Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
25m
Distance
16.8 mi
27 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elmsford, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Washington Heights, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Elmsford, NY to Washington Heights, NY is 16.8 miles and takes about 25m via Saw Mill River Parkway, Major Deegan Expressway, and Mosholu Parkway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its brief duration and highway profile, it's a straightforward drive suitable for a quick commute or a brief leg of a longer journey. You'll spend most of your time on major parkways and expressways, so expect consistent traffic flow typical of these types of roads.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Saw Mill River Parkway | 10.9 mi | 14m |
| Major Deegan Expressway | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Mosholu Parkway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Nagle Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Broadway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Henry Hudson Parkway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West 207th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Valley Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Elmsford, NY and Washington Heights, NY.
Start on Vreeland Avenue
Turn right onto NY 119
Turn left onto Valley Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto Saw Mill River Parkway
Continue on HH
Keep slight left at fork onto MP
Take the exit
Merge onto I 87
Take the exit
Turn right onto West Fordham Road
Continue on University Heights Bridge
Continue on West 207th Street
Turn left onto 10th Avenue
Continue on Nagle Avenue
Turn left onto US 9
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 15.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto NY 119 / West Main Street
Navigation decision point
Keep slight left at fork onto MP / Mosholu Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 87 South: Deegan Expressway, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward West Fordham Road, University Heights Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left onto 10th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$2.73 one way
$5.46 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $2.96 | $5.91 |
| premium | $4.87 | $3.22 | $6.44 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $3.57 | $7.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.9 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 | 5 | 0 | $1.76 | $0.81 |
| Efficient EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.47 | $0.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.35 | $1.08 |
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
Morning in Elmsford on Sunday
Local time
10:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Rain Showers
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 12:05AM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Morning in Washington Heights on Sunday
Local time
10:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Rain Showers
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 route is mostly highway, with 85% of the 16.8 miles on limited-access roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 10.9 miles on the Saw Mill River Parkway, offering a sustained period of cruising. The transition to surface roads will occur as you approach your destination, likely involving more frequent exits and merging traffic as you enter Washington Heights.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Saw Mill River Parkway and Major Deegan Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near NY 119 / West Main Street.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 16.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NY 119 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.5 miles (MP / Mosholu Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elmsford is a village in Westchester County in the state of New York in the United States of America.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 25m. Total distance: 16.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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