Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Clinton Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Pierrepont Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 65th Place | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Laurel Hill Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Grand Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
— 5.4 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brooklyn Heights, NY and Elmhurst, NY.
1
Start on Pierrepont Street
485 ft
·
28 sec
·
Pierrepont Street
2
Turn left onto Clinton Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Clinton Street
3
Continue on Tillary Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Tillary Street
4
Continue on Tillary Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Tillary Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 278 East: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Queens, Bronx
6
Merge onto I 278
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 39
Toward NY 25
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto Laurel Hill Boulevard
142 ft
·
6 sec
·
Laurel Hill Boulevard
10
Turn left onto 65th Place
444 ft
·
16 sec
·
65th Place
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto Queens Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Queens Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn slight left
423 ft
·
15 sec
13
Turn straight onto NY 25
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Queens Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn slight right
216 ft
·
8 sec
15
Turn straight onto Queens Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Queens Boulevard
16
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
42 ft
·
1 sec
·
Grand Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Grand Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 6.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Clinton Street
Turn left onto Clinton Street
Navigation decision point
6
4.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
6.3 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward NY 25
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 39
Toward NY 25
6
6.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
65th Place
Turn left onto 65th Place
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
6.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Queens Boulevard
Turn right onto Queens Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.27 one way
$2.53 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $1.37 | $2.74 |
| premium | $4.92 | $1.49 | $2.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.70 | $3.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.81 | $0.37 |
| Efficient EV | 1.9 | 0 | $0.67 | $0.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.08 | $0.49 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Elmhurst, NY
Afternoon in Elmhurst on Sunday
Local time
1:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
16m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 70% of the route utilizing expressways. You'll spend most of your time on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 5.4 miles. The profile suggests a fast-paced journey, likely involving multiple lanes and moderate to heavy traffic typical of urban expressways. Transitions between roads like Tillary Street and Queens Boulevard will be brief, keeping the momentum high. The drive is characterized by its directness rather than scenic detours.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.4 mi on Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and Queens Boulevard. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Clinton Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 7.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 16m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Clinton Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.2 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Brooklyn Heights, NY and Elmhurst, NY, road signs point toward Queens and Bronx.
Queens
0.7 mi in
|
~2m
Bronx
0.7 mi in
|
~2m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 7.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.4 miles on Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Elmhurst, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Clinton Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.2 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — African Burial Ground National Monument, Castle Clinton National Monument and Federal Hall National Memorial (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Elmhurst, NY before heading back.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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