Origin
East Haven, CT
Late night in East Haven on Tuesday
Local time
5:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from East Haven, CT to Bristol, CT
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
32.2 mi
52 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 43m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
East Haven, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Bristol, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
East Haven, CT to Bristol, CT is 32.2 miles and takes about 46m via Highland Avenue and I-91, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Connecticut, traversing the Northeast region. The drive offers a mixed experience, combining highway travel with local roads, making it a straightforward, one-day excursion. You'll likely encounter a blend of suburban and more developed areas as you make your way north. Consider this a convenient local hop rather than an epic journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highland Avenue | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| I 91 | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Whitney Avenue | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| South Main Street | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| CT 40 | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| West Street | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Middle Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| I 84 | 1.9 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Highland Avenue
— 4.4 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between East Haven, CT and Bristol, CT.
1
Start on Hemingway Avenue
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Hemingway Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Turn left onto US 1
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Saltonstall Parkway
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on US 1
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
·
Frontage Road
4
Continue on US 1
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Forbes Avenue
5
Turn right onto Townsend Avenue
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Townsend Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on Fairmont Avenue
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Fairmont Avenue
7
Turn right onto Farren Avenue
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Farren Avenue
8
Turn left onto East Ferry Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
East Ferry Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 91 North: Hartford
10
Merge onto I 91
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
I 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto CT 40
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
CT 40
Exit 10
Toward CT 40: Hamden, Cheshire
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
326 ft
·
10 sec
Toward CT 10 North: Mount Carmel, Cheshire, Quinnipiac University
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on CT 10
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Whitney Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
14
Continue on CT 10
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on CT 10
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Highland Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Continue on CT 10
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Cheshire Road
17
Continue on CT 10
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
Norton Street
18
Continue on CT 10
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
South Main Street
19
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 84 East: Hartford
20
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
21
Merge onto I 84
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
I 84
22
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 31
Toward CT 229: West Street, Bristol
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Turn left onto CT 229
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
West Street
Use the left lane.
24
Continue on CT 229
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Middle Street
Use the straight lane.
25
Turn left onto CT 72
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Riverside Avenue
Use the left lane.
26
Turn left onto CT 72
276 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
27
Turn right onto CT 72
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
School Street
Use the right lane.
28
Turn left onto CT 69
71 ft
·
1 sec
·
West Street
Use the left lane.
29
Arrive at destination
CT 69
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.1 miles from East Haven, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 8.2 and 26.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
8.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
CT 40
Take the exit onto CT 40 toward CT 40: Hamden, Cheshire
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 10
Toward CT 40: Hamden, Cheshire
8
11.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CT 10 North: Mount Carmel, Cheshire, Quinnipiac University
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward CT 10 North: Mount Carmel, Cheshire, Qui...
6
23.5 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward I 84 East: Hartford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 84 East: Hartford
8
26 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward CT 229: West Street, Bristol
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31
Toward CT 229: West Street, Bristol
6
26.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
CT 229 / West Street
Turn left onto CT 229 / West Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.18 one way
$10.37 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $5.70 | $11.41 |
| premium | $4.86 | $6.17 | $12.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.11 | $14.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.38 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.82 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.51 | $2.06 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Bristol, CT
Late night in Bristol on Tuesday
Local time
5:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
33°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
9 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
46m 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 route is a mixed drive, with about 30% of the journey on highways. You'll experience stretches on Highland Avenue, including one continuous section of 4.4 miles, before transitioning to I-91. Expect the road to feel like a typical urban and suburban commute for much of its length. The shift between the faster interstate and the more controlled local street driving is noticeable. It's not a route defined by sweeping vistas but rather by efficient travel between two points.
30% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.4 mi on Highland Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 8.2 miles in near CT 40.
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 16 decision points packed into just 32.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.2 miles (CT 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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.
Between East Haven, CT and Bristol, CT, road signs point toward Cheshire and Quinnipiac University.
Cheshire
8.2 mi in
|
~12m
|
via CT 40
Quinnipiac University
11.2 mi in
|
~17m
About the Cities
Starting in East Haven, CT
Full guide →East Haven is a town in Connecticut three minutes' drive from New Haven and 35 miles from Hartford. It is part of the Greater New Haven area, founded in 1683. The town's population was 28,000 as of 2020. While East Haven has been well-known for a large Italian-American population, the town has received many newer immigrants, particularly from Ecuador, since the late 20th century. The shape of the town is vertically long, and split into three different areas: Foxon, the Center, and Momauguin. Foxon is the northernmost section and is surrounded Branford and North Branford as well as New Haven. The Center is not geographically the center of town, but contains the town hall, library, and the green, surrounded by a suburban area. Momauguin, to the south, borders New Haven along the coastline and contains the Tweed New Haven Regional Airport.
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 46m. Total distance: 32.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.4 miles on Highland Avenue. 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 Bristol, 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 8.2 miles (CT 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bristol, 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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