Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
23.5 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cedarhurst, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Washington Heights, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Cedarhurst, NY to Washington Heights, NY is 23.5 miles and takes about 40m via Van Wyck Expressway/I 95, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This relatively short trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The drive is mostly on highways, making it a straightforward transit rather than a destination in itself. It's a good option if you need to get from one area to another efficiently without a lot of fuss.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Van Wyck Expressway | 7.1 mi | 9m |
| I 95 | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Rockaway Boulevard | 2.5 mi | 6m |
| Whitestone Expressway | 2 mi | 2m |
| Bronx-Whitestone Bridge | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Nassau Expressway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Rockaway Turnpike | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Hutchinson River Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Cedarhurst, NY and Washington Heights, NY.
Start on Cedarhurst Avenue
Turn left onto West Broadway
Turn right onto Rockaway Turnpike
Continue on Rockaway Boulevard
Turn straight onto NY 878
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on I 678
Merge onto I 678
Continue on I 678
Continue on I 678
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn straight onto Washington Bridge
Continue on West 181st Street
Turn right onto Wadsworth Avenue
Turn left onto West 182nd Street
Turn left onto US 9
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 22.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Rockaway Turnpike
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 95 South, I 278 West, I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, Manhattan, New Haven Connecticut
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South, I 278 West: George Washington Bridge, Manhattan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 87: Queens, Albany, Major Deegan Expressway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward Amsterdam Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$3.82 one way
$7.64 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $4.13 | $8.27 |
| premium | $4.87 | $4.50 | $9.00 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $5.00 | $10.00 |
Estimated Tolls: $6.61
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
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.47 | $1.13 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.06 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Cedarhurst on Sunday
Local time
7:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Sunny
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 11:36AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Morning in Washington Heights on Sunday
Local time
7:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Sunny
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 11:36AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
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 is largely highway-based, with 68% of it on major expressways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 7.1 miles on the Van Wyck Expressway. Expect a significant portion of your drive to be on I 95. The transition from highway to surface roads will occur as you approach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Van Wyck Expressway and I 95. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near Rockaway Turnpike.
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 16 decision points packed into just 23.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (Rockaway Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Cedarhurst, NY and Washington Heights, NY, road signs point toward Bronx, Manhattan and New Haven Connecticut.
Bronx
Manhattan
New Haven Connecticut
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 23.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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