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Trip from Brooklyn, NY to City Island, NY

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

43m

Distance

22.8 mi

37 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 40m ★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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borough of New York City, New York, United States

Brooklyn, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown City Island, NY, NY

City Island, NY

Clément Proust

Trip Overview

This straightforward 22.8-mile drive from Brooklyn, NY, to City Island, NY, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 43 minutes to complete. You'll primarily be navigating via the Jackie Robinson Parkway, Van Wyck Expressway, and Whitestone Expressway. With a projected fuel cost of around $4, this route is quite budget-friendly. The journey offers a highway-focused experience, perfect for a quick excursion within the Northeast region. Given its short distance and duration, this trip doesn't require an overnight stay, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Jackie Robinson Parkway 4.8 mi 8m
Van Wyck Expressway 3.8 mi 5m
Whitestone Expressway 2 mi 2m
Hutchinson River Parkway 1.6 mi 2m
Church Avenue 1.4 mi 3m
Bronx-Whitestone Bridge 1.3 mi 1m
City Island Road 1.2 mi 2m
Hutchinson River Expressway 1.2 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Jackie Robinson Parkway — 4.8 mi, about 8m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Brooklyn, NY and City Island, NY.

1

Start on Nostrand Avenue

432 ft · 24 sec · Nostrand Avenue
2

Turn left onto Snyder Avenue

269 ft · 17 sec · Snyder Avenue
3

Turn left onto East 31st Street

0.1 mi · 34 sec · East 31st Street
4

Turn right onto Church Avenue

1.4 mi · 3 min · Church Avenue
5

Turn left onto Kings Highway

0.7 mi · 1 min · Kings Highway
Use the straight lane.
6

Continue on Tapscott Street

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Tapscott Street
7

Continue on Howard Avenue

0.3 mi · 34 sec · Howard Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
8

Turn right onto Eastern Parkway

0.7 mi · 1 min · Eastern Parkway
Use the right lane.
9

Turn right onto Dean Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Dean Street
10

Turn slight left onto East New York Avenue

0.3 mi · 45 sec · East New York Avenue
11

Continue on Jamaica Avenue

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Jamaica Avenue
12

Turn left onto JR

4.8 mi · 8 min · Jackie Robinson Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min
Exit 7 Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Bronx Use the slight right lane.
14

Merge onto I 678

3.8 mi · 5 min · Van Wyck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Merge onto I 678

2.0 mi · 2 min · Whitestone Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Continue on I 678

1.3 mi · 1 min · Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
17

Continue on I 678

1.2 mi · 1 min · Hutchinson River Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Continue on HR

1.6 mi · 2 min · Hutchinson River Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
19

Take the exit

477 ft · 14 sec
Exit 1C Toward Pelham Parkway East, Co-Op City Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Continue on Hutchinson River Parkway East

0.3 mi · 52 sec · Hutchinson River Parkway East
21

Turn slight left

0.1 mi · 24 sec
Toward To I 95
22

Turn straight onto Pe

0.1 mi · 13 sec · Pelham Parkway
23

Continue on Shore Road

0.9 mi · 2 min · Shore Road
24

Turn right onto City Island Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · City Island Road
25

Enter roundabout onto City Island Road

418 ft · 7 sec · City Island Road
26

Continue on City Island Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · City Island Road
27

Continue on City Island Bridge

0.2 mi · 34 sec · City Island Bridge
28

Continue on City Island Avenue

0.6 mi · 2 min · City Island Avenue
29

Arrive at destination

City Island Avenue

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 19.3 — 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 | Snyder Avenue

Turn left onto Snyder Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | East 31st Street

Turn left onto East 31st Street

Navigation decision point

5
1.6 mi into trip | ~4m in | Kings Highway

Turn left onto Kings Highway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
8
9 mi into trip | ~18m in

Take the exit toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Bronx

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 7 Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Bronx
8
19.3 mi into trip | ~34m in

Take the exit toward Pelham Parkway East, Co-Op City

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 1C Toward Pelham Parkway East, Co-Op City

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.03 one way

$8.06 round trip

$4.49/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.86 $4.36 $8.72
premium $5.28 $4.74 $9.47
diesel $6.18 $5.55 $11.09

Estimated Tolls: $6.55

Whitestone Bridge $6.55

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Tolls

$7

Total

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.8 0 $2.39 $1.09
Efficient EV 5.7 0 $2.00 $0.91
EV Truck/SUV 9.1 0 $3.19 $1.46

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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.

Forecast as of Oct 16, 2026

Origin

Brooklyn, NY

Afternoon in Brooklyn on Saturday

Local time

2:26 PM

EDT

Current temp

76°F

Rain Showers

SW 12 mph 94% chance Live forecast

Freeze Watch

Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 2:18PM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued October 16 at 1:30PM EDT until October 16 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

Destination

City Island, NY

Afternoon in City Island on Saturday

Local time

2:26 PM

EDT

Current temp

72°F

Rain Showers

S 9 to 13 mph 94% chance Live forecast

Freeze Watch

Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 2:18PM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued October 16 at 1:30PM EDT until October 16 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

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

4 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

43m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive for this 22.8-mile journey, with 63% of the route utilizing expressways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.8 miles on the Jackie Robinson Parkway. While largely characterized by highway driving, this route offers a direct path connecting two points within New York State. The transition between these main roads is designed for efficient travel, meaning you'll likely experience consistent speeds for most of the trip.

63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.8 mi on Jackie Robinson Parkway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Jackie Robinson Parkway and Van Wyck Expressway. 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 Snyder Avenue.

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 13 decision points packed into just 22.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Snyder Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East 31st Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (Kings Highway): Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

154 ft 9 ft

Total Climb

164 ft

Total Descent

195 ft

Highest Point

154 ft

~4.9 mi in

Elevation Range

145 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Brooklyn, NY and City Island, NY, road signs point toward Bronx, Pelham Parkway East, Co-Op City and To I 95.

Bronx

9 mi in | ~18m

Pelham Parkway East

19.3 mi in | ~34m

Co-Op City

19.3 mi in | ~34m

To I 95

19.7 mi in | ~35m

About the Cities

Starting in Brooklyn, NY

Full guide →

Brooklyn, the "Borough of Homes and Churches," is one of the five boroughs of New York City. It used to be a separate city, and still feels much like one. It has about 2.5 million inhabitants. If separated from the rest of New York City, Brooklyn would be the 4th most populous American city. Brooklyn is on the westernmost point of Long Island and shares a land boundary with Queens, which partially encircles Brooklyn to the north, east and south; Manhattan lies across the East River to the west and north of Brooklyn, and Staten Island is across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the southwest. Brooklyn is enjoying a period of growth and affluence not seen since before World War II. The Brooklyn Academy of Music boasts world-class theater performances, and the nearby Barclays Center is the home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.

Top landmarks

  • • Brooklyn Bridge — bridge in New York City, crossing the East River
  • • Brooklyn Museum — art museum in Brooklyn, New York
  • • Manhattan Bridge — bridge in New York City

Arriving in City Island, 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 43m. Total distance: 22.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

43m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 4.8 miles on Jackie Robinson Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $6.55 in tolls one way, starting with Whitestone 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.

Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 City Island, 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 (Snyder Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East 31st Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (Kings Highway): 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 City Island, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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