Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
16.1 mi
26 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
East New York, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Washington Heights, NY
Wikimedia Commons
East New York, NY to Washington Heights, NY is 16.1 miles and takes about 36 minutes via Harlem River Drive, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within New York, connecting two parts of the Northeast region. Given its brief length and mostly surface road profile, this drive is best suited for a quick, single-day excursion when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently. Plan for about a 22% highway share, meaning you'll spend most of your time navigating city streets.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Harlem River Drive | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Fresh Pond Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| 69th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Jackie Robinson Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 7 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~4,026 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~1,234 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
3.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 21 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between East New York, NY and Washington Heights, NY.
Start on Cleveland Street
Turn right onto Livonia Avenue
Turn right onto Ashford Street
Turn left onto Sutter Avenue
Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue
Continue on JR
Take the exit
At end of road, turn left onto Vermont Place
At end of road, turn left onto Cypress Avenue
Turn right onto Cooper Avenue
Continue on Cooper Avenue
Turn slight left onto 62nd Street
At end of road, turn left onto Myrtle Avenue
Turn right onto Fresh Pond Road
At end of road, turn right onto Flushing Avenue
Turn straight onto Grand Avenue
Turn left onto 69th Street
Turn left onto Queens Boulevard
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 278
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278
Merge onto GCP; I 278
Continue on I 278
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto HRD
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn right onto Amsterdam Avenue
Turn left onto West 179th Street
Turn right onto US 9
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 12.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward Cypress Avenue, Vermont Place
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
At end of road, turn left onto Vermont Place
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West toward I 278 East: Triborough Bridge, Manhattan, Bronx
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Manhattan, Randalls Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Harlem River Drive North, 125th Street, 2nd Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$2.62 one way
$5.23 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $2.83 | $5.66 |
| premium | $4.87 | $3.08 | $6.17 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $3.42 | $6.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.69 | $0.77 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.41 | $0.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.25 | $1.03 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in East New York on Sunday
Local time
2:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Light Rain
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 12:05AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Afternoon in Washington Heights on Sunday
Local time
2:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Light Rain
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 12:05AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive covers 16.1 miles with a 22% highway share, meaning you'll primarily be on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 2.3 miles on Harlem River Drive. Expect frequent intersections and traffic signals as you transition between the Harlem River Drive and roads like Fresh Pond Road. The urban environment means you'll be merging with city traffic frequently.
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 2.3 miles in.
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 27 decision points packed into just 16.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles (Vermont Place): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles (I 278 / Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between East New York, NY and Washington Heights, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan, Bronx, Randalls Island and Harlem River Drive North.
Manhattan
Bronx
Randalls Island
Harlem River Drive North
East Brooklyn encompasses Cypress Hills, East New York, Canarsie, Bergen Beach, Flatlands, Mill Basin, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, and Barren Island. Even many New Yorkers from outside these neighborhoods seldom if ever visit, and these areas represent unlikely tourist destinations, unless you are visiting friends or attending a specific event. That said, there are some unique though lesser-visited attractions in the area.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 16.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from East New York, NY or browse trips ending in Washington Heights, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.
