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Trip from East Haddam, CT to Essex, CT

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

17m

Distance

11.3 mi

18 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 16m ★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m

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

town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States

East Haddam, CT

Wikimedia Commons

town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States

Essex, CT

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This short, 11.3-mile drive from East Haddam, CT to Essex, CT takes about 17 minutes, making it an easy and quick excursion. With no highway driving and a minimal fuel cost of around $2, this trip is perfect for a single day. The route is characterized by frequent turns, so be prepared to navigate local roads. You'll be staying within the Northeast region throughout this journey. This is a straightforward drive, ideal for those looking for a simple transit between two points without a significant time commitment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
CT 9 5.9 mi 6m
CT 82 2.9 mi 4m
West Avenue 0.8 mi 1m
Bridge Road 0.7 mi 1m
Saybrook Road 0.4 mi <1m
Main Street 0.3 mi <1m
Middlesex Turnpike 0.1 mi <1m
Pratt Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: CT 9 — 5.9 mi, about 6m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between East Haddam, CT and Essex, CT.

1

Start on CT 149

0.2 mi · 39 sec · Main Street
2

Continue on CT 82

0.7 mi · 1 min · Bridge Road
3

Enter roundabout onto CT 82; CT 154

178 ft · 3 sec · Saybrook Road
4

Continue on CT 82; CT 154

0.4 mi · 31 sec · Saybrook Road
5

Enter roundabout onto CT 82

15 ft · 0 sec · CT 82
6

Continue on CT 82

2.0 mi · 2 min · CT 82
7

Take the ramp onto CT 82

0.1 mi · 16 sec · CT 82
8

Keep slight left at fork onto CT 82

0.9 mi · 1 min · CT 82
Toward CT 9 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto CT 9

5.9 mi · 6 min · CT 9
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 55 sec
Exit 3 Toward CT 154, CT 153: Essex
11

Turn left onto CT 154

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Middlesex Turnpike
12

Turn left onto West Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Avenue
13

Continue on West Avenue

0.2 mi · 40 sec · West Avenue
14

Enter roundabout onto Main Street

18 ft · 0 sec · Main Street
15

Continue on Main Street

179 ft · 13 sec · Main Street
16

Turn left

120 ft · 15 sec
17

Turn left onto Pratt Street

113 ft · 5 sec · Pratt Street
18

Arrive at destination

Pratt Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 3.4 and 11.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
3.4 mi into trip | ~5m in | CT 82

Keep slight left at fork onto CT 82 toward CT 9 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CT 9 South
6
10.1 mi into trip | ~14m in

Take the exit toward CT 154, CT 153: Essex

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

Exit 3 Toward CT 154, CT 153: Essex
5
11.3 mi into trip | ~17m in | Main Street

Enter roundabout onto Main Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

5
11.3 mi into trip | ~17m in

Turn left

Navigation decision point

5
11.3 mi into trip | ~17m in | Pratt Street

Turn left onto Pratt Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.82 one way

$3.64 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 4 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $2.00 $4.00
premium $4.86 $2.16 $4.33
diesel $5.61 $2.49 $4.99

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 3.4 0 $1.19 $0.54
Efficient EV 2.8 0 $0.99 $0.45
EV Truck/SUV 4.5 0 $1.58 $0.72

Gas CO2

4 kg

EV CO2

1 kg (75% 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 16, 2026

Origin

East Haddam, CT

Morning in East Haddam on Sunday

Local time

6:35 AM

EDT

Current temp

42°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Essex, CT

Morning in Essex on Sunday

Local time

6:35 AM

EDT

Current temp

42°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

17m 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 on roads like Bridge Road and Saybrook Road. With 0% highway share, this route offers a continuous local road experience without any extended highway stretches. The longest uninterrupted stretch isn't specified, but the overall profile suggests a dynamic driving experience with frequent adjustments. You'll be navigating through a more intimate, community-focused environment rather than open highways. This drive is all about engaging with the local road network.

79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.9 mi on CT 9.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CT 9 and CT 82. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.4 miles in near CT 82.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 11.3 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: at 3.4 miles (CT 82): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.3 miles (Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 17m. Total distance: 11.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

17m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 5.9 miles on CT 9. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 3.4 miles (CT 82): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.3 miles (Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Essex, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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