Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
11 mi
18 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bushwick, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Whitestone, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Bushwick, NY to Whitestone, NY is 11 miles and takes about 21 minutes via the Van Wyck Expressway and Whitestone Expressway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive entirely within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a mixed drive with a significant portion on expressways, making it a quick transit rather than a scenic journey. It's ideal for a quick hop when you need to get from one part of the city to another without a lengthy commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Whitestone Expressway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Van Wyck Expressway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Long Island Expressway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Flushing Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Cypress Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Linden Street | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| Horace Harding Expressway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Queens-Midtown Expressway | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bushwick, NY and Whitestone, NY.
Start on Linden Street
Turn left onto Cypress Avenue
Turn right onto Flushing Avenue
Turn straight onto Grand Avenue
Turn slight right onto Queens-Midtown Expressway
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Continue on Horace Harding Expressway
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 678
Merge onto I 678
Take the exit
Turn right onto 5th Avenue
Turn right onto 149th Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.1 and 10.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 East: Eastern Long Island, Riverhead
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 678: Grand Central Parkway, Van Wyck Expressway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the ramp toward I 678: Van Wyck Expresswway, Whitestone Bridge, Kennedy Airport
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway North, Whitestone Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward 3rd Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$1.81 one way
$3.62 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $1.96 | $3.92 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.13 | $4.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.43 | $4.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.53 |
| Efficient EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.96 | $0.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.54 | $0.70 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Late night in Bushwick on Sunday
Local time
3:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Whitestone on Sunday
Local time
3:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Mostly Sunny
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 offers a mixed drive experience, with 53% of it being highway. You'll primarily navigate the Van Wyck Expressway and the Whitestone Expressway, which are designed for steady, higher-speed travel. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is about 1.8 miles on the Whitestone Expressway. This means much of your journey will be on fast-paced, multi-lane roads, with some transitions as you navigate between these main arteries. It's a drive built for efficiency, not winding country lanes.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.1 miles in.
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 13 decision points packed into just 11 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 21m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bushwick, NY and Whitestone, NY, road signs point toward Eastern Long Island, Riverhead and Kennedy Airport.
Eastern Long Island
Riverhead
Kennedy Airport
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 11 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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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