Origin
Bushwick, NY
Afternoon in Bushwick on Sunday
Local time
12:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bushwick, NY to Washington Heights, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
13.7 mi
22 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bushwick, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Washington Heights, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Trip Overview
Navigating from Bushwick to Washington Heights covers a concise 14.4-mile stretch across New York City. You can expect the journey to take about 40 minutes, making this an easy day trip that requires no overnight stay. Since the route relies entirely on local roads like Cypress Avenue, Flushing Avenue, and Grand Avenue, you will avoid highway travel altogether. With a fuel cost of just $2, it is a very budget-friendly transit within the Northeast region. This drive is best viewed as a practical connection between two distinct urban neighborhoods rather than a traditional scenic tour.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Harlem River Drive | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Flushing Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| 69th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Cypress Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Harlem River Drive
— 2.3 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bushwick, NY and Washington Heights, NY.
1
Start on Linden Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Linden Street
2
Turn left onto Cypress Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Cypress Avenue
3
Turn right onto Flushing Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Flushing Avenue
4
Turn straight onto Grand Avenue
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Grand Avenue
5
Turn left onto 69th Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
69th Street
6
Turn left onto Queens Boulevard
285 ft
·
9 sec
·
Queens Boulevard
7
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 278 East: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
8
Merge onto I 278
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
Toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Manhattan, Bronx
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto GCP; I 278
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Central Parkway
11
Continue on I 278
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 46
Toward Manhattan, Randalls Island
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 46
Toward Manhattan, Randalls Island
14
Continue on Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
15
Keep slight right at fork
127 ft
·
3 sec
Toward Harlem River Drive North, 125th Street, 2nd Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward Harlem River Drive North
Use the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto HRD
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Harlem River Drive
18
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 24
Toward I 95 South, US 1 South: George Washington Bridge, Amsterdam Avenue, West 179 Street
Use the slight left lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
Toward Amsterdam Avenue, West 179th Street, Yeshiva University
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
20
Turn right onto Amsterdam Avenue
125 ft
·
9 sec
·
Amsterdam Avenue
21
Turn left onto West 179th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
West 179th Street
Toward G.W. Bridge, Fort Tryon Park, Cloisters Museum
22
Turn right onto US 9
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Broadway
23
Arrive at destination
US 9
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 5.4 and 13.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
5.4 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Manhattan, Bronx
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Manhattan...
8
8.9 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward Manhattan, Randalls Island
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 46
Toward Manhattan, Randalls Island
8
9.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Harlem River Drive North, 125th Street, 2nd Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Harlem River Drive North, 125th Street,...
8
12.6 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, US 1 South: George Washington Bridge, Amsterdam Avenue, West 179 Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 24
Toward I 95 South, US 1 South: George Washingto...
8
13.1 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Amsterdam Avenue, West 179th Street, Yeshiva University
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Amsterdam Avenue, West 179th Street, Yes...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.26 one way
$4.51 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.44 | $4.88 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.66 | $5.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.02 | $6.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.8 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 | 4.1 | 0 | $1.44 | $0.66 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.20 | $0.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Washington Heights, NY
Afternoon in Washington Heights on Sunday
Local time
12:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
53°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
6 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
29m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive as you navigate the dense urban landscape between Bushwick and Washington Heights. Because the highway share is 0%, your focus will remain entirely on surface streets rather than open-road cruising. There is no single longest stretch to speak of, as the route requires constant attention to city turns and intersections. You will experience a steady, rhythmic pace defined by the city's grid rather than the speed of an interstate. Prepare for an active driving experience where the environment changes block by block.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.3 mi on Harlem River Drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 5.4 miles in near I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 13.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.4 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Bushwick, NY and Washington Heights, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan, Bronx, Randalls Island and Harlem River Drive North.
Manhattan
5.4 mi in
|
~12m
|
via I 278
Bronx
5.4 mi in
|
~12m
|
via I 278
Randalls Island
8.9 mi in
|
~19m
Harlem River Drive North
9.9 mi in
|
~21m
About the Cities
Starting in Bushwick, NY
Full guide →Arriving in Washington Heights, 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 29m. Total distance: 13.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 2.3 miles on Harlem River Drive. 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 Washington Heights, 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 5.4 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Washington Heights, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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