Origin
College Park, MD
Late night in College Park on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from College Park, MD to Crofton, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
19.2 mi
31 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
College Park, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Crofton, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick commute between College Park and Crofton, this 19.2-mile trip is a straightforward transit within Maryland’s Northeast region. You can easily complete the drive in about 34 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. With a modest fuel budget of just $3, the route is highly economical for those traveling between these two hubs. Because the distance is so short, there is no need to plan for overnight stays or complex logistics. You will primarily navigate via John Hanson Highway, North East Crain Highway, and Veterans Parkway. It is a practical, no-nonsense connection that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John Hanson Highway | 8.2 mi | 9m |
| North East Crain Highway | 2 mi | 2m |
| Veterans Parkway | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| East-West Highway | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Riverdale Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Baltimore Avenue | 1.1 mi | 3m |
| Robert Crain Highway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Crofton Parkway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
John Hanson Highway
— 8.2 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between College Park, MD and Crofton, MD.
1
Start on Knox Road
272 ft
·
14 sec
·
Knox Road
2
Turn left onto US 1
1.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Baltimore Avenue
3
Turn left onto MD 410
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
East-West Highway
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on MD 410
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Riverdale Road
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn right
388 ft
·
34 sec
6
Turn left onto Riverdale Road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Riverdale Road
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto Veterans Parkway
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Veterans Parkway
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward US 50 East: Annapolis
9
Merge onto US 50
8.2 mi
·
9 min
·
John Hanson Highway
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 13A-B-C
Toward US 301, MD 3: Richmond, Crofton
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 13B-C
Toward MD 3 North: Crofton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 13B
Toward MD 3 North: Crofton
Use the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto MD 3
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North East Crain Highway
14
Continue on MD 3; MD 450
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Robert Crain Highway
15
Take the exit onto Clubhouse Gate Road
0.1 mi
·
42 sec
·
Clubhouse Gate Road
16
Turn right onto Crofton Parkway
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
Crofton Parkway
17
Turn left onto Spring Green Avenue
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
·
Spring Green Avenue
18
Turn right onto Stratton Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Stratton Road
19
Arrive at destination
Stratton Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 3.5 and 14.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
3.5 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
Riverdale Road
Turn left onto Riverdale Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
3.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
Veterans Parkway
Turn left onto Veterans Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
13.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward US 301, MD 3: Richmond, Crofton
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 13A-B-C
Toward US 301, MD 3: Richmond, Crofton
8
14.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 3 North: Crofton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 13B-C
Toward MD 3 North: Crofton
8
14.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 3 North: Crofton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 13B
Toward MD 3 North: Crofton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.18 one way
$6.37 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.49 | $6.97 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.72 | $7.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.24 | $8.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.02 | $0.92 |
| Efficient EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.68 | $0.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.69 | $1.23 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Crofton, MD
Late night in Crofton on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
34m 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 turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. While you spend about 11 miles on highways, the character of the journey shifts as you transition between local roads and more open stretches. Your longest uninterrupted segment is the 8.2-mile stretch on the John Hanson Highway, which provides the most consistent speed of the trip. Outside of that, the road requires frequent adjustments as you navigate the turn-heavy sections. The experience is less about scenic cruising and more about maintaining a steady pace through a mix of highway and local infrastructure.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.2 mi on John Hanson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.5 miles in near Riverdale Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 14 decision points packed into just 19.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.5 miles (Riverdale Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (Veterans Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.9 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
196 ft
41 ft
Total Climb
347 ft
Total Descent
319 ft
Highest Point
196 ft
~4.8 mi in
Elevation Range
155 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 19.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.2 miles on John Hanson Highway. 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 Crofton, MD 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 3.5 miles (Riverdale Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (Veterans Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.9 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 Crofton, MD 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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