Levittown, NY to Washington Heights, NY is 30.5 miles and takes about 47 minutes via Northern State Parkway and Cross Bronx Expressway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a short, primarily highway route connecting two points in the state. You'll encounter mostly highway driving, making it a straightforward option for a quick trip. Consider this route if you need to get from one area to the other efficiently.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Northern State Parkway
6.6 mi
8m
Cross Bronx Expressway
6 mi
7m
Long Island Expressway
3.8 mi
5m
Wantagh State Parkway
3.4 mi
4m
Cross Island Parkway
3.1 mi
4m
Throgs Neck Bridge
1.8 mi
3m
Hempstead Turnpike
1.6 mi
2m
Throgs Neck Expressway
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Northern State Parkway
— 6.6 mi, about 8m
Traffic on I-295
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 6 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,773 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,305
Quietest
2 AM
~293 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 42 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Levittown, NY and Washington Heights, NY.
1
Start on NY 24
0.2 mi·22 sec·Hempstead Turnpike
2
Continue on NY 24
1.4 mi·2 min·Hempstead Turnpike
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto North Bellmore Road
438 ft·12 sec·North Bellmore Road
Use the right lane.
4
Take the ramp
464 ft·11 sec
Toward W North: Westbury
5
Merge onto W
3.4 mi·4 min·Wantagh State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward N West: New York
7
Merge onto N
6.6 mi·8 min·Northern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 27Toward Shelter Rock Road, Manhasset, SearingtownUse the slight right lane.
9
Turn right onto Shelter Rock Road
371 ft·18 sec·Shelter Rock Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto North Service Road
404 ft·7 sec·North Service Road
Use the left lane.
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 495 West
12
Merge onto I 495
3.8 mi·5 min·Long Island Expressway
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 31N-SToward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge, Kennedy AirportUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·38 sec
Exit 31NToward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone BridgeUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto CI
3.1 mi·4 min·Cross Island Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 33Toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx, New EnglandUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 295
1.8 mi·3 min·Throgs Neck Bridge
18
Continue on I 295
0.7 mi·1 min·Throgs Neck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
6.0 mi·7 min·Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.1 mi·19 sec
Exit 1D-C-BToward I 87: Queens, Albany, Major Deegan ExpresswayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·28 sec
Exit 1BToward Amsterdam AvenueUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
22
Turn straight onto Washington Bridge
0.4 mi·1 min·Washington Bridge
23
Continue on West 181st Street
0.2 mi·43 sec·West 181st Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
24
Turn right onto Wadsworth Avenue
237 ft·14 sec·Wadsworth Avenue
25
Turn left onto West 182nd Street
277 ft·23 sec·West 182nd Street
26
Turn left onto US 9
229 ft·4 sec·Broadway
27
Arrive at destination
US 9
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 15.2 miles from Levittown, 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 22
5 decision points cluster between mile 12.4 and 29.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
12.4 mi into trip|~18m in
Take the exit toward Shelter Rock Road, Manhasset, Searingtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 27
Toward Shelter Rock Road, Manhasset, Searingtow...
8
16.7 mi into trip|~24m in
Take the exit toward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge, Kennedy Airport
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 31N-S
Toward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge,...
10
16.9 mi into trip|~25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 31N
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone B...
8
20.3 mi into trip|~30m in
Take the exit toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx, New England
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 33
Toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx,...
9
29.5 mi into trip|~43m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Amsterdam Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward Amsterdam Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.96 one way
$9.91 round trip
$4.13/gal25.4 MPG avg11 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.47
$5.37
$10.73
premium
$4.87
$5.84
$11.69
diesel
$5.40
$6.49
$12.98
Estimated Tolls: $6.65
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
Hempstead Turnpike
(1.4 mi)$0.10
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$7
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
9.2
0
$3.20
$1.46
Efficient EV
7.6
0
$2.67
$1.22
EV Truck/SUV
12.2
0
$4.27
$1.95
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 26, 2026
Origin
Levittown, NY
Morning
in Levittown on Sunday
Local time
7:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Rain Showers
E 10 mph97% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 8:05PM EDT until April 26 at 11:00AM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 1:03PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Washington Heights, NY
Morning
in Washington Heights on Sunday
Local time
7:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Rain Showers
E 10 mph97% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 8:05PM EDT until April 26 at 11:00AM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 1:03PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
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
1 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
47m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is 82% highway, so expect continuous driving on major parkways and expressways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 6.6 miles on the Northern State Parkway. After the parkways, you'll transition to the Cross Bronx Expressway. Be prepared for urban merging and dense traffic patterns as you approach your destination.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.6 mi on Northern State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Northern State Parkway and Cross Bronx Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 12.4 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
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 22 decision points packed into just 30.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Levittown, NY and Washington Heights, NY, road signs point toward W North: Westbury, N West: New York, Manhasset, Searingtown, Kennedy Airport and Cross Island Parkway North - among others.
Hempstead is the most populous town in America, with a whopping 700,000 residents, located on the South Shore of Nassau County, New York. The town is highly urbanized and fragmented, containing 22 semi-autonomous villages within its boundaries, and forty other neighborhoods.
Garden City, encompassing the "Nassau Hub" region, has its own article. The other prominent communities in Hempstead include Floral Park, Hempstead Village, Valley Stream, Rockville Centre, Freeport, Merrick, and the Five Towns area.
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 30.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.6 miles on Northern State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $6.65 in tolls one way, starting with Throgs Neck 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.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 12.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
