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Trip from City Island, NY to Jamaica, NY

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

30m

Distance

16.1 mi

26 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 28m ★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown City Island, NY, NY

City Island, NY

Clément Proust

neighborhood of Queens, New York City, United States

Jamaica, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

City Island, NY to Jamaica, NY is 16.1 miles and takes about 30m via Van Wyck Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a primarily highway-focused drive, making it a quick and efficient way to get from one part of the city to another. Consider this route when you need a straightforward transit between these areas without much fuss.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Van Wyck Expressway 4.3 mi 6m
Whitestone Expressway 2.3 mi 3m
Hutchinson River Parkway 2 mi 2m
Bronx-Whitestone Bridge 1.3 mi 2m
Hutchinson River Expressway 1.2 mi 1m
City Island Road 1.2 mi 2m
Van Wyck Expressway West 0.9 mi 2m
Shore Road 0.9 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Van Wyck Expressway — 4.3 mi, about 6m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on City Island Avenue

0.6 mi · 2 min · City Island Avenue
2

Continue on City Island Bridge

0.2 mi · 34 sec · City Island Bridge
3

Continue on City Island Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · City Island Road
4

Enter roundabout onto City Island Road

465 ft · 8 sec · City Island Road
5

Continue on City Island Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · City Island Road
6

At end of road, turn left onto Shore Road

0.9 mi · 2 min · Shore Road
Use the left lane.
7

Continue on Pe

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Pelham Parkway
8

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward Hutchinson Parkway South, Whitestone Bridge, Queens
9

Merge onto HR

2.0 mi · 2 min · Hutchinson River Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on I 678

1.2 mi · 1 min · Hutchinson River Expressway
11

Continue on I 678

1.3 mi · 2 min · Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
12

Continue on I 678

2.3 mi · 3 min · Whitestone Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork onto I 678

4.3 mi · 6 min · Van Wyck Expressway
Toward I 678 South: Kennedy Airport Use the slight left lane.
14

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Exit 6 Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlantic Avenue Use the right lane.
15

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 13 sec
Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue Use the slight right lane.
16

Turn straight onto Van Wyck Expressway West

0.9 mi · 2 min · Van Wyck Expressway West
Use the straight / right lanes.
17

Turn left onto Liberty Avenue

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Liberty Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
18

Turn right onto Inwood Street

0.2 mi · 44 sec · Inwood Street
19

Turn right onto Tuskegee Airmen Way

56 ft · 2 sec · Tuskegee Airmen Way
20

Arrive at destination

Tuskegee Airmen Way

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 14.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
2 mi into trip | ~5m in | Shore Road

At end of road, turn left onto Shore Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
3.4 mi into trip | ~9m in | HR / Hutchinson River Parkway

Merge onto HR / Hutchinson River Parkway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
10.1 mi into trip | ~19m in | I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway toward I 678 South: Kennedy Airport

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 678 South: Kennedy Airport
8
14.4 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlantic Avenue

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

Use the right lane. Exit 6 Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Atlanti...
9
14.7 mi into trip | ~26m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.65 one way

$5.30 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $2.87 $5.73
premium $4.92 $3.12 $6.24
diesel $5.61 $3.55 $7.11

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

$3

Tolls

$7

Total

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.8 0 $1.69 $0.77
Efficient EV 4 0 $1.41 $0.64
EV Truck/SUV 6.4 0 $2.25 $1.03

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

City Island, NY

Morning in City Island on Tuesday

Local time

11:28 AM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Partly Sunny

NW 13 to 16 mph 14% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 1:57PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 20 at 8:03AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

Destination

Jamaica, NY

Morning in Jamaica on Tuesday

Local time

11:28 AM

EDT

Current temp

54°F

Isolated Rain Showers

NW 13 to 17 mph 16% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 20 at 1:57PM EDT until April 21 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 20 at 8:03AM 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

2 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

30m 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?

This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 68% of the journey utilizing major expressways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on the Van Wyck Expressway, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 4.3 miles. Expect a dynamic driving experience as you navigate these main roads, which are designed for efficient travel. The route progresses through urban landscapes, prioritizing speed and directness over leisurely cruising.

68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.3 mi on Van Wyck Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Van Wyck Expressway and Whitestone Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near Shore Road.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 16.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (Shore Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (HR / Hutchinson River Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.

Between City Island, NY and Jamaica, NY, road signs point toward Hutchinson Parkway South and Queens.

Hutchinson Parkway South

3.2 mi in | ~8m

Queens

3.2 mi in | ~8m

About the Cities

Arriving in Jamaica, NY

Full guide →

Jamaica is an expansive neighborhood located in eastern Queens. Historically consisting of predominantly black communities, Jamaica now is home to an extremely diverse array of peoples and cultures.

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 30m. Total distance: 16.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

30m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 4.3 miles on Van Wyck Expressway. 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 3 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 Jamaica, 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 2 miles (Shore Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (HR / Hutchinson River Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and African Burial Ground National Monument (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 Jamaica, 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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