Origin
Jamaica, NY
Morning in Jamaica on Sunday
Local time
8:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 56m
Distance
271.4 mi
437 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$44
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jamaica, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Centerport, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Jamaica, NY to Centerport, NY is 271.4 miles and takes about 5h 56m via I 81, Christopher Columbus Highway, and I 380, with a fuel budget near $44 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, both starting and ending in New York. It's a primarily highway route that should feel familiar to most drivers, making it a straightforward choice for a single-day excursion. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the interstate, so it's a practical option if you need to get there efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
135.7 miles from Jamaica, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 52m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 97.3 mi | 1h 55m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 44.6 mi | 52m |
| I 380 | 27.7 mi | 30m |
| Keystone Shortway | 17.3 mi | 24m |
| US 46 | 10.8 mi | 12m |
| Clinton Street | 10.5 mi | 15m |
| NJ 3 | 10.2 mi | 12m |
| East Lake Road | 9.9 mi | 14m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 123 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~4,393 veh/hr typical · worst 5,118
Quietest
1 AM
~445 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Jamaica, NY and Centerport, NY.
Start on Tuskegee Airmen Way
Turn right onto Pinegrove Street
At end of road, turn left onto Liberty Avenue
Turn right onto Van Wyck Expressway East
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 678
Take the exit
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 495
Keep slight right at fork onto I 495
Keep slight left at fork
Turn slight left onto East 37th Street
Take the ramp
Turn right
Merge onto NY 495
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 495
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto NJ 3
Merge onto US 46
Take the exit
Continue on I 80W
Take the exit
Merge onto I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Take the exit
Continue on I 380
Merge onto I 81
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
Take the exit
Turn right onto NY 13
Turn left onto Locust Avenue
Continue on Albany Street
At end of road, turn right onto US 11; NY 41
Turn left onto NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Turn left onto US 20
Turn right onto Pine Ridge Road
Continue on Chestnut Ridge Road
At end of road, turn right onto NY 5
Turn left onto Weedsport Sennett Road
Continue on South Street
At end of road, turn left onto East Brutus Street
Turn left onto NY 31
Continue on NY 31
Turn left onto Centerport Road
Arrive at destination
Given the 5h 56m estimated drive time, leaving Jamaica, NY in the morning should allow you to reach Centerport, NY comfortably within daylight hours. With only one recommended stop, plan this break strategically, perhaps around the halfway point or a bit further along on I 81. The $44 fuel cost is an estimate, so monitor your gauge, especially during the 97.3-mile stretch on I 81 where services might be less frequent. This is a manageable drive for one day, but don't hesitate to pull over if you need a longer break than anticipated.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 60 miles or 1h 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 135.7 miles or 2h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Centerport, NY than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Jamaica, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Jamaica, NY
This is one driving day of about 271.4 miles and 5h 56m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
136 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.
A short stop after about 60 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 135.7 miles from Jamaica, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 81 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 97.3 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.1 and 17.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 278 West: Brooklyn
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel, Manhattan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward Crosstown, 37th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$44.11 one way
$88.22 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $47.74 | $95.48 |
| premium | $4.87 | $51.99 | $103.99 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $57.73 | $115.46 |
Estimated Tolls: $16.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Tolls
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$85–$110
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 95 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 81.4 | 1 | $28.50 | $13.03 |
| Efficient EV | 67.9 | 0 | $23.75 | $10.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 108.6 | 1 | $38.00 | $17.37 |
Gas CO2
95 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jamaica on Sunday
Local time
8:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Centerport on Sunday
Local time
8:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Expect about 61% of this 271.4-mile drive to be on highways like I 81 and I 380. The longest continuous stretch on these roads is 97.3 miles along I 81. After leaving the main highways, you'll transition to surface roads for the remainder of your trip. You'll notice a shift from higher-speed cruising to a more local feel as you approach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and Christopher Columbus Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.1 miles in.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 43 significant decision points across 271.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9 miles: 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 Jamaica, NY and Centerport, NY, road signs point toward Del Water Gap, Mahwah and Albany.
Del Water Gap
Mahwah
Albany
Jamaica is an expansive neighborhood located in eastern Queens. Historically consisting of predominantly black communities, Jamaica now is home to an extremely diverse array of peoples and cultures.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 56m. Total distance: 271.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
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.
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