Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
12.2 mi
20 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kensington, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Manhattan, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Traveling from Kensington to Manhattan covers a quick 12.2-mile stretch, typically taking about 28 minutes depending on traffic. Since this route sits entirely within the Northeast region, you won't experience major regional shifts, but you will navigate a dense urban environment. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as the short distance requires no overnight stays. Budgeting just $2 for fuel makes this an incredibly economical commute between these two points. Because there are no mandatory stops, you have the flexibility to head out whenever your schedule allows. Ultimately, this is a practical, straightforward drive designed for efficiency rather than leisure.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Street | 2.4 mi | 6m |
| Prospect Expressway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| 12th Avenue | 1.8 mi | 5m |
| West Side Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Gowanus Expressway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West 86th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 11th Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Broadway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Kensington, NY and Manhattan, NY.
Start on Albemarle Road
Turn right onto Coney Island Avenue
Turn left onto NY 27
Turn right onto NY 27
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 27
Merge onto I 278
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
At end of road, turn right onto NY 9A
Continue on NY 9A
Continue on NY 9A
Continue on NY 9A
Continue on HH; NY 9A
Take the exit
Turn right onto West 79th Street
Turn left onto Broadway
Turn right onto West 86th Street
Continue on 86th Street Transverse
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto NY 27 / Church Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto NY 27 / Prospect Expressway
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward Hugh L Carey Tunnel, Manhattan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward NY 9A North: West Street, Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel, George Washington Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward West 79 Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$2.01 one way
$4.02 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.17 | $4.34 |
| premium | $4.92 | $2.36 | $4.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.69 | $5.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.28 | $0.59 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.07 | $0.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.71 | $0.78 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Late night in Kensington on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Clear
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 11 at 2:05PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Late night in Manhattan on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Clear
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 11 at 2:05PM 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.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you navigate through the city. You will spend roughly 23% of your journey on highways, but the majority of the trip involves navigating local roads. Your path relies heavily on the Prospect Expressway and 12th Avenue to facilitate the movement toward Manhattan. You won't find long, open stretches here; in fact, the longest uninterrupted segment of your drive is only 2.4 miles long on West Street. This creates a stop-and-go experience that feels much more technical and involved than a standard interstate cruise.
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 early in the drive near NY 27 / Church Avenue.
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 12 decision points packed into just 12.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NY 27 / Church Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (NY 27 / Prospect Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 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.
On the drive from Kensington, NY to Manhattan, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Bronx along the way.
Bronx
Founded 1624
Wall Street. Madison Avenue. 34th Street. Broadway. Times Square. Manhattan is so well known that even the names of its streets have become iconic and understood the world over. This long, thin island is only one of New York City's five boroughs, but it's Manhattan that has the concrete canyons and the inimitable skyline; Manhattan that has the world's brightest theater district; Manhattan that has Central Park, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, and the Met; and Manhattan that includes iconic neighborhoods like Harlem, the Upper East Side, Times Square, and Greenwich Village. The rest of New York City has much to see and do, but it's Manhattan that represents the city—and sometimes the entire United States—to the world. You could spend a month on this tiny island and still not see all there is to see.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 12.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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