Origin
Clinton, CT
Late night in Clinton on Sunday
Local time
3:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clinton, CT to Hamden, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
28.6 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clinton, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Hamden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Clinton, CT to Hamden, CT is 28.6 miles and takes about 40m via I 95 and Whitney Avenue, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Connecticut, making it a straightforward drive between two points in the Northeast. It's a relatively short journey, ideal for a single day with plenty of time to spare for your destination. You'll primarily be on major roadways, so expect typical traffic patterns for this stretch of the Northeast corridor.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 18.1 mi | 21m |
| Whitney Avenue | 5.5 mi | 8m |
| Forbes Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| East Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| High Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Edwards Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Frontage Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Killingworth Turnpike | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 18.1 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clinton, CT and Hamden, CT.
1
Start on US 1
112 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Main Street
2
Turn right onto CT 81
483 ft
·
11 sec
·
Hull Street
3
Turn right onto CT 81
228 ft
·
5 sec
·
Central Avenue
4
Continue on CT 81
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
High Street
5
Continue on CT 81
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Killingworth Turnpike
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 95 South
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 95
18 mi
·
21 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 51
Toward US 1: Frontage Road, Lighthouse Point
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto US 1
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
Frontage Road
10
Continue on US 1
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Forbes Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on US 1
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Water Street
12
Turn right onto East Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East Street
13
At end of road, turn left onto State Street
221 ft
·
7 sec
·
State Street
14
Turn right onto Edwards Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Edwards Street
15
Turn right onto Whitney Avenue
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Whitney Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Arrive at destination
CT 10
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CT 81 / Hull Street
Turn right onto CT 81 / Hull Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 95 South
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
19.3 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Frontage Road, Lighthouse Point
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 51
Toward US 1: Frontage Road, Lighthouse Point
5
22.5 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
State Street
At end of road, turn left onto State Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.60 one way
$9.21 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $5.07 | $10.13 |
| premium | $4.86 | $5.48 | $10.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.31 | $12.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.00 | $1.37 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Hamden, CT
Late night in Hamden on Sunday
Local time
3:54 AM
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
10 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
40m 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?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 63% of the route utilizing major highways like I 95. You'll encounter an uninterrupted stretch of 18.1 miles on I 95, offering a chance to settle into a steady pace. As you approach Hamden, the route transitions to local roads like Whitney Avenue, providing a different driving experience. The shift from interstate speeds to more urban road conditions is a notable change as you get closer to your destination.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.1 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Whitney Avenue. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CT 81 / Hull Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 28.6 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CT 81 / Hull Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Clinton, CT to Hamden, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Lighthouse Point along the way.
Lighthouse Point
19.3 mi in
|
~24m
About the Cities
Arriving in Hamden, CT
Full guide →Hamden is a suburb of the city of New Haven, Connecticut. Quinnipiac University has a significant impact on the town. The town's nickname is "The Land of the Sleeping Giant". It had about 59,500 in 2025.
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 40m. Total distance: 28.6 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 (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.1 miles on I 95. 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 Hamden, CT 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: near the start (CT 81 / Hull Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Weir Farm National Historical Park. 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 Hamden, CT 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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