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Trip from College Park, MD to Elkridge, MD

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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

35m

Distance

24.2 mi

39 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 33m ★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 34m

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

Downtown College Park, MD, MD

College Park, MD

Wikimedia Commons

census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Elkridge, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Driving from College Park to Elkridge is a quick, straightforward 24.2-mile journey that typically takes about 35 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, this trip works perfectly as a simple day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You will primarily navigate via I-95, Baltimore Avenue, and Washington Boulevard. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, it is an economical route for commuters or weekend travelers alike. Both locations are situated within Maryland’s Northeast region, meaning you will remain in a familiar geographic area throughout the drive. It is a highly practical connection that gets you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 95 15.9 mi 18m
Washington Boulevard 3 mi 5m
Baltimore Avenue 2.7 mi 7m
Capital Beltway 0.8 mi <1m
MD 100 0.4 mi <1m
Old Washington Road 0.2 mi <1m
Knox Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 95 — 15.9 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between College Park, MD and Elkridge, MD.

1

Start on Knox Road

272 ft · 15 sec · Knox Road
2

Turn right onto US 1

2.7 mi · 7 min · Baltimore Avenue
Use the left lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silver Spring Use the right lane.
4

Merge onto I 95; I 495

0.8 mi · 57 sec · Capital Beltway
5

Keep slight right at fork onto I 95

16 mi · 18 min · I 95
Toward I-95 North: Baltimore Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 53 sec
Exit 43A Toward MD 100 East: Glen Burnie Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto MD 100

0.4 mi · 29 sec · MD 100
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Exit 6B Toward US 1 North: Elkridge Use the right lane.
9

Turn straight onto US 1

3.0 mi · 5 min · Washington Boulevard
Use the left lane.
10

Turn right onto Old Washington Road

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Old Washington Road
11

Arrive at destination

Old Washington Road

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 20.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 1 / Baltimore Avenue

Turn right onto US 1 / Baltimore Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
2.8 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the ramp toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silver Spring

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silv...
7
3.8 mi into trip | ~9m in | I 95

Keep slight right at fork onto I 95 toward I-95 North: Baltimore

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward I-95 North: Baltimore
7
19.7 mi into trip | ~27m in

Take the exit toward MD 100 East: Glen Burnie

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 43A Toward MD 100 East: Glen Burnie
7
20.7 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward US 1 North: Elkridge

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 6B Toward US 1 North: Elkridge

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.01 one way

$8.02 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $4.39 $8.79
premium $4.93 $4.69 $9.39
diesel $5.61 $5.34 $10.69

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.3 0 $2.54 $1.16
Efficient EV 6.1 0 $2.12 $0.97
EV Truck/SUV 9.7 0 $3.39 $1.55

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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

College Park, MD

Late night in College Park on Tuesday

Local time

4:08 AM

EDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Elkridge, MD

Late night in Elkridge on Tuesday

Local time

4:08 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°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

17 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

35m 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 highway-focused experience, as roughly 67% of this route involves interstate travel. The most significant portion of your time behind the wheel will be the 15.9-mile stretch on I-95, which serves as the backbone of the trip. While the interstate segments provide a fast, consistent pace, you will also navigate Baltimore Avenue and Washington Boulevard to reach your destination. This mix creates a functional drive that transitions from urban arterial roads to the higher speeds of the interstate. You won't find many technical turns or winding backroads here, making it a predictable and efficient path for those looking to avoid unnecessary complexity.

67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.9 mi on I 95.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Washington Boulevard. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 1 / Baltimore Avenue.

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 9 decision points packed into just 24.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 1 / Baltimore Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.8 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

330 ft 72 ft

Total Climb

317 ft

Total Descent

294 ft

Highest Point

330 ft

~10.4 mi in

Elevation Range

258 ft

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 College Park, MD to Elkridge, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Silver Spring along the way.

Silver Spring

2.8 mi in | ~7m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 24.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

35m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 15.9 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 Elkridge, 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 0.1 miles (US 1 / Baltimore Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.8 miles (I 95): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal 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 Elkridge, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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