Origin
Colchester, CT
Late night in Colchester on Sunday
Local time
3:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Colchester, CT to West Haven, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
49.5 mi
80 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Colchester, CT
Wikimedia Commons
West Haven, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Colchester to West Haven covers 49.5 miles of Connecticut terrain, typically requiring about 1 hour and 16 minutes behind the wheel. This straightforward journey functions perfectly as a quick day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. With a fuel budget of approximately $8, it is an economical choice for those moving between these two Northeast locations. The route utilizes a blend of I-91, Middletown Road, and Meriden Road to navigate the state efficiently. Whether you are heading toward the coast or visiting inland, this drive provides a practical link between the two points without demanding too much of your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 91 | 20.1 mi | 24m |
| Middletown Road | 6.1 mi | 10m |
| Meriden Road | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Portland-Cobalt Road | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| Colchester Avenue | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Middletown Avenue | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Washington Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 91
— 20.1 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colchester, CT and West Haven, CT.
1
Start on Hayward Avenue
181 ft
·
14 sec
·
Hayward Avenue
2
Turn left onto CT 16
132 ft
·
6 sec
·
Lebanon Avenue
3
Turn left onto CT 16; CT 85
445 ft
·
10 sec
·
Main Street
4
Turn right onto CT 16
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Linwood Avenue
5
Continue on CT 16
6.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Middletown Road
6
Continue on CT 16
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Colchester Avenue
7
Continue on CT 16
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Middletown Avenue
8
Turn left onto CT 66
0.8 mi
·
59 sec
·
West High Street
9
Continue on CT 66
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Portland-Cobalt Road
10
Continue on CT 17; CT 66
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Marlborough Street
Use the straight lane.
11
At end of road, turn left onto CT 17; CT 66
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn right onto Grand Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Street
13
At end of road, turn left onto Prospect Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Prospect Street
14
Continue on Liberty Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Liberty Street
15
At end of road, turn left onto CT 3
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Newfield Street
16
Turn right onto CT 66
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Continue on CT 66
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Meriden Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 1B
Toward I 91 South, CT 15 South: New Haven
Use the slight left lane.
19
Merge onto I 91
20 mi
·
24 min
·
I 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Merge onto I 95
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 44
Toward CT 10: Downtown, West Haven
Use the slight right lane.
22
Turn left onto CT 10
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Ella T. Grasso Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
23
Turn left onto Kimberly Avenue
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Kimberly Avenue
24
Turn straight onto Elm Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Elm Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
25
Turn left onto Campbell Avenue
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Campbell Avenue
26
Turn left onto New Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
New Street
27
Turn right onto Washington Avenue
68 ft
·
2 sec
·
Washington Avenue
28
Arrive at destination
Washington Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.8 miles from Colchester, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 195 decision points cluster between mile 18 and 47.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
18 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
CT 17; CT 66 / Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto CT 17; CT 66 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
19.8 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
CT 3 / Newfield Street
At end of road, turn left onto CT 3 / Newfield Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
8
26.1 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward I 91 South, CT 15 South: New Haven
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 1B
Toward I 91 South, CT 15 South: New Haven
8
47.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Take the exit toward CT 10: Downtown, West Haven
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 44
Toward CT 10: Downtown, West Haven
7
47.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
CT 10 / Ella T. Grasso Boulevard
Turn left onto CT 10 / Ella T. Grasso Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.97 one way
$15.94 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $8.77 | $17.54 |
| premium | $4.86 | $9.48 | $18.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.93 | $21.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.20 | $2.38 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.93 | $3.17 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
West Haven, CT
Late night in West Haven on Sunday
Local time
3:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
42°F
Middletown, CT
25 mi in
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
1h 16m 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 mixed driving experience that transitions between local thoroughfares and major interstate travel. With 43% of the journey spent on highways, you will encounter a shift in pace as you move off smaller roads and onto I-91. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on I-91, where you will cover 20.1 miles of consistent highway driving. The transition from Middletown Road and Meriden Road into the interstate sections keeps the drive engaging by alternating between local traffic patterns and higher-speed segments. You will find that the personality of the road changes noticeably as you move through these different infrastructure types.
43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.1 mi on I 91.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 18 miles in near CT 17; CT 66 / Main Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.5 miles you will encounter 19 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: at 18 miles (CT 17; CT 66 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.8 miles (CT 3 / Newfield Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 26.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
478 ft
16 ft
Total Climb
539 ft
Total Descent
989 ft
Highest Point
478 ft
~24.8 mi in
Elevation Range
462 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 49.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.1 miles on I 91. 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 West Haven, 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: at 18 miles (CT 17; CT 66 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.8 miles (CT 3 / Newfield Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 26.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 West Haven, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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