Origin
Kent, NY
Late night in Kent on Sunday
Local time
3:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kent, NY to Buffalo, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
62 mi
100 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 21m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kent, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Buffalo, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Kent to Buffalo, you are looking at a manageable 62-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 28 minutes to complete. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight lodging. You can expect to spend approximately $10 on fuel, making it a budget-friendly option for your travel plans. Navigating through the Northeast, the path utilizes a combination of the New York State Thruway, Alleghany Road, and the Kensington Expressway. Because the duration is relatively short, it offers great flexibility for your schedule, whether you are heading out for business or a quick change of scenery.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Thruway | 19 mi | 22m |
| Alleghany Road | 8.9 mi | 13m |
| Kensington Expressway | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| State Route 31 | 6.3 mi | 7m |
| South Gravel Road | 5.4 mi | 7m |
| Ridge Road | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| Gaines Basin Road | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Kent Road | 2.6 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 19 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kent, NY and Buffalo, NY.
1
Start on Ford Street
52 ft
·
7 sec
·
Ford Street
2
Turn left onto CR 6
2.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Kent Road
3
Turn right onto NY 104
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Ridge Road
4
Turn left onto CR 88
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Gaines Basin Road
5
Turn right onto NY 31
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 31
6
Turn straight onto NY 31
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Million Dollar Highway
7
Continue on NY 31
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Center Street
8
Turn left onto NY 31; NY 63
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
9
Continue on NY 63
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
South Gravel Road
10
Continue on NY 63
8.9 mi
·
13 min
·
Alleghany Road
11
Take the ramp
369 ft
·
9 sec
12
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
this road
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo
14
Merge onto I 90
19 mi
·
22 min
·
New York State Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 51W
Toward NY 33 West: Buffalo
Use the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto NY 33
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Kensington Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
Toward Oak Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on Oak Street
428 ft
·
14 sec
·
Oak Street
19
Turn right onto Genesee Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Genesee Street
Use the right lane.
20
Turn right onto East Huron Street
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Huron Street
21
Turn left onto Franklin Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Franklin Street
Use the left lane.
22
Turn right onto Genesee Street
402 ft
·
11 sec
·
Genesee Street
23
Enter roundabout onto NY 384
391 ft
·
11 sec
·
Niagara Square
24
Arrive at destination
NY 384
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31 miles from Kent, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 34.2 and 61.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
34.2 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 West: Buffalo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo
7
54.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
Take the exit toward NY 33 West: Buffalo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 51W
Toward NY 33 West: Buffalo
7
60.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Oak Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Oak Street
6
61.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 26m in
|
Genesee Street
Turn right onto Genesee Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
61.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
|
Franklin Street
Turn left onto Franklin Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.21 one way
$20.41 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $11.04 | $22.07 |
| premium | $4.92 | $12.02 | $24.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.69 | $27.38 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.95
New York State Thruway
(19 mi)
$0.95
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$1
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.6 | 0 | $6.51 | $2.98 |
| Efficient EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.43 | $2.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.8 | 0 | $8.68 | $3.97 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Buffalo, NY
Late night in Buffalo on Sunday
Local time
3:47 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy
SW 17 to 28 mph
82% chance
Live forecast
40°F
Pembroke, NY
31 mi in
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
24 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
1h 28m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. While you will spend 20% of your time on highways, the majority of your travel involves navigating local roads that demand your full attention. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 19-mile segment on the New York State Thruway, which provides a brief moment of steady driving before you transition back to local surface streets. Because the route relies heavily on Alleghany Road and the Kensington Expressway, the character of the drive shifts frequently. Stay alert, as the mix of highway speeds and technical local turns keeps the experience engaging from start to finish.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19 mi on New York State Thruway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 34.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62 miles you will encounter 16 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 34.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 54.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
868 ft
340 ft
Total Climb
578 ft
Total Descent
319 ft
Highest Point
868 ft
~35.4 mi in
Elevation Range
528 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Kent, NY
Full guide →Arriving in Buffalo, NY
Full guide →The largest city in New York State's Niagara Frontier, Buffalo is a city full of surprises. Though Buffalo is sometimes the butt of jokes about chicken wings, its long-suffering sports teams, and the mountains of snow under which it is supposedly buried each winter, those in the know tell a different story: one of vibrant nightlife, world-class museums and cultural attractions, tight-knit neighborhoods with strong community spirit – and the sunniest summers in Northeastern United States.
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 1h 28m. Total distance: 62 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19 miles on New York State Thruway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.95 in tolls one way, starting with New York State Thruway. 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 Buffalo, 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 34.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 54.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Buffalo, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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