Origin
Hillcrest, NY
Morning in Hillcrest on Sunday
Local time
10:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hillcrest, NY to Washington Heights, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
24.4 mi
39 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hillcrest, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Washington Heights, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Trip Overview
Spanning 24.5 miles, this journey from Hillcrest to Washington Heights is a quick trip that typically takes about 31 minutes to complete. You will navigate primarily via East Central Avenue, New York local roads, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway. Given the short duration, this is easily accomplished as a single-day outing, requiring no overnight stays. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, the drive is quite economical for those traveling within the Northeast region. It serves as a straightforward connection between these two New York locations, making it a convenient option for a direct commute or a brief local excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Palisades Interstate Parkway | 18.3 mi | 25m |
| East Central Avenue | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| North Main Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| I 95 EXPR | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| George Washington Bridge (upper level) | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| US 9 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Broadway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Palisades Interstate Parkway
— 18.3 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hillcrest, NY and Washington Heights, NY.
1
Start on NY 45
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
2
Turn left onto NY 59
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
East Central Avenue
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward New York, Palisades Interstate Parkway South
4
Merge onto Palisades Interstate Parkway
18 mi
·
25 min
·
Palisades Interstate Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
6
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
7
Take the exit onto US 9
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
US 9
Exit 1A
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 9
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
US 9
Toward West 178th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto US 9
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Broadway
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Arrive at destination
US 9
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 24.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NY 59 / East Central Avenue
Turn left onto NY 59 / East Central Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
4.6 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Palisades Interstate Parkway
Merge onto Palisades Interstate Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
23.9 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
US 9
Take the exit onto US 9 toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th Street
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 1A
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th...
8
24 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
US 9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 9 toward West 178th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward West 178th Street
6
24.3 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
US 9 / Broadway
Turn left onto US 9 / Broadway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.02 one way
$8.03 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $4.34 | $8.69 |
| premium | $4.92 | $4.73 | $9.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.39 | $10.77 |
Estimated Tolls: $16.00
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$16
Total
$20
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
| Efficient EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.14 | $0.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.42 | $1.56 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Washington Heights, NY
Morning in Washington Heights on Sunday
Local time
10:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°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
2 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
36m 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 that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this route features zero highway miles, meaning you will be navigating surface streets and parkway segments throughout the entire 24.5-mile distance. You won't find any long, uninterrupted stretches here, as the road profile is defined by frequent turns and changing local conditions. The drive maintains a consistent pace, but you should be prepared for the constant engagement required when driving through these varied neighborhood and parkway environments.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.3 mi on Palisades Interstate Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Palisades Interstate Parkway and East Central Avenue. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near NY 59 / East Central Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 24.4 miles you will encounter 7 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 1.3 miles (NY 59 / East Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (Palisades Interstate Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles (US 9): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Hillcrest, NY and Washington Heights, NY, road signs point toward New York and Palisades Interstate Parkway South.
New York
4.3 mi in
|
~7m
Palisades Interstate Parkway South
4.3 mi in
|
~7m
About the Cities
Arriving in Washington Heights, NY
Full guide →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 36m. Total distance: 24.4 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.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.3 miles on Palisades Interstate Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $16.00 in tolls one way, starting with George Washington Bridge. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Washington Heights, NY 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 1.3 miles (NY 59 / East Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (Palisades Interstate Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles (US 9): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument (6 total within detour distance). 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 Washington Heights, NY 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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